Will donating to charity ever be as popular as shopping during the holiday season?

A partnership of nonprofits — including several in Rhode Island, some local to Bristol-Warren — hopes so.

For many people, the holiday shopping marathon began on Thanksgiving day, with some national chains opening their doors just hours after the traditional turkey dinner. Then comes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, which has morphed into Cyber Week.

Now, there's a new campaign asking you to open your wallet — Giving Tuesday.

The Giving Tuesday website says the effort, coming on the heels of days devoted to consumerism, is designed "to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations."

Several Rhode Island-based non-profits are among those using their websites and social media networks to kick off the inaugural effort. They include local organizations like Boys Town New England in Portsmouth and Salve Regina University in Newport, and statewide groups like Spirits of ’76 Rhode Island Chapter, Tockwotton Home and Brown Annual Fund.

The effort includes the Twitter hashtag #GivingTuesday, designed to help spread the word.

To whom do you plan to donate this holiday season? Will you take part in Giving Tuesday? Can a social media push get people giving more of their money and time to charities during the holiday season? Let us know in the comments section below.