When you were 11 years old, what kind of gifts did you give your family for the holidays?

Was it something you made because you were artistic? Or was it the kind of store-bought gift that doesn't create a particularly lasting impression -- such as a pair of slippers, a necktie or a sports-themed T-shirt?

If you are like me, I have little recollection of the gifts I gave last year -- let alone the ones I gave back in the mid-70s. But I have a hunch that 12-year-old Stephen Parsons of Louisville, Ky., will remember the gift he gave his family last Christmas well into his adult years.

As you might have guessed, Stephen didn't go for the easy out. Rather, he went with a more creative option.

On Christmas Day, Stephen told his immediate and extended family that his gift to everyone was a flock of chicks. Well, not exactly a whole flock, but a share of one, which he and other thoughtful young people purchased through Heifer International.

Through Heifer, people buy animals that provide hungry families around the world with a food source in addition to helping them become self-reliant. Thanks to Stephen's gift, not only will hungry children receive eggs, but their families can earn income for school, health care and better housing.

I asked Stephen where he got the idea.

"Our church does an Alternative Giving Fair each year. Also, kids in our Sunday School class brought in one extra dollar for a few weeks (above their normal church offering) and put it in a special place to save it up to buy a flock of chicks," said Stephen. (FYI -- A flock of chicks costs about $20.)

As you might imagine, the gift scored big points with the adults in Stephen's family. First, it ranked high in the "most creative" category, but second, and perhaps most important, his family recognized his thoughtfulness by giving him a hearty round of applause.

I've been to lots of family holiday gatherings, but none in recent memory involved a standing ovation. Child psychologists often say how important it is to reinforce the behavior you want a young person to replicate with positive affirmation.

Role modeling might have also played a part in Stephen's gift decision. "Our family has given to Heifer Project for several years. Every time my grandmother donates an animal, she gets a small stuffed toy version of that animal for us to have," said Stephen.

This holiday season think about all the ways you can channel the energy of a young person into doing good for others. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Attend an Alternative Gift Fair. The Center for a New American Dream can help you locate alternative gift fairs in your area.
2. Break the "same-old, same-old" gift giving pattern with something more creative. Give the gift of time to family and friends. Commit to doing three things together in the next six months that involve something other than a consumer experience as the primary activity -- such as going to a museum.
3. Take a young person to visit residents in a nursing home or shut-ins in your community. In preparation for the visit, have them do an art project they can leave behind with the people they meet.

Have you ever participated in a holiday gift exchange that resulted in spontaneous applause due to the generosity of a young person?

Whether you use applause or some other method, it's important to reinforce the behavior to help it gain traction in the future.

Retailers of teenage clothing are outperforming other clothing retailers by sizable margins. Abercrombie & Fitch is leading the way in 2005 with gains of 31 percent.

Source: Goldman Sachs Retail Composite Index

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