The Hawaii chapter of the American Red Cross is asking people to give charitable donations as Christmas presents this year in the names of people on their shopping lists.

The Red Cross has compiled a holiday shopping list at www.redcross.org/gifts for items such as infant care kits for babies in emergency shelters, phone cards for deployed military members to call home, hot meals and blankets for disaster victims in shelters, and measles vaccinations for children around the world.

"We are asking people to give a gift that means something in the spirit of the holiday season," said Coralie Chun Matayoshi, chief executive officer of the Hawaii Red Cross. "We are not a government agency and depend on the generosity of the public to provide critical services to our community."

A national survey by the American Red Cross to measure the status of holiday giving this year found that 7 in 10 respondents expect to donate more or about the same this holiday season as last year, despite the economic downturn.

Some 68 percent of respondents believed that the economy means it is important for them to give to charities to help others — an increase from last year’s 58 percent response.

Of those surveyed, 79 percent said they would rather have a charitable donation made in their honor instead of receiving a gift they wouldn’t use, according to the Red Cross.