 As Christmas fast approaches, many people look forward to getting a break from work and school. One thing that does not take a break for the holiday is the need for blood donations. The Red Cross recently issued an urgent call for blood donors as the holidays approach. Every year, a decline in blood donations occurs around the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day when donors get busy with family gatherings and traveling. To combat this, the Red Cross is giving away free t-shirts to all those who give blood until January 6th. It's an important time for blood donation right now. Again, we do see a seasonal decline, and that coupled with possible bad weather when blood drives need to be canceled, we really need to ensure that patients have the blood that they need. To see a list of upcoming Red Cross blood drives in the area, you can visit the story on our website at lptb.org slash news. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.