This season is particularly challenging for the Red Cross when it comes to keeping up with needed blood donations.

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Red Cross spokeswoman Beth Toll says with holiday vacations, parties and shopping - not to mention inclement weather - the need for blood donors tends to increase.

"The patients in need don't get a holiday from needing blood," she said.

Toll says we haven't experienced much winter weather yet, but we know it is coming, and that will inevitably causes blood drive cancellations.

Toll said the flu season also decreases the blood donation flow, which the Red Cross says is about 14,000 daily donations to serve more than 2,600 hospitals across the country.

"We need all types: o-negative, b-negative, a-negative and types a and b, as well as platelet donors," Toll said.

She says it is really important that we are able to maintain our blood supply so that we can continue serving the patients in need who don't get a holiday from needing blood.

To find out where to donate blood, call 1-800-RedCross. Or you can log on to their website, redcrossblood.org. Toll says you can find local blood drive opportunities just by typing in your zip code and seeing which drives are near your residence, where you live or work, and visit those blood drives. She says you can also download the Red Cross blood donor app and make your appointment that way.

The Red Cross is also offering a special, while supplies last, Red Cross longsleeved t-shirt. That promotion runs from Dec. 23 through Jan. 3, to get donors to come through the door, obviously a very critical time period.

"It is our way of saying thank you for coming out and making time in your busy holiday schedule to help save lives," she said.

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5.

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