LivingSocial Spreads Holiday Cheer

Social-media developer LivingSocial is celebrating the holiday season with gift-buying initiative 12 Days of Gifting, which will offer savings on spas, restaurants, sports and other products in major cities across the United States through Dec. 20, with a portion of the proceeds going to nonprofits.

The initiative teamed up LivingSocial Deals, which launched in New York at the end of August, with local merchants on one offer per day, shared via Facebook, Twitter and email and good for only 24 hours.

Examples of the deals offered by LivingSocial include: $25 in cupcakes at Red Velvet Cupcakery (a $50 value) in Washington, D.C.;