Anyone looking to fly to Europe any time between Christmas Day and April 30, 2010? Well, you are incredibly lucky — right now! This morning, Dec. 10, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 10:25 a.m., Lufthansa is auctioning off seats for departures between the applicable dates for just one euro (approximately $1.47). The online bidding will proceed as follows:

9 a.m - From any U.S. destination to Europe in business class

9:05 a.m. - From Charlotte to Munich in economy class

9:16 a.m. - From Chicago to Dusseldorf in business class

9:35 a.m. - From Florida to Frankfurt in business class

9:55 a.m. - From New York to Dusseldorf in business class

And, it doesn’t stop there! Until 10:25 a.m., 72 flights from Germany to Europe, Asia and Africa will also be auctioned off. Customers will bid for their chosen flights, ranging from 10 to 50 euros for economy class or 10 to 100 Euros for business class.

Now, the only question you might have to ask yourself is — why are you still reading this blog and not checking out further details on the Lufthansa website? You may just get all that holiday shopping done before 10:30 a.m.!

– Courtney Centeno, account executive

This year, Global Traveler helped raise close to $50,000 for the charity Pencils for Kids, Inc. I am proud to be part of a company that gives back. Recently, I’ve decided to help give back to a cause I feel strongly about.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, I will be doing a 5k run for the charity Women for Women. Run for Congo Women was created by everyday women to help raise hope for women living through the horrific war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The money raised will help sponsor support groups, rights awareness, job training, literacy and other training. The goal of Run for Congo Women is for the women of the Congo to be self sufficient within one year after receiving support.

Never heard of this conflict? You are not alone. Most people haven’t. It receives little to no news coverage. I am hoping by doing this run and talking about the conflict with others, I can help raise awareness and hopefully make a small step towards helping end this war. I believe there is hope for these women with just a little support and knowledge.

–Jackie Adam, advertising and editorial coordinator

When friends or family visit me in NYC and drive in to the city, they park their car in the garage behind my building. Some guests come frequently enough that we have gotten to know the men that work in the garage. It’s primarily a “Hi, how are you?” type of conversation, but in this case the pleasantries are actually meant.

Over the weekend, my mom visited. I went down to the garage with her to pick up the car. One of the young men that works there saw us coming and immediately took out pictures to show us. They were of his family and the brand new house he built for them in his home country of Senegal. The smile on his face showed how proud he was of his new home. My mom and I were happy that he wanted to share the nice stories with us.

I have my family close, and I often take it for granted. We have the ability to communicate and see each other often and with such ease. Seeing the pictures from Senegal also made me think how everyone we interact with in our daily routines has a story. In New York, those stories and backgrounds are usually from somewhere very far away. It’s nice to know that sometimes a simple “Hello” or “How are you?” can lead to an unexpected friendship that connects two very far away places — like Manhattan and Senegal.

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

Two weeks ago, John (GT’s most popular blogger) wrote about the places he would love to visit. Everyone has a wish list of places they would love to visit. Dream vacations, we all got ‘em.

My number one destination would have to be Egypt. I dream of getting there someday and roaming around the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings. I can’t even imagine how amazing it would be to see the Sphinx or cruise the Nile. Yup, Egypt definitely tops my list.

At a close second — Greece. During my study abroad in college, I tried (and failed) to organize a weekend excursion to Greece. I’ve seen pictures, and in my opinion, it does not get more beautiful! Plus, one of my favorite things about traveling is seeing history. For instance, when you are wandering around Rome, happening upon the ancient ruins or the Colosseum — absolutely nothing compares. I imagine Greece to be the same way. The ruins throughout Greece must be truly unbelievable.

My list could go on and on…and on. Turkey, Morocco, Monaco, the south of France, Moscow, Tahiti . . . .

-Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and PR executive

I stumbled upon a list of “The Best Places You’ve Never Heard Of” on the travel section of MSNBC’s Web site and I thought I would share the list with you. Maybe you have heard of these places, maybe you have been to these places, maybe you need some suggestions for your next destination - whatever the case, I thought I would indulge you all with a list of hidden gems.

• Willunga, Australia - a great spot for red wines, the Willunga Farmers Market and Russell’s Pizza, this destination is an hour south of Adelaide
• Chapada Dos Veadeiros, Brazil - a 253-square-mile national park with large quartz reserves
• Graskop, South Africa - a small, artsy community about four hours from Johannesburg
• Weymouth, England - great for divers and sunseekers, a cobblestone street English town
• Purnululu National Park, Australia - also known as the “Bungle, Bungle”, great for hiking beautiful, eroded sandstone domes
• Bergerac, France - great wine, food and shopping
• Gaziantep, Turkey - applauded for its food, particularly its baklava
• Moravsky Krumlov, Czech Republic - local castle is great for sightseeing and the town has a classical, romantic feel
• Wilson, United States - located in Kansas, the state park is renowned for its biking
• Tanabe, Japan - forested, hot springs and great hiking

The article first appeared in “Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine“. Each location was selected by a world traveler and the destinations are unique and special to these people, which gives the piece an interesting perspective. The article, published in the Sept. 2008 issue, offers transportation and lodging tips as well. For more information on any of these locations, read the article here.

And, if you have been to any of the places listed above, let us know what you think about them! What destinations would you add to a list of “the best places you’ve never heard of”?

-Kimberly Krol, circulation and PR executive, eFlyer editor (GO PHILS!)