"If you pay someone to stand next to a kettle, it costs between 15 and 25 percent of each dollar raised, " Seiler said.

CNN: Holiday icon fights slowdown by 'tweeting,' texting

Seiler said the future of Salvation Army fundraising probably will always include the traditional red kettle, which first appeared on the streets of San Francisco in 1891.

CNN: Holiday icon fights slowdown by 'tweeting,' texting

Numbers vary from region to region, Seiler said, but in the Atlanta area overall, more than half of bell-ringers are volunteers, and most paid kettle attendants work during weekdays when fewer volunteers are available.

CNN: Holiday icon fights slowdown by 'tweeting,' texting