Has anyone ever taken a name from an angel tree and bought gifts for the child named?

Where I work this year they decided to not exchange gifts with each other. Instead we partnered up with someone and everyone got a name of a child just coming out of a shelter that would have no Christmas otherwise. I'm excited to do this with my friend but I'm having a hard time providing a Christmas for my own daughter so this will be a little harder for me.

I've already made the little girl that we chose a handmade afghan (in bright yellow!) and we are planning on doing a bit of fun shopping next weekend.

Does anyone here do the Angel Tree's or have you in the past?

I've never heard of that. It sounds like a great idea. I'm happy to hear you are getting into the Christmas spirit a little bit. I know it can be hard to do. I'm sure that little girl will love that afghan and appreciate it for many years to come. There's nothing better than a homemade gift. It takes a lot more time and care to make something yourself than to just go to the store and buy something.

Originally posted by Mijada
I've never heard of that. It sounds like a great idea. I'm happy to hear you are getting into the Christmas spirit a little bit. I know it can be hard to do. I'm sure that little girl will love that afghan and appreciate it for many years to come. There's nothing better than a homemade gift. It takes a lot more time and care to make something yourself than to just go to the store and buy something.


I figured it would be easier for me to fulfill most of my part of helping out by making something that is not smething you can just go and buy. I bought a nice cheery color of yarn and I thught it turned out very nice :)

There are a lot of places around where I live that do these Angel Trees including the Salvation Army (which due to a past experience I refuse to donate to or help out), some church centers, youth groups and this shelter that we chose the names from. I talk about how rough things are for us (my daughter and I) and how worried I am about her Christmas but at least at Christmas she'll have a bed and be warm. There's no guarantee these kids will have that.

Sometimes the tree's can be found in Kmarts, Walmarts, Targets, etc. I'm sure they are around where you live :)

I did that my sophomore year in high school. The NHS did an angel tree and I took a name off of it. I still remember the girl's name was Christy and she was 6. I bought her this Crayola pack of all crayons, paper, markers, etc. All kids love to color! You didn't actually get to meet the child, but you just put the present under the tree. It was a good feeling.

Originally posted by TheHappyBurgerMeister
I did that my sophomore year in high school. The NHS did an angel tree and I took a name off of it. I still remember the girl's name was Christy and she was 6. I bought her this Crayola pack of all crayons, paper, markers, etc. All kids love to color! You didn't actually get to meet the child, but you just put the present under the tree. It was a good feeling.


Yeah this little girl is 5. We dont have a name for her, they gave us codes instead because they did not want to chance that anyone would know the kids by name or circumstance.

No, I never have, but this year I think I will. It'll be a great way to get involved! We have those trees at Walmart and Kmart: I'm not sure where I will pick from.

That sounds like such a good idea! I'd love to do that. I'll check my K-Mart and see if they have a tree.

My Mom and another person in our parish organize the angel tree for our church. I usually go help at the end when we get all the presents in and organize them by family. Sometimes we save a tag or two so we can go buy something for a child because usually all the tags are gone by the first weekend and we don't get one.

One year there was these two kids (a boy and a girl) who had NOTHING at all. The boy just had a birthday and got these new clothes and there parents sold his clothes so they could have money for drugs. He still had his shoes but he forgot them when childrens services took the kids away and when they went back to get his shoes which were outside they found out a dog had pooped in them. That's how bad there house and yard was. So my Mom went out and bought these two kids that she never met each $100-$200 worth of clothes and toys this included winter coats and boots.

Yeah. In high school our homeroom class would draw a name and then we would go shopping for the child. Some of the kids would either go shopping or donate money for the shopping. I donated money. Each year I would shell out $50 to help make sure that the kid had a nice Christmas. The Angel tree is a great idea.

My wife and I do that every year. The church we belong to has an angel tree. I think it's a great idea to be able to give the not so fortunate a better christmas.:)

I'm bumping this up...so kill me.

We were at Applebees tonight and they had an angel tree, so I took a card for a 3 year old girl. We went to KMart and I got her a baby doll and some jammies. I like shopping for little kids...and it was my good deed for this Christmas. :D

Originally posted by TradingMooses
I'm bumping this up...so kill me.

We were at Applebees tonight and they had an angel tree, so I took a card for a 3 year old girl. We went to KMart and I got her a baby doll and some jammies. I like shopping for little kids...and it was my good deed for this Christmas. :D

Aw that's so wonderful.

Everyone should take an angel from one of the trees. The little girl who gets the blanket I made will be happy - I wish I could see her face when she opens it but I know she'll love it.