Walmart Angel or Wish Tree
By CatsandDogs
@CatsandDogs (13963)
United States
December 1, 2007 11:34pm CST
Do you pick a child from the Christmas tree to buy a gift for? I wanted to for so long but couldn't because of finaces were not as good as they could be but last year I did it for the first time and it felt so good!! I bought a child a few not so expensive gifts so he or she would have a few presents to open Christmas day. I thought of the child on Christmas morning and prayed that he or she liked what I bought. It wasn't much but it's something to open to make the child happy.
Have you ever done this before? Will you be doing it this year? I hope to be able to again but I don't know just yet for again but worse, finaces are not so good.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@GloomCookieLex (6073)
• United States
12 Dec 07
My family took 3 from a local restaurant 2 weeks ago. I made a point to make sure we took all older children. No one ever thinks of them. People automatically think of a 4-year-old who wants a Barbie, not a 15 year-old who only wants an alarm clock, or a 13 year-old who desperately wants art supplies.
Back when we had better money, we used to do the "adopt-a-family" thing.
1 person likes this
@GloomCookieLex (6073)
• United States
12 Dec 07
Lol, I get what you're saying. Don't beat yourself up about it, though. If you can't, then you can't, you can't really help that. Maybe the next time you can afford it, just pick extra kids to make up for it? Or you can do Back-to-school donations when that time rols around?
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
13 Dec 07
That's a good idea! Thanks! I'll keep that in mind and when the time comes around again where I can give I'll do a bit extra. What a great idea!
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
12 Dec 07
You've got a GOOD point there GloomCookie. People do need to widen their ranges when it comes to ages because kids are kids no matter what their ages. I want to help again this year so badly but I can't. We're not able to even for each other. It'll be our first for each other but it's part of life and besides, like I told my hubby, at least we have each other. The rest will fall into place eventually. But not being able to help a child really gets me down. But there is always next year. But then again... I can charge it and pay it later.... (Ikes!) But like the saying goes, what goes around comes around so maybe I should? But don't want to do it for those reasons though because it has to come from the heart and not because something good would come my way. (Am I beating myself up in and around a cage? lol)
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
2 Dec 07
We don't have anything like a Walmart where I live, but the big major thing to do here in NYC is to go to the main Post Office in Manhattan and pick one of those "Letter To Santa" that they have and then buy a gift for the child and send it to them anonymously. I'm vowing to myself that one day I'll do that, as I really would like to...
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
2 Dec 07
I've wanted to do it for so long and finally had the chance to and it felt so good to be an angel in disquise so to speak. I'm the type that loves to share all that I have to another as long as I'm not being used and I know their situation is real and not a put on to get something for free. It just feels so good inside.
BTW, keep forgetting to tell you, thanks for the "tip" It's so true for I've found that out a couple of days ago. Cool!!
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
12 Dec 07
Oh yeah that is the same exact thing... buying for a child in need. Did you know that BJ's is Walmart only in bulk buying? So they would have the same tree.
I'm with you though, I can't do it this year as much as I'd love to but I just can't. My husband's military disability hasn't gone completely through just yet so we're strapped for cash too.
@lbinkley (1075)
• United States
12 Dec 07
I don't usually pick a child from the tree to buy for at Walmart. My family usually adopts a local family through the church to buy for and I contribute to that. My thing is that I buy for toys for tots every year. This year I contributed 5 toys. None of them were very pricey, we really can't afford much. But this is a charity I really like to contribute to, because it is a Marine Corps charity and my hubby was a Marine until just this year. As soon as we are a little more on our feet I would like to continue the Toys for Tots contributions as well as pick a child from the tree, but finances just don't allow it right now so we do what we can. However, I saw in our local courthouse yesterday that they are doing a blanket drive, and I might just go out and buy a new blanket to donate to keep families warm this winter...
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
13 Dec 07
That's awesome! What a way to make a whole family feel special! And Toys For Tots is a great way as well for it's basically the same concept and what great feelings we get when we're able to do it. I understand how you feel for we can't do it this year either because my husband just retired from the army and is still working on his disability rating. My uncle retired from the air force and I have a nephew in the marines. A military family through and through however what's funny is all three of my brothers and my husband work in the air conditioning and heating field. Go figure. LOL
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
5 Dec 07
We dont pick a child from the Kmart Chrisatmas tree. I think it's the same concept, with a supermarket putting up a big tree & asking people to make donations of presents for children.
Kmart has a large tree, but one just buys whatever you think is suitable, wrap it, & put a little note on it saying whether it is suitable for a boy or girl & age.
We dont choose kids. The Salvation Army will choose the kids to get presents.
My daughter has bought a barbie doll & a pack of colour pencils.
I trust them.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
12 Dec 07
That's still giving to a child which is a wonderful thing!! I wish so much that I could see the child that the gift is going to so I could see them holler in such joy. Bless you for being so thoughful and kind!
