Every year, Catholic Charities throws a Christmas party for hundreds of families in need. And a big part of Operation Stocking Stuffer is, of course, the stockings. They're all donated by a caring community.
"The stockings are 100% donated by people in the community," said Marie Baxter, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada. "We have corporations, we even have one donor who personally makes about 500 stockings every year. It's her passion; she starts a year in advance. So if you're thinking about ways to give this Christmas, make a stocking, bring it down to St. Vincent's and we will give it to a child."
Donations are due December 9th and Operation Stocking Stuffer is December 15th. There's a carnival, cookie decorating and pictures with Santa. At the end, every child gets a stocking to take home.
"It makes a big difference when you get that stocking," Baxter said. "You're holding it and can't wait to see what's in it. Many people have the tradition of opening the stocking first, and it's keeping that tradition alive and giving that as a new experience for a lot of people who may have never had a Christmas stocking before."
They're special gifts for kids off all ages.
"You can buy a stocking, go to the dollar store and put fun things in it, or you can pre-purchase ones that have things in them," Baxter said. "Because the age range is birth through 18, you can include everything from movie tickets to sippee cups and fun little toys and anything that will really brighten a child's Christmas morning."
Every year they get more than 1,000 donated stockings. And they're all put to good use.
"We need about 1,000 stockings because not only do we give them out here at our carnival, but we distribute them to all the rural communities as well," Baxter said. "So we can never have a shortage; we will take whatever we can get because we absolutely have kids in need."
Donations are also accepted online.
