Making the Lists...

...and checking them twice!

Making the lists, checking them twice

The Merry lil Santa Drive begins around October/November when I approach the Focus Ireland Family Centre Team who work with a huge number of families in a variety of different emergency accommodation, with a variety of needs. We try to be conscious of putting too much pressure on families by even talking about Christmas just yet. As the team have such great relationships with these families, they start the conversations around what their kids’ interests are and what would be on their Santa list this year. The aim is to make sure that each gift is unique and personal to each child so that come Christmas morning, that child gets to experience the magic of knowing Santa heard their wish. We like to start putting that long list together nice and early to give Santa a head start.

As that is coming along, we begin contacting our massive mailing list of people, who have been so kind and generous each year and start receiving vouchers. We then gather all the vouchers and meet with an amazing team of friends in the family centre. Here we break up into teams, divide all the vouchers, check the lists twice and then hit the Smyths stores around Dublin in mid-December.

Once we are sure we have all the gifts that Santa needs, we bring them back to the family centre, process them and get them ready for Santa to bring to all the children for Christmas morning!

I’m happy to say that every year the team continues to grow. If you would like to get involved, please email me at merrylilsanta@gmail.com, you are very welcome. We will be doing the big shopping on the 15th of December this year.

Thank you,

Rach x

A look at one of our previous lists!