Where do I donate a toy for a child right after Christmas and Chanukah? Three Kings Day?

Question

It seems that right after Christmas that many kids get toys that they don't need or want. Instead of returning them, someone could donate them to a child who didn't get any toys on Christmas Day. There ARE twelve days of Christmas, after all (and eight days of Chanukah)! Moreover, since there are so many sales right after Christmas Day (like Boxing Day sales in Canada and the UK), people could get toys cheaper in order to donate more. I am in NYC and cannot seem to find a place to give a new gift to a needy child. Many Latin countries (Italy, Spain, Central and South America), celebrate Three Kings Day, another Christmastime holiday on January 6th, when gifts are given. The twelve days of Christmas end with the Feast of Epiphany also called "The Adoration of the Magi" or "The Manifestation of God." This could be another option for gift-giving.

By the way, why don't Canadians and Americans start celebrating the season on Christmas Eve and end with Three Kings Day? There is all of this pre-holiday hype that begins right after Thanksgiving (and sometimes even before Halloween!), yet Christmas ends for most on Christmas Day, or maybe a couple of days of celebration afterwards if at all. Why not boycott the pre-holiday hype and shopping frenzy by returning to the traditional celebration of Christmas which ends with the Feast of the Epiphany/The Adoration of the Magi/The Manifestation of God -- aka Three Kings Day (on January 6th)? It seems to me that this would make Christmas more of a genuine holiday.

Answer 1

You could donate your gift to the Ronald McDonald House or to a playroom at a Children's Hospital.

We start Christmas on Dec. 6--the feast of St. Nicholas, with a small bag of chocolate coins, an orange, and some nuts left in their stockings. We also do a Saint Nick craft.

For Christmas Dec. 25--my girls get 3 small gifts from Santa Claus--mostly knick knacks. They got 2 puzzles each and a lite-brite refill this year. We also give them 3 gifts we know they would really like to have. This year the little one got some Little People and the older one got 3 video games--she has wanted since forever. They do get gifts from relatives, thankfully, everyone has tapered it down and our house is not exploding with toys on Christmas Day.

Come January 6th, when the 3 kings get to Bethlehem--we started their journey today. (We place the baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas). Then the angel travels to the kings. Each day we move them closer. On "3 Kings Day" we will have a cake called a Rosca de Reyes.--I've always meant to do this, but I never do. It is wreath shaped and has a baby Jesus in it. Whoever gets it has to throw a get together on February 2. Since it is just me, my dh, and my kids, I will throw the feast on Feb. 2 where we will eat tamales and drink atole. My Christmas tree usually comes down on January 7th. I will probably have to take it down the same day, but I will leave my nativity on the fireplace until February 2.

I'm trying to give my kids a very warm Christmas season. No rushing to shop--things like that. We have days where all we do is go see lights around town--the zoo, the college, the downtown square, certain neighborhoods and the county park. Then on other days, we will look at lights if we are out and about in different parts of town. We also do luminarias and plays and concerts. We pull out all the Christmas movies, cartoons and books. We visit family, we do midnight mass, ice skating in a tiny new mexico mountain village, and we do mexican traditional christmas foods.

I still have to do cookie baking and ornament making. Some people MUST celebrate Christmas on the 25th. That is what works for them, for me, I am just celebrating Christmas my way so that it will be enjoyable for me and my girls. Every year I get better at it--learn more traditions and Christmas history and I try to be more true to the season.

I was born in the U.S. along the Texas, Mexico, New Mexico border, so I have always celebrated a multi-faceted Christmas--a little religious, a little american, a little mexican, a little new mexican and a little texan. I just started a tradition of having ham on Christmas Day--very American--used to be tamales for me--but now I've found a better more traditional day to have them as a main course--February 2. Of course, take me a posada--Christmas play and I will always want for some chocolate and tamales to snack on!!

I hope you enjoy your Christmas Season. Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad. Oh yeah, don't forget to eat some black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year's!!

Answer 2

I would contact a local police or fire department they always appreciate toys for frightened children and victims of fire.