The holidays are upon us, families are making plans, friends are plotting shenanigans, traditions are in full force, and people are getting ready to celebrate the holidays in the best ways they know how. And in an unassuming storefront on the North Shore, Christmas Amalgamated has started its work again, just as it has for more than 40 years.
Many people know the program from the outside. They see the toy drives, the donation bins, and the calls for non-perishables. But stepping into the Christmas Amalgamated headquarters tells the real story. Volunteers are buzzing around through shelves upon shelves of toys, games, clothes, and household items. And while volunteers organize the goods much like Santa’s very own elves, there are others who are registering single parents and families to receive a little help and holiday cheer this season.
There is no fuss or judgment, just people showing up because they believe everyone deserves a holiday that feels like something.
This year, the program is once again operating out of the Cooper Centre. Organizer Sally Whitson said, “We are very thankful for the Cooper Center. We get to have a recognizable place for people to come. We don’t have to pay rent here. It’s a really good space.” The stability of that partnership helps keep the focus on families, she said, and not worrying about overhead and finding new locations each year. It also allows stability to those who may need a little more of that during the holidays.
Inside the workspace, Whitson is often found putting together beauty baskets for teenagers. She gathers donated bath items, lotions, makeup, journals, and accessories, and creates packages that look like something you would pick out specifically for a child you love. “It makes them feel good to get something thought out,” she said.
These baskets have become her favourite part of organizing the program each year. Whitson said she will often carry out her meetings and conversations with folks while she builds the baskets.
The little things like that show how much care goes into every part of the work.
Whitson noted that teens are also the group most often missed. “We are really in need of gifts for teenagers,” she said.
She added that they have plenty of donations for babies through age five, but that older children, especially eight to eleven-year-olds and teens, often get overlooked.
Gift cards, art supplies, sports gear, headphones, books, or journals can make a real difference for the older kids who receive the program’s gifts.
Christmas Amalgamated focuses on dignity as much as support. Every hamper includes items chosen to create a real holiday meal. That means vegetables, stuffing, sweets, fruit, and a turkey or grocery gift cards.
Gifts are sorted carefully so each child receives something suited to their age and interests.
When asked about gender specific gifts, Whitson laughed, “I don’t care what gender anyone is, just let me know what you like!” At the end of the day, the volunteers just want families to open their hamper and feel that someone cared about making their Christmas feel special.
Families can still register to receive a hamper, and community members can sign up to sponsor a family as well. Sponsoring a family means you would be assigned a family that you would contact and create a hamper for them, yourself.
Sponsoring a family can be a meaningful project for households, workplace groups, clubs, or classrooms. It offers a direct way to brighten someone’s holiday by providing personalized items chosen with intention and love.
For those who want to help, the process is simple.
The program accepts non-perishable food items, holiday meal staples, gift cards, new unwrapped toys, and especially gifts for older kids and teens.
Monetary donations are also important because they help fill the gaps.
Whitson asked donors not to send money to the Cooper Centre, since there is no mail service there.
Instead, financial donations should be mailed to PO Box 24050 ST Northills Ctr, Kamloops, BC V2B 8R3.