The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal
Do you participate in the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal? It is a great initiative from Kmart to help those that are less fortunate. Kmart staff work alongside Salvation Army volunteers to collect gifts from all over Australia to help those in need.
I love buying a gift for someone. I also love helping making Christmas happier than it might be without some feel good gifts. We have been in similar situations in our lives, lost jobs, no money and wondering how the bills will get paid, let alone how I will get the kids Christmas presents this year.
Years ago when I was in a Kmart shop, one staff member told me that the babies and little kids get most of the gifts. I asked what group needed more, and the answer was, “Teenage boys”. I asked why? The response was, this is a hard group to buy for. It was due to the fact that they are out of the stuffed bear stage, and it is awkward to purchase for a kid that you don’t know the size or what their interests are.
One gift I got for a young boy for the Wishing Tree Appeal was a couple of t-shirts and some board shorts. I did not know what to do about the size but included the receipt as thought that was the best thing to do. At least with the receipt they can return the goods and get another size if needed.
What and who do you buy for with the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal? Let us know how you decide what to get and who for? It is hard I know.
Did you know?
The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal has been running since 1987 but launched nationally in 1988, and this year Kmart is celebrating the 26th anniversary of the Wishing Tree. It started with an employee in Adelaide suggesting that Kmart use the network they had to assist charities at Christmas time. It is now a massive enterprise and in 2012 443,322 were collected. The aim for 2013 is to collect more than 500,00o nationally.
How do you participate and help?
1. Collect a wishing tree gift tag from any Kmart store and attach to a gift
2. Tell Kmart who the gift is for, baby, adult, child or teenager. Of course you will need to indicate if the gift is for a male or female and what age group the gift falls into
3. Keep the other half of the tag to hang on your Christmas tree
4. Make sure to place your gift under the Kmart wishing tree by Christmas Eve
Some things to note:
- All wrapped gifts are carefully unwrapped to check for suitability and inspected by the Salvation Army. So no big deal if it is not gift wrapped. Maybe a gift bag might be a good idea as it can still be looked at but not unwrapped so to speak.
- Gifts cannot be second hand but fine if handmade. The Salvation Army wants to make sure that people get new things for Christmas
We are not flush, and surviving and I am wanting to do it again this year to help someone else in more need than us currently. I cannot afford a great deal but thought that a little gift would be nice to help out.
The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal
If you cannot give a lot why not think about these options:
- Coin donation at each Kmart register
- Donate after you purchase your goods at the register, this is done by choosing the Wishing Tree Donation Button.
Some ideas for gifts:
- Nice toiletries that you cannot always afford is always nice
- Perfume/Aftershave
- A voucher to a clothes shop (new clothes do make you feel great)
- A voucher to a shoe shop (new shoes are always great!)
- Jewellery
- Toys for the kids
- Books
Any other ideas will be appreciated. Are you participating in The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal? I will be, and have some things for kids that are not opened and not sure who else to buy for.
Send in your comments and if you are contributing to the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal, I send you thanks and say Well Done on making people smile at Christmas.
