Keep the Christmas Crazy Train Rolling, Please

Christmas Crazy version 2016 is off to a fantastic start, which is yet another very visible reminder that there are some truly amazing people in this world. If you're having a day where it would help to see that, go read the "official" Christmas Crazy page and add up the numbers that are there.

Did you do it? It's a crazy total, right? YOU GUYS DID THAT.

As has happened every year since we started this thing (in 2009 OMG), it feels like it might be a good idea to recap a few things just so they're in writing in a place that's easy to find. So, here goes!

1. I have often been asked why this whole thing revolves around domestic violence shelters. That is a bit of a long story, but it starts with me working with the software that is used by shelters to track demographics and services years ago. It's impossible to see their data, which includes details about how much money they have to provide those services, without wanting to fix something. Anything.

(An aside ... the current debacle with the state budget is the exact sort of thing that causes agencies that help domestic violence victims to shut down. Most agencies literally do not know how they will continue to operate into the new year if something doesn't happen soon. Complain to the politicians who represent you, please.)

So, I knew from seeing it with my own eyes that DV agencies manage to do an amazing amount of good with very little money. Since they are barely managing to stay open, they need help with anything that is considered "non-essential."

Christmas gifts for their child residents fall under that "non-essential" category.

2. I am often asked if they can just go to Toys for Tots or some other non-profit for help.

Nope.

While Toys for Tots and others do amazing work, they have some rules that make it nearly impossible for domestic violence agencies to depend on them. For example, the Pittsburgh Toys for Tots deadline for agencies is November 14th. The Center for Victims operates an emergency shelter where women and their children can stay for 30 days. The kids who are residents now will not be there for Christmas. The kids who will be there for Christmas haven't shown up at the doorstep yet. So, that early cutoff just doesn't work. Further complicating matters is the fact that Toys for Tots requires an address. The kids Christmas Crazy helps are often homeless. They might have a roof over their heads because they're staying in a shelter, but that's not "home."

3. People don't ask it, but I feel like they should ask why the toys are delivered to me and then I take them to the shelter. The answer to that is because the staff that works at Center for Victims is a lean one. They don't have extra time to be unboxing items and sorting and all of that stuff. So, I do it for them. I have box tear-down parties every Friday, in fact. I try very hard to make sure a whole bunch of toys just magically show up without creating a lot of work for the staff. They need to focus on helping kids in more direct ways, y'know?

If you want to make my box tear-down party a little more fun, here is the Amazon Wishlist. I often post photos of the unboxing and such to Instagram, so maybe you'll see that magic thing you picked out over there.

4. Speaking of the Amazon Wishlist, much of it is based on what I think kids will like. Go back to #2 in this list and you'll see why. We're sometimes buying toys for kids who aren't there yet. That's why there are usually a lot of books and a lot of "generic" toys like LEGO and Barbie. If you have any ideas for some toys that you don't see on the list but that you feel a kid (boy or girl, any age) would like, could you add it over here? It's seriously a ton of help, especially when you give me ideas for kids who don't like sparkle and glitter and such.

That said, I do get requests directly from the shelter. Some of the kids they serve live in the transitional shelter. It's a shelter where families can live for up to 12 months while they work out how to move forward in life. For those kids and for kids who go through counseling for an extended amount of time, the staff knows what they like and are able to sniff out some things that those kids are dreaming that Santa will deliver.

I always make sure those Santa wishes get delivered.

5. And that brings us to the last thing. The Amazon Wishlist is FANTASTIC. It really, really is. But, a little cash is good as well. Anybody who donates cash can be absolutely assured that every penny will be used to buy toys or gift cards for the kids. I always keep an eye out for bargains at Target and such (the daily 50% off Cartwheel toy, for example, often leads to good things), plus I grab things that are just plain cheaper at box stores. Like, dolls. For some reason, baby dolls are stupid expensive on Amazon. I always stop at Target or Walmart or wherever and grab several.

Oh, and cash is good for making sure Santa dreams come true.

Just click the reindeer to create that brand of magic.

So, let's do this thing. Let's make Christmas a little bit brighter for some kids.