Mrs. Claus and the gifts...

I help with a Shop with a Cop group locally.  There is a married couple that dress up as Santa and Mrs. Claus, and hand out gifts.  In her case, it is really appropriate, as she is the one who collects gifts, and spearheads getting things gathered and put into packages and such.  (Mr. Claus mostly just does deliveries, and has his photo taken, from what I have seen... Hee hee.)

The gifts for the kids include such things as hats, mittens or gloves, a small blanket, toiletries, and I think they sometimes have companies that will put either small gifts or candies, or some such in, too.  Also, I think some sort of stuffy, bear or such...

I have knit hats. Ohhh, so many hats.  I finally decided not to, I went from enjoying it, to having requests for 50 or so hats, 2 weeks before the event.  No.  Just. No...

I have made mittens, too.  Mom and I have bought hats, as well.

I made a "toy box" to hold the items as they are collected through the year. 

Now, though, am I sort of shot on enthusiasm, or something?  I sneak over and peek in the toy box, and see the growing pile of items, and... Huh.  That's nice. 

I don't feel a spark of creativity.  I do think of making a few items, then I think, crap, I have X-ity X number of knitting/craft/garden projects to do now... And I am knitting socks for another charity, on top.

So, hmmm.  I think I might save some pennies back, so to speak, and do an "elf drop" like I did the other year.  I took a bill, put it in an envelope, then dug through the toys, about halfway down, and then did that as my help.

I think I actually wrote something to the effect of "To help Mrs. Claus".  I know they didn't know the donor, because there was a thank you on the desk the next week with "Mrs. Claus thanks the elf who helped with the $."

So, yeah, I think I will do an elf drop again.  At least I don't have to worry about knitting deadlines!!!