Toha atu toha mai / I share with you, you share with me

Hutt Santas: Our Grassroots Secret Santa

This project is a way to spread Christmas magic to children and families in Lower Hutt. It started in 2019 as requests on Hutt Community Facebook groups for help with Christmas presents. It developed organically as a response to the needs of our community facing financial hardship.

This is a volunteer run project that does not have institutional barriers to seeking support. We organise present distribution with caregivers directly.

Children benefit from receiving personalised presents and being supported by our community. Santas get to create Christmas magic, build community and increase hauora. Local small businesses who support us enjoy supporting and engaging with our community.

Many people are doing it tough in our community and we want to facilitate the spreading of Christmas joy and remove stress for local families this Christmas. Will you be a santa for our community this year?

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all those who supported Hutt Community Secret Santa in 2024. It was a record year, with nearly 400 presents distributed. Your gifts mean so much to the children, their families and us as organisers. Your generosity transformed struggling families anxiety and stress into joy and excitement! You have spread so much joy and Christmas magic. Our santas demonstration of community spirit and love for children in our community has germinated so many seeds of hope.
If you would like to be a Santa again this year, please sign up here.

2025 Update

In an exciting development, we are working with tamariki who are referred by Kokiri Marae Pātaka Kai (a Lower Hutt food bank, community garden and second hand shop). They are a self-funded charity which helps thousands of families of all backgrounds with food in Lower Hutt.

Santas will continue to be personally matched with children and the sign up process for Santas is the same.

I am so happy with this change - it means that we no longer need to recruit and screen nominations from caregivers and there is a ready made distribution network. It builds on our distribution partnership from last year and moves Hutt Santas gift sorting from private homes to being at a community hub. This enables Hutt Santas to be focused on recruiting santas, fundraising and crafting! Kokiri Marae Pātaka Kai at 33 Wise Street, Wainuiomata and Forage Merchants at 46A Victoria Street, Alicetown are drop off points for presents and food this year and we are so thankful for their support!

If you don't want to do the sign up process, we are grateful for anyone who can drop off extra presents or donate money. We will work to match donations with children's interests so they still get personally matched with presents.

Given the increasing cost of living and food insecurity in our community, we are also seeking donations of Christmas food items and home baking to Kokiri Marae Pataka Kai for distribution to families this Christmas.

With love and Christmas magic,

Marita from Hutt Santas

How it works for Santas

Sign up here.
Wait to be contacted about the interests and age of the children you have been personally matched with.
Check out our FAQ.
Buy and wrap personalised gifts.
Label with the identifying Santa Mail code you have been given.
Santas can drop off presents to:
Forage Merchants of Alicetown 7 days a week. Their hours are Monday-Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday 9am-3pm and Sunday 10-2pm.
Kokiri Marae Pātaka Kai at 33 Wise Street, Wainuiomata which is open every day 10-1pm except Thursdays which is 12-6pm.
Last day for present drop off is Friday 19th December.
Have a Meri Kirihimete/ Merry Christmas!

Other ways to Help

We will gladly accept donations of presents. You could buy extras of items you are already buying. You do not have to sign up to be a santa to do this.
We are looking at creating a Givealittle campaign for people to donate to directly.
Shop For Good at one of the local small businesses that are helping us!
Tell people about this project, volunteer or come to one of our events.
Join our e-mail list to stay updated.

Forage Merchants of Wellington

Drop off point for food and presents

Kokiri Marae Pātaka Kai

Drop off point for food and presents

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