I've never met them, but I sometimes think about three particular children in my community and hope they are doing well. 

Last year, I was matched with a little girl who loves crafts and princesses, a boy who loves Lego and another child who loves origami. I spent hours buying, researching, and adding crafted touches. It is a dream come true for me as a neurodivergent woman who gets a lot of dopamine from shopping and wants to be part of a community.

I love choosing and buying gifts for children in my immediate whanau - why not widen that sense of whanau to children in my community?

I get more joy out of helping local children have a better Christmas than I do from adding another dress for myself to my online shopping cart. The ROI on being a Santa is incredible! The feeling of creating some Christmas magic truly can't be beaten. Gretchen Rubin's mantra is "do good, feel good" and it's true. There is no minimum spend or major restrictions on what to get for children santas are matched with. 

Every Santa is different - some prefer to buy extra of gifts they are already buying for children on their shopping list. I have done that too one year when I didn't have the mental capacity to add to my Christmas shopping list. 

Some santas share interests with children they are matched with - like basketball, Lego or crafting. This isn't benevolently bestowing gifts from on high. It is about building community connections, joy and creating some Christmas magic.

Rituals and family traditions are what make Christmas special. Can becoming a Santa or providing koha be part of your Christmas traditions? 

If you don't want to add to your Christmas shopping commitments, our distribution partner Kokiri Marae Pātaka Kai would appreciate koha to make Christmas brighter for our wider Lower Hutt community. 

It is important to me that children in my community know that people care about them and wish them joy. 

I know that other people care about their community, and I am trying my best to get the word out. People working in this space are disheartened by the growing need in our communities and that they are unable to help as many people as they would like. It would mean so much if you could give what you can and tell others about our mahi. Who doesn't want a little extra joy in their life?

Rita

Contact rita@huttcommunity.co.nz to get more information on the project