Salvation

As in the Salvation Army.

This year I have helped start my work's first annual Angel Tree Drive with the Salvation Army.  I am so excited about it!! 

If you are looking for a way to give back this holiday season please go to http://angel.jcpenney.com/angeltree/

Here you can either create a group, like my work has done, or do it individually.  Select adopt an angel on the right hand side of the screen and then you can enter in your zip code and if you have a preference for a certain age group or male or female you can mark that here.  Then it will pull up a list of angels that need your help in making their holiday a little brighter!!

My work chose a goal of 15 angels and we are 1 away from reaching that goal.  The branch I work at adopted a 4 year old girl.

This is where I need your help.  I need some recommendations for gift ideas!!  I know one lady has already bought pajamas, jeans, a few shirts and a baby doll. 

I was looking at the JCPenney website.  They are partnered with the Salvation Army this year on the Angel Tree project and if you make purchases online for your angel you get free shipping. 

JCPenney had some really cute items and definitely gave me some good ideas!  First I thought I'd like to get a tea party set.  Do little girls still like to have tea parties with their friends and stuffed animals??  Sounded good to me :) 

I also thought I'd like to get her a little purse with maybe a mirror and a small tube of lipstick or something in it.  She has to play dress up right? 

One thing I'd really like to get, but I'm afraid to because I don't know what her home situation is like, is a princess castle tent.  It was on sale and I know I always liked to have a place of my own.  She could have a tea party inside the tent!  I just worry about getting her something that would require assembly.  She might not be in a situation where someone would be willing to do that for her.  So I think I'm going to stick with things I know she can play with on her own. 

Some other ideas I have are a coloring book with crayons, or one of those pictures that has the black felt in certain places and then you color the rest.  Does anyone else remember those?  I used to do them a lot as a kid. 

Of course I want to get her some clothes.  I saw some cute little fleece jackets and I'd like to get a pair of boots. 

I'm totally open to suggestions though!  I'm never around little kids, especially not 4 year old girls so I don't know what they're into. 

Have you found a way to give back this year?  Sometimes it's frustrating because I want to volunteer and I know there are people in need, it's just hard to find the right avenue or opportunity.  I hope you find one where you are.  If you choose to adopt an angel with the Salvation Army, the deadline for gifts to be in, is not tooo far away.  They have to be shipped by December 9th or dropped off at a local Salvation Army by the 16th, so just keep that in mind.  :)

Thanks for all your help!