Community Corner

Giving 'Gifts of Love' for the Holidays

The nonprofit is gathering donated gifts for its holiday store.

During times of financial strife, the holidays can be a stressful time in terms of buying gifts for family.

"I go to the store to make my child's face light up on Christmas morning," Chris Napierski, volunteer and outreach coordinator at Gifts of Love, said. "I can't imagine our clients not having the chance to do that."

So, Gifts of Love has once again opened its holiday store that will provide over 500 families with gifts for their children. All of the gifts in the store are donated and many of the items are based on surveying clients about what their children want for the holidays. Staff brings its client to the store during their regularly scheduled appointments. The store is for people of all religions.

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Clients can pick out two to three gifts for each of their children free of charge and one gift a piece for adults. The nonprofit also gives parents grocery store gift cards to buy holiday meals. Gifts for teenagers, which Napierski said are the toughest to buy with that age group's increased interest in expensive technology, typically are gift cards to places like , Target, Best Buy or .

"They walk in, the tears start and you can see the relief they feel," Napierski said. "They no longer have to worry about getting gifts for their kids."

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The store will be open for Gifts of Love clients only through Christmas Eve.

Contact Gifts of Love at 860-676-2323 to find out more information about donating gifts to the holiday store and suggested gifts to contribute. It is preferable to have the gifts in by Dec. 9 or as soon as possible.

Gifts of Love Holiday Gift Shop Wish List

Age Group Gift Suggestions Babies (Boys and Girls) Toy cell phone, baby gym, play mat or table, Fisher Price Laugh and Learn CD, Baby Einstein toys, stacking cups or rings, Vtech Rhym and Discover book, Fisher Price Dance & Learn puppy, Let's Rock Elmo, Leap Frog refrigerator magnets, shape sorter, Press 'n Spin Tumble Top, Walk 'n Ride toy Young Boys Sit 'n Spin, DVD (Cars 2, Toy Story 3), basketball hoop (Little Tykes), Handy Manny or Diego toys, Legos or Mega Blocks, games (Elefun, Guess Who), Transformer action figures, Thomas the Train toys or tracks, snow sled or saucer, Hot Wheels or Matchbox Car tracks, Toy Story or Cars toys, Tonka trucks, lawn mower, tee ball set or tool kit. Young Girls My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, Littlest Pet Shop, Zhu Zhu pets, tea set, play kitchen and/or food, cash register, shopping cart, DVD (Tangled, Princess & the Frog), games (Sorry, Hungry Hippos), Dora the Explorer, Magna Doodles, Little People play sets, Teacup Pets or Fur Real Pets, Pillow Pets, musical keyboard, or Playskool Alphie Older Boys Basketball, football (University of Connecticut, Patriots or Giants), Lego set (Creator, Ninjago, City, Star Wars), movie passes (Simsbury's Hoyts Simsbury Commons 8), remote control car or truck, Nerf gun, iPod docking station or ear buds, cologne, AXE gift set, Razor scooter or skate board, I am T-Pain Microphone, magnetic or electronic dart board, games (Battleship, Uno Attack, Dominoes), DVDs (Transformers 3, Captain America, Pirates of the Caribbean or Fast Five), gift cards to Old Navy, Best Buy, Target, Dick's Sporting Goods, iTunes, American Eagle or Walmart Older Girls Nail and pedicure kit, Orbeez soothing spa, pink Razor scooter, movie passes, jewlry and jewlry box, Easy Bake Oven, Monster High Doll, Justin Bieber items, blow dryer, flat iron, iPod docking station or ear buds, DVDs (Twilight, Monte Carlo, Soul Surfer), lotions and perfume, makeup kits, designer inspired purse or gift cards to Kohls, Old Navy, Target, iTunes, American Eagle, Victoria's Secret or Walmart Dad Grooming kit, electronic razor, globes and hat, shovel or snow/ice scraper for car, coffeemaker and coffee, tool box and tools (hammer, tape measure, handheld massager, DVD player, emergency car kit, flashlight and batteries, wallet, watch or gift card to Home Depot, gas stations, Chili's, Best Buy or Friendlies. Mom Bath towels, kitchen towels and oven mitts, body lotion or perfume, digital camera, candle set or picture frames, blanket or sheet sets (full or queen), pots and pans, electric skillet or griddle, purse or hat, gloves and scarf set, bed pillows, crock pot, toaster overn, iron, sets of dishes, glasses or silverware, alarm clock, iPod docking station, or gift card to Big Y, Stop & Shop, Shop Rite, Dunkin Donuts, Kohls, Barnes and Noble, or Bed, Bath and Beyond. DVD Suggestions for All Tangled, Rio, Descpicable Me, Cars 2, Toy Story 3, Gnomeo & Juliet, Mega Mind, Rango, Princess and the Frog, Barbie Princess, Smurfs, How to Train Your Dragon, Zookeeper, Judy Moody & The Not So Bummer Summer, Transformers 3, X-Men First Class, Fast Five, Thor, Captain America and any Disney princess or Barbie movie or Baby Einstein.


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