As Christmas comes around each season, the inevitable thought that always springs to the front of the mind is “family:” making sure our loved ones feel pure joy on that special morning.
For one mother in particular, she’s looking ahead toward a hopeful Christmas morning for her children. She wrote a very earnest message to Santa Claus, that, at its core, harkens back to what the holiday is all about, supporting those we love however possible.
As she navigates the ugly complexities of separating from her husband, who has put her in the hospital with a broken jaw in three places and spine surgery, her focus on making sure her kids have the best Christmas possible has never wavered.
This parent’s request to Santa also highlights how, despite the unexpected troubles life throws her way, her priority has always been the well-being of her children.
So, Santa, what do you say? Can you be there for the families that need you most?
It should, of course, go without saying that in a sane world, no parent should have to worry about what their children’s Christmas morning might look like. Though the holiday season tends to inject a sense of chaos and unpredictability every year, it pokes its head around the corner. But with your help, Santa, she knows she can provide a very merry morning that her kids will never forget.
Those memories of charging down the stairs and into the brightly-lit room that houses a Christmas tree become staples in the minds of kids, without a doubt. It’s the type of warm memory that every child should get the privilege of experiencing (again, and again, and again) as they navigate through their own lives.
They are memories that become warm beacons we can look back at as the years pass us by, like a lighthouse in the distance that shines over a turbulent sea. We carry them with us, until we can pass that same sense of joy onto the next generation. From there, the cycle continues.
“I have no family to help me with financial burdens. I am on Social Security, and no child support at all,” she wrote. “All my money goes to rent, electricity, oil, internet access for the kids to do school work at home, clothing, and household needs, and the children’ s needs as well.”
While parenthood can be tough enough, the added stresses of the holiday season aren’t much help. This parent’s message to Santa doesn’t just tug at your heartstrings, it reinforces the very nature of the Christmas spirit: going all-out to help those who need assistance.
She added that any support at all could be of great help to her family during this difficult time.
A contribution to Item Santa can help ensure this family — and many others like them — have something to anticipate this holiday season. Every donation counts when it comes to making a meaningful impact at a time where so many families are struggling to make ends meet.
Now in its 59th year, the Item Santa Fund helps bring Christmas joy to local residents in need. The Item collects donations while The Salvation Army purchases and distributes toys and essentials to approved families in the area.
To give, please clip the coupon in The Daily Item and send it with your check to:
The Item Salvation Army Santa
85 Exchange St.
Lynn, MA 01901
Online contributions can also be made at salvationarmyma.org/itemsanta, where donors may choose to have their names acknowledged. All donations will be printed in The Item throughout December and into early 2026, with space for a brief message from donors who wish to include one.
For questions regarding eligibility, gift distribution, or scheduling, contact the Salvation Army at 781-598-0673.
