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Last Friday my daughter and I spent the day together to celebrate her 5th birthday. She got her ears pierced, we went to Starbucks for blended chocolate milk, lunch at Red Robin, the craft store for a gift project for teachers and neighbors and finally, to Kohl’s to shop for the 5 kids we “adopted” thanks to the $250 gift card that Kohl’s provided to “Pay it Forward”. We were able to choose exactly how we wanted to spend the gift card, whether for one child or family or split up between different charities. My son’s school had a program for kids in need so we picked two children. Then we saw on Facebook that the Boys & Girls Club in our area was doing an “Adopt a Sock” program so we picked up three stockings from there to fill. We were given ages and genders to help us with our shopping and we were off with a budget of about $50 for each child.
McKinley was amazingly helpful picking out gifts for each of these children. I think we both had the most fun shopping for the teen girl though — makeup and jewelry, oh my! Kohl’s had some amazing deals! We got winter hats for the boys, a long sleeved Seahawks tee, a Playmobile pirate set, 2 RC helicopters, 2 full outfits and tons of other goodies. I was adding the total in my head as I went along and thought I was pretty close but some things were a better price than I originally thought and I had a 25% off coupon that I forgot to factor in which means we still have about $70 left! I’ll be taking the stockings into the Boys & Girls Club tomorrow and I’m hoping they’ll still have another stocking that needs filled so I can pick it up and do some more shopping!
We dropped off our first donation at school on Monday. My kids were so proud and happy to be helping kids that need it. I would have loved to wrap the gifts up really pretty but they asked that they be left unwrapped, so Kohl’s bags it was. Here’s what’s inside:
For the first grade girl we picked out a cute long sleeved shirt, skirt and leggings, a 5 Minute Princess Stories Book, a Sticker Book Fashion Show and a Decorate Your Own Jewelry Box.
For the first grade boy we got a hooded sweatshirt, athletic pants, knit/fleece hat, a remote control helicopter, and a Playmobile pirate set. Not shown, a Spiderman card game in a tin.
I have to say, it was hard fitting approximately $50 worth of stuff in a single average sized stocking with the exception of the teen girl stocking. That one was easy. She got a beautiful bracelet, nail polish, lip gloss, a really nice eye shadow set, a really cute makeup bag and more! The boys got spiderman toys and games, another RC helicopter (these came in a 2 pack for less than $30 after discount!) and of course a Kohl’s Cares book called “Be Yourself” with a matching Woodstock plush. I ended up tying the stockings to the larger items that wouldn’t fit inside. I really hope these make someone’s day. I know shopping for them sure made mine!
An extra big THANK YOU to Kohl’s for their generosity and commitment to charity and children’s health and education programs. Be sure to Check out the Kohl’s Cares products for high quality books, plush toys and more at phenomenal prices, all benefiting charity! Here’s a little more info on what is currently available:
Gifts that Give Back. This holiday, Kohl’s offers exclusive hardcover books featuring Peanuts classics by author Charles M. Schulz along with coordinating plush toys for just $5 each through the Kohl’s Cares cause merchandise program. Also for $5, Kohl’s Cares merchandise brings shoppers the Holiday Cheer cookbook, the holiday CD Upon the Winter Solstice from Trans-Siberian Orchestra and a Peanuts jigsaw puzzle. Through the Kohl’s Cares merchandise program, Kohl’s donates 100 percent of the net profit to children’s health and education initiatives nationwide. Since 2000, it has raised more than $231 million for children’s health and education programs in local communities across the country.
This was such a fun project and I loved having the opportunity to share it with my children. We also participated in Operation Christmas Child at church a few weeks ago. My kids did extra chores to earn money so that each of them could fill a shoebox for a child in another country. We prayed over the boxes for the children that would be receiving them. There is a tracking service on the boxes so we’re anxiously awaiting news on the country our boxes went to! It’s so important to take time during the holiday to remember what it’s all about and to pay it forward. We are very fortunate to live the lives we do and want to teach our kids about being generous and helping others. These two projects were a great start!
If you are able, I recommend finding somewhere to give this holiday season. It feels really good!