Counting Down to the First Day of Stocking Delivery
by Stephanie Wong
Wednesday marks the first day of handing out stockings for our 12 days of Christmas campaign and we’re so excited as everything is finally coming together. For myself, all the preparation that has gone into the stockings and fundraising for donations has been an absolute delight. I can’t thank Beauty Night enough for the opportunity to spread some love to women and youth in our very own community who could use the extra support.
During this whole experience, from sewing stockings to throwing a decorating frenzy to fundraising/collecting donations and coordinating drivers, I’ve witnessed (what Caroline mentions as being her favorite part of the holiday season) communities of families, friends and strangers coming together for the purpose of giving. This stocking drive reminds me of what the holidays are and should be about and has made me, a 24 year old, giddier than ever for Christmas.
Over a year ago, I became a part of the Beauty Night community, not so much with high hopes to change the world, but rather, the intention to maybe change how an individual might have been feeling (perhaps extra down or alone) on a particular night at the DTES women’s centre, even just for a moment. From what I’ve come to learn and from personal experience, it’s moments like these that really matter. Like the Beauty Night services, these stockings filled with donated goods demonstrate that people do care about one another and that others deserved to be cared about, regardless of our backgrounds. I can’t wait to start handing out these stockings!
I want to share with you a few photos of the artwork of the children, ages 2 to 11, at Lord’s Love Church who put all their efforts into prettying up close to 100 stockings despite knowing they couldn’t be brought home. It was great how the children understood that the stockings were to be given to people who needed a little something to make their holidays warm.
Happy holidays everyone!
