In a heartwarming video, a little boy is seen approaching a member of the United States Marines, begging for his attention.
“Excuse me, excuse me,” the sweet boy says to the seemingly unexpressive Marine, who’s on duty. “Are you Santa Claus? I heard you might be.”
The child then hands him a piece of paper and says, “if you are him, here’s my list.” The soldier breaks his position, gently reaching out to take the note…
The heart melting advertisement supports the Marine Corp Toys for Tots program, which for almost 80 years has been playing Santa Claus by delivering more than 652 million gifts to about 291 million children across the United States.
The Toys for Tots event was started in 1947 by Marine reservist Major Bill Hendricks and his wife Diane, who handcrafted toys and asked her husband to deliver them to an agency that helps children in need.
The same year, Walt Disney and his animators joined the cause and developed the train logo that’s still used to this day. Disney still supports the drive, allowing fans to purchase toys for children at its stores or online.
“The impact that Toys for Tots has on families is that they’re facing many economic issues right now, they have to choose between putting food on the table, paying their bills or getting a gift for their children,” Sgt. Robert Bacchus said in 2022, when the event celebrated its 75th anniversary. “We have the opportunity to take some of that burden off of their shoulder[s].”
Paralyzing poverty
According to 2023 statistics, 11 million of about 74 million children – or one out of every six – live in poverty across the U.S.
Taylor Price and her little brother were two of those kids.
Several years ago, the siblings lived with several different families after both parents were “federally incarcerated.”
Price recalls her baby brother leaving “little notes” on the Christmas tree that had no gifts sitting under it. The notes were for Santa and read, “all I want is my dad to come home for Christmas.”
Their dad didn’t come home for Christmas, but the kids started receiving toys from Toys for Tots, allowing them to experience some holiday magic.
Price, who’s now a coordinator for the Denison County, Texas chapter, says, “I may not know why some children are in the particular situation that they are in, some of these kids are still fortunate enough to be with their parents. Some of them aren’t…Working with Toys for Tots, it makes me so happy just to know when I’m giving a child Christmas, I know that one glimmer of hope can make a really big difference.”
Holiday magic
The heart-melting commercial with the little boy and the soldier, demonstrates the Marine Corp’s slogan “Always Faithful,” which includes a “collective commitment” to the progress of the nation.
The marine never looks down at the little boy but after he reaches out his hand to take his Christmas list, the child smiles and walking away, he says, “he is Santa Claus!”
“You’ll help [kids] feel loved and valued … and you’ll give their hardworking parents the incomparable joy of making their children’s Christmas wishes come true,” Toys for Tots writes on its Facebook site.
Please let us know what you think of this story and then share it with your friends so we can let others know about this great initiative that runs year-round!
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