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Buying Christmas presents for people of all ages who otherwise would receive nothing.

I heard about the Christmas Tree Challenge in 1997 from Business In The Community, originally founded by Prince Charles.

GUIDELINES ON ORGANISING CHRISTMAS TREE CHALLENGE (XTC)

Introduction
The Christmas Tree Challenge (XTC) is also known as Secret Santa and doubtless other names.

It's about asking staff to buy a present for someone who won't get a present otherwise. The thing that makes it so rewarding is that you are buying for a person, not just to go into a "lucky dip" type box.

The hardest part is to find a charity. First time I did this, it took a surprisingly long time. Also you are asking for people's names, which can be tricky.

Preparation
Work out the key dates. Find out the earliest the charities want the presents delivered and then work backwards for the start of XTC. Allow a 2 week period, normally late November/early December, Monday to Friday.

Generally I deliver the cards and instruction sheets to reception on the previous Friday, so the event starts earlier. Ask the charities to send the names by November 1st. Start contacting charities in late August, early September.

Charities
Start contacting charities in late August to early September.

Say what you are looking for: a list of names -- first names only -- of people who will not get a present, their age and gender. That is the only criteria. Ethnicity, religion etc of no concern. How the charity select the people is up to them.

Elderly people may prefer to be known by Mr/Mrs/Miss.

Mention the present guidelines: no alcohol, nothing sharp, no tobacco, no presents with small pieces, nothing flammable, no chocolates for elderly. Offer to add extra guidelines if requested.

Be conservative with number of names. Ask for a reserve list, but don’t commit.

Emphasise present bought for person, this is not a “lucky dip”. Give your charity contact a final date for names.

POINTS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Some charities may not give out names and prefer a “lucky dip” arrangement. I passed on this and moved onto next charity.

Charities may forget to send the names, so contact them a month before to see how things are going.

Deliver the presents to the charity, not to the recipients.

Presents, cards
Limit of £10 per present, so that people in the same house do not get wildly different present values. Don't know how many stick to amount; suspect some exceed it, which in itself is moving.

When you’ve got the names from the charities, buy some cards. I get packs from Sainsburys or Tesco, with no religious content.

Number the names from each charity (1,2,3 etc) and give a letter for each charity. The letters should not look similar, or like a number. Then prefix each number with a its letter. So you might have H1, H2, H3 etc and M1, M2, M3 etc.

Put a card in each envelope, address the envelope to the recipient (either “Mark” or “Mrs Smith”, for example) and put the letter/number code in a bottom corner of the envelope.

Publicity
Advertise with all staff emails and posters, about a week before the start.

Emphasise the closing date, and that presents brought in after this date will not be delivered.

I usually sent 3 emails. One on Wednesday before the start on Monday. Second at end of first week, saying how well it was going. Third on Wednesday before end on the Friday as a final reminder.

You’ll be taking the presents to the charities on the Monday agreed with the charities. Try to avoid telling people they can bring their presents on Monday.

Instructions
Write a simple instruction sheet, like below.

In all publicity, emphasise the closing date

a) Select a person, take their card and tick box
b) Buy present up to value of £10
c) Wrap present
d) If you wish, sign card
e) FIRMLY attach card to present
f) If you replace card, remember to add code in bottom corner of card. Otherwise your recipient won’t get the present!
g) Put present under tree
h) Tick box
i) CLOSING DATE xx DECEMBER
Plus present guidelines.

Reception
Leave instruction sheets.

List of names, with columns for code number, taken by, returned by.

Reception staff are key to this working!

Delivery day, a Monday in December
Take backup presents, generic for male/female and any age, already wrapped.

Copies of list of names, each with code. One list per charity.

Spare Christmas cards, for backup presents.

Heavy duty plastic sacks.

I sort presents into separate piles for each charity, and tick off each present on list in reception.

Use backup presents if necessary. Don’t forget the person’s code on their envelope.

Put presents for a charity into one or more sacks.

Deliver presents. Make sure charity has list with codes by each name, but NOT the list with staff signatures on it!

Give charity your organisation memo slip with your name so they know who to thank.

Congratulations. You know how Father Christmas feels!

More about the Christmas Tree Challenge