December 16, 2025 – the beginning our annual holiday stocking giveaway. As usual, we dressed the part and set up outside a laundromat in downtown Long Beach, CA with a simple table in the parking lot and the stockings that Santa’s helpers put together. It was an amazing experience to see the smiles on the faces and the looks of gratitude that they were remembered and appreciated.
One such man was blind and he wasn’t quite sure what he was getting until he reached inside and pulled out a back scratcher. He said, is this what I think it is? And we assured him it was…he was so elated. “Oh man!”, he said, “I sure can use this!” After that a woman came up and excitedly said, “I heard you guys have back scratchers! Can I have one?” “Of course!”, we said and we were so happy that what we chose was appreciated.
So what was in the stockings? Back scratchers, a deck of playing cards, inspirational notebooks with pens, flashlights, nail clippers, first aid kits, as well as candy and homemade cookies (made by Santa’s elves). There were a few other random goodies in there and a hand written card (and jokes) so that they knew this is personal to us.
It is a personal quest of ours to make, if only for a moment, people who feel largely cast off from society feel special and SEEN.
We want them to know that WE SEE THEM and care for them without judgement. It fills our heart as well with the happiness of giving to those in need.