The annual "Kids Christmas Shop" is back at Kerfuffle Creations and is here until Dec. 16.
For a twelfth year Sarah Preson, from Kerfuffle Creations, is hosting the Kids Christmas Shop to help children find that special gift for their loved ones. And to further help families and their little ones, Preson said people can now sponsor a kid so they can do their Christmas shopping.
"I'm getting a lot of people saying, 'hey, we don't have a lot of money'," Preson said. " If you want to sponsor a kid to get one or two gifts, then it's completely anonymous. Nobody's going to know. And that way families are safe. And kids can come in and shop and not have to pay. Which helps the parents."
Preson said this year's Christmas Shop is focusing a lot more on local artisans and they have a wider selection of local handmade ornaments for kids to choose from. The shop is by appointment only and tables are set up in Kerfuffle with gifts that the kids can buy and give to their families. Gifts are five dollars each, which includes tax and the wrapping, but the exact value for each item ranges from $5 to $100. All children, including those with disabilities, are welcome to
Parents are welcome to come but Preson asks them to stand to the side or wait in the car and allow their kids to “shop for them.” Once the kids pick out what they want, Preson and her daughter (who helps her run the kids’ shop) will gift-wrap the item so it’s “good to go” for Christmas.
All children are welcome including those with special needs or disabilities. And kids who buy something from the shop will also get something “sweet” to remember the moment; this year, kids who participate will get a candy cane.
The shop started in her house, where kids could come in and buy gifts for $2. After two years, she moved it to craft markets, Legion fairs, and even house to house. Now Preson runs it out of Kerfuffle and she said it has been incredibly rewarding watching children light up as they try to show their loved ones how much they appreciate them.
Preson said she is also grateful to be able to do this and has been touched by all the families who've kept in touch with her. She has been especially humbled to receive messages from some of these kids, who are now adults, expressing their appreciation over how the Kids Shop meant a lot to them growing up.
The Kids Shop was inspired by Preson's mother who used to foster kids. Remembered by Preson as a generous lady with a big heart, she says her mother would help to organize visitations between foster kids and their parents — arranging tea, cookies, and other things to make the visits comfortable and easy as she recognized “how difficult and stressful this could be” for them. This generosity extended into a gift drawer that Preson’s mother kept specifically for the families.
"Christmas is already stressful," Preson said. "Everybody's running around trying to get presents for their kids. And we always forget that kids like to give too. So this allows kids to use their intuition, their hearts, their ability to just give.
"When you have a kid come in and they're allowed to buy something for their mom or dad, and there's no, 'well, no, you can't buy that.' Or 'no, you can't afford that.' When that's not part of it, they (the children) blossom. And the thought that these kids put into a gift for their parents or their loved ones is so incredible. And their smiles are priceless."
"It's not about the cost of the gift. It's about the ability to give. Christmas should not be sad or scary. Or all about stress or debt. So, if we get the chance to do our little part to bring a bit of cheer, and a bit of love, and give kids a chance, we're going to do it."
To learn more about the Kids Shop, and how to book your child’s appointment or sponsor a child, contact Preson at kerfufflecreations@gmail.com. Locals can also go in person to Kerfuffle Creations.
