Children from low-income or single-parent families will have the chance to shop free of charge for a present for their parents or guardians Dec. 9, at the Children’s Christmas Market (CCM). This year’s market will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Living Springs Fellowship Church, located at 2304 Yankee Valley Blvd. Started by Airdrie Cares in 2015, the market helps ensure struggling families still have a great holiday season, said organizer Kimberly Ann Rose. “We need to come together and help them have the best Christmas they can have,” she said. On the day of the event, children ages two to 17 can browse the assortment of available gifts, which have been donated by local businesses and community members. Rose said the kids can pick out a present for each parent or guardian, and volunteers will help with wrapping. The volunteers will also help the kids create a homemade Christmas card, she added. According to Rose, examples of donated gifts include homemade toques and shawls, gift baskets, vouchers for free oil changes and family passes to Genesis Place Recreation Centre. “We ask for everything to be new, like-new or homemade,” she said. “We get tons of stuff, and they’re great gifts. I’d say 90 per cent of the stuff is brand new.” After selecting their gifts, Rose said, the children can receive a temporary tattoo or have their faces painted. They can also have their pictures taken with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. As of Nov. 30, according to Rose, 279 children are registered to shop at the CCM this year. She said nearly 400 kids participated in 2017. While the number of kids who shop at the market has grown since it started, according to Rose, the generosity of the community has kept the initiative sustainable. “As soon as I put the word out that we have more kids and we’re short [on gifts], people start dropping things off at my door,” she said. “The community is so amazing. They usually contact me before I even start – in September, I start getting phone calls.” The parents may be the main beneficiaries of the CCM, but Rose said the children also enjoy having the opportunity to find a Christmas present for their loved ones. “I know for a lot of these parents, that’s the only gift they will have under the tree,” she said. “For that child, if they get gifts, but mom and dad don’t have one, they feel sad. They’re excited to come and get a gift for their parents.” For single-parent or low-income families, the event can make an expensive time of year more bearable, she added. “It’s hard to pay the bills when you’re on your own” Rose said. “I often get lots of tears and hugs on the day of, [and] the parents are always appreciative.” To sign your family up for the CCM, contact Kimberly Ann Rose on Facebook or by calling 403-671-6654.
