It’s never too early to prepare for Auxiliary Christmas Gift Shops, often hosted in November or December by units throughout the country. 
 
For New York Unit 904, members have had a gift shop for over three decades. What began as a yearly event at the post home is now in a local school. 
 
“It’s important for our Auxiliary to do this for the community,” said ALA member Judy Umstead, longtime leader of the gift shop. “Being at the school, we can reach out to more children.”
 
Each year, pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade children make their way through the gift shop area, picking out presents for parents, grandparents, and siblings. Kids aren’t charged more than $1 for the gifts. The older kids (seventh to 12th grade) help younger students navigate the gift shop.
 
“The more we partner, the more we are able to serve,” said Dean Erck, Post 904 member who helps with moving gifts from storage to the school. “Posts that support their schools and are present offering the kids opportunities get support back.” 
 
The partnership with the school has paid off over the years. 
 

Last year, the gift shop had 1,365 gifts available. The unit takes half the proceeds, and the other half goes to the school for its backpack program. The unit’s half is put back into the gift shop to jumpstart funds for the next year. 
 
The school sends letters to parents, letting them know about the gift shop and encouraging parents to send $1 per child to shop. 
 
“We have such a small community and so many people who need help,” Umstead said. “It’s amazing just to see the smiles on the children’s faces.”
 
Umstead has been helping with the gift shop nearly 20 years. 
 
She and her daughter do the majority of shopping, often hitting up the local dollar store. They shop for kids, teens, and adults. 
 
“This outreach is an example for many reasons, but the modeling to children the value of good citizenship is our job as a Legion Family,” Erck said. “As the children grow, they remember all the positive things we have done for them.”
 
The unit is looking forward to this year’s gift shop, helping as many area children as they can find gifts for their family ahead of the holiday season. 
 
“It’s such a fantastic feeling to be able to help the families,” Umstead said. 
 
Tips on getting your Christmas Gift Shop going 
• Find out where to host your gift shop; better to have it at a school if possible to reach out to more children.
•  Find out if you have the funds to jumpstart the shop. 
•  Figure out who is going shopping to purchase all of the items. Main shopping time: February, March, April, but continue browsing for items — especially during sales.
•  Shop for multiple versions of items (toys, travel items, games, matchbox cars, socks, etc.).
• Have volunteers available for wrapping gifts.