One Mom’s Generosity Brings Joy to Thousands of Kids With Christmas Gifts
Christine Bae bought 3,000 toys to spread joy to kids, proving giving is the best holiday gift
Christine Bae’s heart ballooned as she watched her children’s faces light up when they saw all the toys in their favorite toy store, Flying Tiger Copenhagen, for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. But sadly, the shop had a large Going Out of Business sign hanging in the window.
Christine allowed the kids to pick out more than usual because of the big sale. Shortly after at their Norwood, New Jersey, home, Christine watched her kids play with their new gifts and thought, Wouldn’t it be nice if other kids who are not as fortunate as my kids could feel the same happiness?
Then she got an idea: Maybe I should go and buy some more toys on discount and donate them to needy children.
A generous act
The next day, Christine returned to the store and picked out a few toys. But looking around and seeing how deeply discounted the items were, she wanted to help even more kids in need. Maybe I could buy a quarter or half the store, Christine thought, knowing it sounded crazy.
Christine and her husband, both attorneys, know they are blessed and have always wanted to pay it forward, even holding annual fundraisers for a South Korean orphanage.
She walked up to a salesperson and found herself blurting out, “Could I buy all the toys?”
The surprised salesperson asked, “What are you going to do with all this stuff?”
“Well, I want to give it away,” Christine replied. “I’ll give you $10,000 for the whole store!”
All the amazed sales associates gathered around as Christine used her credit card and made the purchase. She now owned over 3,000 different items, including erasers, pens, crayons, coloring books and games.
She loaded as many as she could into her SUV—the first of many round trips to the store—and put the items into a spare room. “What is all this stuff?” her husband, B.J., asked “Well, they were having a sale,” Christine said with a smile, “and I couldn’t resist.”
Christmas was coming, and she decided to give away some of the presents to children for the holiday. She reached out to a county homeless shelter, a local food pantry and an association that places foster children with families to say she’d like to drop off presents in little bags for the kids.
But her daughter said, “Mommy, I think if it’s a present, especially if it’s for Christmas, the gifts should be wrapped!”
Christine agreed and bought wrapping paper and ribbons, and then neighbors dropped by to help her wrap about 700 presents. When it came time to give them away, Christine was not able to see the kids in person, but she could imagine all their smiling faces when they opened them, making her own Christmas even brighter.
She later received a beautiful letter from the foster agency, sharing how the kids’ faces were beaming as they opened their gifts. This really makes me feel great, Christine thought, and decided to do another giveaway the following year.
Keeping it going
That next December, a handful of neighborhood moms called Christine and said they wanted to help. They came over and wrapped presents in Christine’s dining room. When Christine’s children joined in, she thought, I hope they grow up giving to people less fortunate than they are.
With 1,400 gifts ready for children at the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities, Christine first wanted to do more for the kids in her neighborhood. She piled presents beneath her Christmas tree and invited youngsters to come by and pick out gifts.
A local pastor gave a sermon about acts of charity, and the group sang Christmas carols. I’ve never felt Christmas like I do right now, Christine thought as she took in the scene, bursting with happiness and love.
This year, Christine will purchase and wrap gifts again, with H Mart, an Asian supermarket chain, donating snacks and gifts, and neighbors are planning to come over to wrap presents for children at the foster agency once again. “We can make a difference,” says Christine. “I want to inspire people and make them feel good. Giving is the best gift for yourself!”
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