SAN ANTONIO – Cars and trucks stretched along Frost Bank Center Drive on Thursday as families picked up gifts from the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, a decades-old tradition that helps thousands of children wake up to presents under the tree.
“Y’all have a merry Christmas,” one volunteer said as bags and boxes were loaded into vehicles, each tagged with a child’s wishes.
The Angel Tree program, run by the Salvation Army, allows families to apply for help so their children can receive Christmas presents.
What started more than 45 years ago, serving just over 700 children, has grown into a holiday lifeline for thousands.
This year, more than 6,000 children in San Antonio will receive gifts from the program.
“I just imagine on Christmas morning, the families sit together, unwrapping their presents, and even for just a short time, with the peace and the joy that they have together as a family,” said Major Missy Romack with the Salvation Army.
For many parents, the moment is emotional.
“It’s amazing, it’s a blessing,” one recipient said while watching gifts being loaded into her vehicle.
Another parent, seeing what had been picked out for her child, smiled and said, “She’s going to love that.”
Romack said a surprising amount of support this year has come from TikTok and other social media platforms, where users have adopted Angels and shopped the wish lists.
“I’m telling you, this year, TikTokers have knocked it out,” Romack said. “Every bag comes full with everything on their list. It’s been great.”
Beyond the toys and clothing, Romack said the program is about dignity as much as it is about gifts.
“The reason we do it is that we want to bring joy on Christmas morning to the children and the excitement and the dignity that the parents have and receive when they give their child that gift,” she said. “That’s what it’s about.”
Romack said that she remembers being on the other side of the line as a young girl.
“I was once one of those kids in those boxes,” she said. “And here I am today, standing, doing what someone did for me years ago.”
Romach said that San Antonio’s generosity shows up year after year, and she’s proud to help give back to the community that once helped her.
“Without the volunteers in this community, we wouldn’t have been able to do this,” Romack said.
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