Christmas Present Appeal

You can donate presents to the Christmas Present Appeal at participating Salvation Army centres. To find your nearest corps please see the map above. Not every corps is taking part and local restrictions and conditions will apply so do check the web page for your local corps before buying a gift or making a journey to donate.

Many corps are accepting donations via Justgiving, have set up Amazon wish lists or are collecting vouchers or cash locally to buy presents rather than accepting physical gifts. 

The Family Appeal in Northern Ireland has been helping struggling families celebrate Christmas for 40 years and this year will once again support those most in need in our communities.

Get in touch with your nearest church which is running an appeal by checking the details on this page. The corps will be able to tell to tell you how to go about getting support with presents this Christmas. See details above and search for your local corps.

We believed every child deserves a new gift at Christmas so we are unable to accept used or second hand items for the Christmas Present appeal. Unfortunately we can’t accept homemade or knitted items either. All gifts should be donated unwrapped to help with ease of distribution.

Suggested gift ideas:

• 0-3 years:  dolls, teddy bears, cot mobiles, baby clothes, bath toys, CDs of suitable music and nursery rhymes, puzzles
• 3-5: dolls and action figures, cars, lorries, DVDs and CDs (music and nursery rhymes), colouring sets, pencils, crayons, books, puzzles
• 5-9: educational games & toys, stationery (colouring sets, pencils, crayons, school sets), CDs & family friendly DVDs, books, puzzles, wordsearch, crosswords
• 9-12: games and toys, stationery, DVDs, books, t-shirts, hair accessories, gloves, scarves, hats
• 13-16: books, make-up and toiletries (please try to ensure non-allergic ingredients if possible), gloves, scarves, hats, t-shirts, hair accessories and gift vouchers

As the Christmas Present Appeal is run locally by corps then each corps sets their own closing date. Check your local corps web page on The Salvation Army website for details of when your local appeal ends.

The Salvation Army is anticipating an increase in demand from families needing the help of the Christmas Present Appeal this year. No generous gifts will be wasted, however, should there be a surplus of presents at a particular corps then they may be shared with other nearby corps that require additional presents for children or they will be stored to help families going through difficult times throughout the year.

Our corps are very busy at this time of year supporting vulnerable people in their communities, so whilst they will try their best to respond to a phone message or an email, they may take time to be in touch. Thank you for your patience.

You can donate presents to the Christmas Present Appeal at participating Salvation Army centres. To find your nearest corps see the map above and check whether they are taking part in the Present Appeal. Not every corps is taking part and local restrictions and conditions will apply so do check the web page for your local corps before buying a gift or making a journey to donate.

Many corps are accepting donations via Justgiving, have set up Amazon wish lists or are collecting vouchers or cash locally to buy presents rather than accepting physical gifts. Check what’s happening near you on your local corps webpage.

All gifts are given to families in need. Should there be a surplus of presents at a particular corps then they may be shared with other nearby corps that require additional presents for children, or they will be stored to help families going through difficult times throughout the year. To protect the privacy of vulnerable families we are unable to provide exact details of the child receiving your present, but all referred to the Salvation Army would otherwise go without a gift to open.

Referrals to the present appeal are managed by Salvation Army centres and they also work closely with social services departments, health visitors and schools, although this involvement varies from place to place.

Referrals to the present appeal are managed by Salvation Army centres and they also work closely with social services departments, health visitors and schools, although this involvement varies from place to place.