Someone very special in my life loves octopuses, so I couldn’t resist this happy octopus ornament. By the look on his face, I think the octopus is as pleased as we are that the holiday season is here! The cute design is burned onto an unfinished wooden circle, and the ornament can even be personalized with a name and date.
![Wooden Octopus Ornament](http://www.northpole.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/il_570xN.jpg)
The holiday season is upon us, and while many of us are purchasing gifts for our friends and family, we can also spread the joy of Christmas to those who are experiencing hard times by donating presents, time, or resources to a charity. Today we highlight one particular charity that focuses on helping children.
Founded by Marines, Toys for Tots is a program that collects and distributes new toys to children who are less fortunate in local communities. Toys for Tots’ mission is to spread joy and instill hope in kids—through the gift of a new toy—thereby enabling them to become responsible and productive citizens.
How can you get involved?
Simply buy a new toy (or more!) and place it unwrapped in your nearest collection box. To find a toy drop in your area, you can use the toy drop locator. You can also take your toy(s) to one of these national drop-off sites: Toys R Us, Babies R Us, or A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts.
Toy collections run until mid to late December, but deadlines vary for each toy drop location. Be sure to check the date for the location nearest you.
2014 Drop-off Deadlines:
- Babies R Us – December 7th
- Toys R Us – December 7th
- A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts – December 15th
- Other local drop-offs – Contact your local Toys for Tots campaign.
If you would like to make a monetary donation, you can do so online at the Toys for Tots website.
This adorable doll wears a sweet little cape and has a festive nutcracker on her bodice. Perfect for a little girl, this doll is ready for some snuggles on Christmas morning!
![Christmas Doll](http://www.northpole.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ChristmasDoll.jpg)
Etsy Seller: blita
Well, folks, can you believe that there are only 37 days until Christmas? Despite how busy we elves are during the holiday season, we thought it was about time to start blogging more in order to inject some merriness into your days. We do hope you’ll stop by regularly between now and Christmas, as we’ll be highlighting charities, posting some of our holiday favourites from Etsy, and sharing other festive fun. Plus, you’ll get to see where in the world Raymond the reindeer visited this year!
If you’ve read the Elf Blog in years past, you might be wondering where the crafts went. Have no fear—they’re still here! The elves have created so many awesome craft projects that we decided the crafts deserved their own home at the North Pole. So, may I present to you… the Craft Cottage!
The Craft Cottage houses all kinds of crafty goodness—from ornaments to home decor to wreaths and more. So bust out the glitter and glue gun, and head on over to the Craft Cottage.
Our regular readers might also be asking themselves what happened to the great gift ideas we previously highlighted on the Elf Blog. Again, we decided that all this fabulous content warranted its own space, so we packed up all the gift ideas and moved them to the Gift Shop!
In the Gift Shop, you will find elf-curated presents for every type of person on your Christmas list. Whether you’re shopping for a chef, sports nut, or creative kid, we’ve got you covered.
Thanks for stopping by. We certainly look forward to spending the holiday season with you. Let us know in the comments what you’re most excited about this Christmas!