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Toy Appeal

Families are struggling to keep the magic of Christmas alive - making impossible decisions like whether to heat their home, buy food and essentials or a present for their children.

Parents who can’t afford a present, or have to give something practical like bedding or school books, worry their children won’t believe in Santa anymore or think they’ve done something wrong when he doesn’t come.

A little girl smiles as she holds a christmas present in front of a sparling Christmas tree

Donate

Keep the magic of Christmas alive for a child or young person with nothing to open this year with a symbolic gift donated to our Toy Appeal.

Thank you for your donation to our Toy Appeal. Your gift will bring some magic to a child and their family who have been through hard times this year. If you ever need support, we're here for every family and any family issue through our UK-wide FamilyLine. Thank you again for your donation, please take a look at the rest our website where you will find more information about what we do, our impact on families, stories of those we've helped and how to get support if you need it. Make another donation
1 in 6

parents can't afford a present for their child this Christmas

1 in 4

parents worry their child will think they've been naughty if they can't afford a present this Christmas

2 in 5

parents said having just one present for their child would have the biggest impact on their family

A little baby dressed as Father Christmas laughs and smiles for the camera

When you don’t get much, having that one present to open when you sit around the tree means a lot. At least you’ve got a present… at least you got one.

Janet, Mum
Two young children in Christmas pyjamas sit in front of a Christmas tree opening a present of a red tractor.

Last year, when Family Action got in touch about the Toy Appeal, I was deciding on whether to buy presents or food. I hope the people donating know that the presents mean a lot to us and have made us smile.

Toy Appeal Mum
A little boy plays with a cracker in front of a Christmas tree, with a little girl in a tartan skirt in the background.

I was worried that, because I couldn’t afford anything for my youngest, my seven and five-year-old would wonder why he didn’t get anything from Santa and whether he’d been a naughty baby. Having presents from the Toy Appeal was a huge weight off my shoulders.

Toy Appeal Mum
A little girl in a sparkly Christmas hairband covered in baubles looks open mouthed at a Christmas tree.

I’d say that without the people who donate my children would have gone without last year, and not having the resources to provide made me feel useless as a mum.

Toy Appeal Mum

Keeping the magic of Christmas alive

Our 2023 Toy Appeal made a huge difference, delivering a sleighload of magic to so many families. We collected 15,471 gifts that were generously donated by 127 corporate partners for 11,427 children across 78 of our services. 

Corporate partner support

Family Action Toy Appeal LogoEvery year more organisations join Family Action’s Toy Appeal, donating presents and helping us make sure gifts get to the children of families we support. By being part of our Toy Appeal, your organisation can bring some extra special Christmas magic to a child and take the pressure off a family who are going through tough times.

Download the Toy Appeal pack Sign your organisation up to our Toy Appeal

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Toy Appeal – gifting the magic of Christmas

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How to connect with your teenager this Christmas

A tiny toy for Christmas, a world of difference for us

Managing money this Christmas

Cathryne’s story: how the Toy Appeal helped my son, a young carer

Helping families manage the cost of Christmas through our FOOD Clubs

How to manage expectations of children at Christmas

Vicky’s story: how the Toy Appeal saved Christmas