- February 6, 2025
-
-
Loading
Loading
Growing up in Tennessee and Michigan, Janet Hale never experienced Christmas at home.
Hale's family didn't celebrate the holiday due to their religious beliefs, and it wasn’t until she moved to Florida, about 40 years ago, that she decided she would make up for lost time. Hale decided she would give children in the area the Christmas she had never been able to be a part of. She came up with the idea of a Christmas toy drive to collect gifts for youth whose families or caretakers could not afford Christmas presents.
Each year Hale began collecting toys to give to an organization that would later hand out the gifts to children in need. Around 30 years ago, Hale decided she would make the toy drive an actual event and turned it into a Christmas Eve party, requesting that each guest bring an unwrapped toy for a child up to 17 years of age. She said she also gets donations such as clothes, shoes and blankets. It’s turned into a roughly five hour party.
Hale has donated the toys to Toys for Tots but within the last four years started sending donations to the Children's Home Society of Florida, which does work throughout Volusia, Flagler and Putnam counties.
Many of the children that receive gifts from the party send Hale thank you cards throughout the year.
"It's very special to my heart," Hale said. "I like to see kids get cool things for Christmas. It's all about the kids."
Hale said that when she first started inviting people over she had around 35 guests. Then the number rose to 125 people then more than 300 attendees. During the past few years the number has gone down to about 150 people. However, the 2017 brought in around 300 people, according to Hale.
She is usually able to collect around 1,500 to 3,000 toys. This year, 31 bikes and more than 900 toys that have already been donated to the Children's Home Society of Florida.
Hale was also presented with a plaque from the Children's Home Society for the service she has done throughout the years.
Hale spends about four months preparing for the party and in the past has used all her own funds to put it together. This year larger companies have stepped in with donations to help with the charity event.
And while attendees can expect a band and food at Hale's party, there's another attraction that makes this annual tradition that much more special: Hale's animated figurine collection.
Hale was first fascinated by animatronics while living up north and seeing animated displays, such as the ones that can be found in the Macy's windows. It has since become a hobby for her and has now collected around 800 animatronics that she puts up each year during the holidays.
In the past, most people found out about the party through word of mouth, with many becoming return guests.
As much as the event is about helping children, Hale said the party is also a way to give people a place to go on Christmas Eve so that they aren't alone during the holidays.
"Believe it or not, some people have no place to go on Christmas Eve," Hale said. "I want to make sure people have a nice Christmas."
