Christmas time can seem unconventional (from the outside looking in) for residents at the Alabama Free Will Baptist Children’s Home. Very few of our residents have relatives they can stay with or visit off-campus. Many of our residents, including those from out-of-state, will stay here for the holidays.
We invite you to learn more about what goes on during the holiday season at the Home below!
Where Our Residents Stay for the Holidays
We understand how hard Christmas can be for some residents, especially those who have never spent Christmas here. As always, they have our support, encouragement, and love and our residents also have the opportunity to talk through their feelings with our on-campus Christian counselor.
Residents who’ve been here during Christmas in previous years know that Christmas cheer around here is quite contagious! Our residents love our exciting holiday traditions and festivities.
House Traditions
We officially kick off the season each year with our annual Eldridge Toy Run, which includes a toy donation drive and motorcycle benefit ride during the first Saturday of December!
This event helps us provide residents with a memorable Christmas experience, and helps fulfill resident wish lists with toy donations from individuals, churches, and other organizations. At least nineteen children this year will have fulfilled Christmas wish lists!
Our other Christmas traditions include:
- Decorating each house with multiple Christmas trees and other festive decorations
- Gingerbread house contests, baking, and teaching residents tasty family recipes
- Christmas caroling
- Reading the Christmas story before bed on Christmas Eve
- A big Christmas morning breakfast
- Opening presents on Christmas morning!
Each house has its own special Christmas traditions, including group trips to ride the Polar Express, sight-seeing Christmas lights in Huntsville, or going ice skating.
Making Christmas Special at the Alabama Free Will Baptist Children’s Home
We feel so blessed to share such a magnificent time of year with each of our residents; this is why we actively teach the real reason for the season: Jesus Christ. He is who we lean on in times of discomfort and who we model after in our love, appreciation, and care for residents.
At the Home, we do our best to make this season memorable for our residents. Through your spiritual and financial support, we are able to better meet their needs during the holidays and year-round.
The Alabama Free Will Baptist Children’s Home provides a safe, loving home to children who come from challenging home environments or foster care. To continue supporting our ministry and residents, we ask to give your spiritual and financial gifts as you’re able.