cs5%20use-550?v=1

A New Way to Shop

Parker Adventist Hospital and New Day Adventist Church partner to gift Parker families with the Christmas Store

During the holiday season, everyone looks for ways to keep the magic alive. We all have our methods, from Christmas movies to leaving milk and cookies for Santa Claus. The Christmas Store, a partnership between New Day Adventist Church and Parker Adventist Hospital, fosters the Christmas spirit by facilitating one of the most well-known holiday practices: gift-giving. This year, the store will be open via invitation from December 6th through 10th. 

A nutcracker towers over several volunteers adorned in red shirts as they welcome guests into the doorway of the hospital turned winter wonderland. Anticipation builds as the families wait in line to register and prepare their shopping lists. Inside the store, lights and decorations glimmer from the ceiling to the floor. But for the kids, the real eye-catchers are the tables that overflow with an abundance of presents.

“It really gives everyone this sense that we’re expecting you and we’re excited you’re here,” Lisa Cardinal says, grinning widely. Lisa is the executive pastor at New Day and has been casting vision and building relationships for the Christmas Store since it’s advent nine years ago. 

Approximately 125 K-12 children are selected annually from 12 public schools in Parker to participate in the Christmas Store. This special opportunity is afforded to families that might not qualify for other forms of assistance, but would still be hard-pressed to have the financial flex to indulge on presents. 

Lisa testifies that the need is real, and the data backs up that fact. In July of 2020, 24/7 Wall Street used data from the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget calculator to identify the most expensive place in every state. They ranked counties based on the estimated monthly cost for a single adult to maintain a modest, while adequate, standard of living. Douglas County ranked as the most expensive place to live in Colorado. 

Such a high cost of living can make it increasingly difficult for Douglas County parents to give their children the storybook Christmas they want or are accustomed to. That’s where the Christmas store comes in. Simply visiting is enough to get families in the spirit. 

“We live in a culture that’s very suspicious of good. Well, this is something that you can take at face value. There is no hidden agenda,” Lisa says.

How it works: The kids are able to pick out a gift for themselves and every member of their household while parents relax in a separate room. Each child is assigned their own personal shopper, and the gift tables are organized by age and gender to ensure an easily navigable shopping experience. 

The quality of gifts is a top priority, so much so that it’s akin to shopping at a department store like Target. Volunteer shoppers are trained to purchase gifts with the eyes of a child. For instance, they’ve learned that few kids will opt for a sensible coat when they can get their hands on the newest lego set. 

The team works year-round to stock their inventory— and they stock it fully. The goal is for the gift tables to be as full on the last day of the store as they were on the first. 

One of these women is Kim Miller. This will be Kim’s ninth year as a part of the Christmas Store. Even though she’s on east coast time, this North Carolina resident travels back to Colorado with her daughter each year to be a part.

“I can’t imagine Christmas without it,” she says. “It is a passion of mine to serve and be there when there’s such a great need. I always wanted to model that for my kids.”

Mission accomplished. Her daughter, now a sophomore in high school, started at the Christmas Store when she was 7. She now shares her mom’s passion so much that they coordinate with her high school each year so that she can miss class to volunteer. 

The rest of the year, Kim stays busy buying gifts to ship to Colorado. Her family jokes about her notorious “target lap”, a map she’s made of the store to ensure she scours every aisle for the best presents. Talk about going out of your way to serve others!

As we reach the tail end of 2020, there’s hardly anyone who remains completely unscathed by the turmoil, sickness, and unrest the year had to offer. Lisa believes that it’s time to shed pride, let go of shame, and reach out to our neighbors this holiday season. 

“We are a community, and we all have needs. What if our community became a safe place where, if you have a need, it’s okay to have it?” 

Because this four-day operation takes all year to pull off, the Christmas Store is in need of expert shoppers to stock inventory for 2021. Shoppers will be trained, equipped, and given the funds to go and purchase lists of presents. It’s like being an incognito elf who buys toys rather than making them. Kids can help tick items off the list, which makes it a great option for parents looking for ways to give back as a family. If interested in volunteering or giving a financial donation, contact Lisa Cardinal at pastorlisa@newdaysda.com.

Related Businesses

Park Place

Department Stores

Park Place

Leawood, KS

With the charm of mainstreet, Park Place offers the best in local, regional and national venues. One-of-a-kind boutiques line...

Bespoke Apparel

Mens Clothing

Bespoke Apparel

Clayton, MO

At Bespoke Apparel we take a holistic approach to maintaining our clients' wardrobes. We work with you to build a cohesive...

See More

Related Articles

See More