The need for holiday gifts is likely going to see a slight increase for Hope House’s Affordable Holiday Gift Market this year.
Over the last couple of years thousands of gifts have been purchased by people in the community through the market. In 2023, 4,423 gifts were purchased at the market and for this year 4,500 gifts is the prediction Jaya James, executive director of Hope House, estimates.
She based this on the current volume of use at Hope House and it is currently 10 per cent higher than this time last year.
In 2022, 3,718 gifts were bought, in 2021, 5,156 and in 2020, 2,947.
From 2012, when Hope House opened to 2019, it had its annual Christmas hamper program. In 2017, the market was added and in 2020, the hamper program wasn’t run and instead the Affordable Holiday Gift Market was.
The market is for people ages 18 and up to purchase gifts in a pay-what-you-can model. There will be a variety of gifts for all age ranges. Three gifts can be purchased by each person who comes in and they can only come through once when the gift market runs, which is Dec. 2 to Dec. 5 and Dec. 9 to Dec. 12. Shopping is in groups and is set up alphabetically by last names.
Having each adult buy gifts as opposed to each household makes it equitable, said James.
“This gives people the opportunity to make sure that they feel they're able to participate in any type of social function that's happening. That they're able to acknowledge the holidays with their family and friends in a way that is meaningful to them and as barrier free as possible,” said James.
Something James has learned through the market is many people won’t go to family or friends functions around the holidays because they don't feel comfortable going without a gift to give.
Hope House is collecting gifts starting Nov. 18 within its operating hours, Monday through Wednesday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gifts around the $20 range and a wide variety, is what Hope House is looking for. Volunteers are also needed to run the market.
Rebecca Adam has been volunteering at Hope House for the last five years. She’s one of Santa’s helpers who gets gifts if Hope House needs specific items missing for age groups like teenagers, older adults and gifts most people would enjoy.
For teenagers, Adam does a bit of research to find what is trendy. When shopping she asks sales associates what is popular and last year it was Nike tube socks.
Jaya gave examples of other gifts like phone accessories, hygiene sets, books, puzzles, holiday pyjamas, and PlayStation gift cards.
Adam goes shopping with her mom and she said it gets them in the holiday spirit. “So it's really nice spending quality time with my mom and she and I also, just like everyone else, you know, when you fill other people's bucket up, your own bucket gets filled. So it's just nice to support the community and give back, even if it's silently,” said Adam.
This year REMAX is holding a toy drive to collect gifts for ages one to 16 for Hope House’s market. The toy drive runs the whole month of December and gifts can be dropped off at 238 Speedvale Ave. E.
Leftover gifts from the market are donated to places like Salvation Army, Your Downtown Guelph Friends, Anishnabeg Outreach, Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre and others. Hope House reaches out to these groups, some of which have similar holiday gift programs that happen after the Affordable Holiday Gift Market and donate the leftover gifts to these organizations. “Because my belief is, is that people donated these gifts specifically to see them get in the hands of people who need them,” said James.
