An invitation to the United Methodist churches of the Desert Southwest Conference to participate in the annual Sidewalk Ministries Christmas Project, including helpful instructions about the gift bags.

2. Sidewalk children - 2011

3. In 2011 over 1,500 children received
Christmas gift bags, gift cards or stuffed
animals from 30 churches. United
Methodist Women also donated items and
filled bags at their Annual Conference
Meeting/Celebration.

4. United Methodist Women filling bags at their annual meeting.

5. With the possibility of additional Sidewalk
sites this year, our goal for 2012 is to
surpass the number of gifts that were
donated in 2011.

6. We need well-filled Christmas gift bags for
children ages 3 to 12.

7. Please note : this year we will not be asking for
gift bags for teens. Instead, we will be giving
each teen a $20 gift card from stores such as
Walmart or Target.
If filling bags for a teen has been your passion,
please consider donating a $20 gift card this
year instead. We do have two churches who
give nothing but gift cards; however we will still
need a few more.

8. We will also be looking for a few NEW,
medium sized stuffed animals to give to the
toddlers who come to Sidewalk Sunday School
with their siblings.
Notice the 12 inch ruler in the picture.

9. Guidelines for purchasing and filling bags
have been formed over the years to make
the process easier. Your help in following
them is appreciated.
Thank you!

10. • Please use paper or cloth bags that
measure no smaller than 8 X 10 and no larger
than 10 X 13. The width of bags will vary
according to manufacture. They will be any
where from 3 to 5 inches wide. If we receive
bags larger than requested, we will split the
contents up into the appropriate size bags.
• Use bags that are decorated for Christmas
or are plain red or green. Decorated bags for
birthdays or other holidays are not
appropriate.

11. Notice the 12 inch ruler in the picture. 10 X 13 bags are the
largest permitted. No smaller than 8 by 10 either, please.

12. •Use a gift tag that is tied on to the bag
indicating the gender and age of the child the
bag is intended for.
•Please do not staple, glue or tape tags to the
bags.
•Make sure that the gifts in the bag match the
gender and age that is indicated on the tag.

14. •Do not wrap the gifts in the bags. Tissue
paper on top of the gifts is okay.
•Please do not include gift cards in the bags
along with gifts.
•Items should not be attached to the outside
of the bags. This makes the bags more
difficult to transport.

15. •Please use the following age categories
when filling and tagging the bags.
3–4
5–8
9 – 12
•Also indicate if the bag is for a girl or boy.
•Reminder – teens will get $20 worth of
gift cards this year instead of bags.

16. •Fill the bags well with NEW and UNBROKEN
items with the price tags removed.
•Little trinket type toys are not appropriate
unless accompanied by larger, better quality
items.
•When filling bags for the 3 & 4 year olds, please
do not give anything that is small enough they
could choke on, including hard candy.

17. •Please do not include chocolate candy or items
with peanuts.
• These are Christmas bags - Halloween, Easter
or Valentine’s Day candy is not appropriate!

18. •Items such as toothpaste and regular tooth
brushes should not be given. Nor should the
bags include trial/hotel size lotions, shampoos,
etc. This is Christmas – the children deserve
fun things.
•Do not include items such as knives or razors.

19. •If you are giving a gift that needs a companion,
please give both items.
For example- a coloring book needs crayons, a
water color book needs a brush, a flashlight or
watch needs batteries.
Often the children do not have the money to
buy the items they need to be able to use those
gifts.

20. SUGGESTED GIFT ITEMS FOR 4 TO 12 YEAR OLDS
PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL THE ITEMS ARE AGE APPROPRIATE
crayons & coloring books anything art related
markers simple craft kits
small toys comic books, story books
sports cards – boys sports memorabilia
balls small hand held games
games puzzles
dolls – girls Beanie babies
activity books story books
match box cars – boys Nerf toys
Christmas pens/pencils Christmas socks
jacks, marbles jump ropes
hair items Christian items (cross, jewelry, books)
small stuffed animals jewelry
Anything fun that a child would like!!

21. We realize that the contents can’t be the same in
all the bags, but we can make them all
full and appropriate.

22. Your understanding and help is appreciated.
These guidelines are not meant to discourage
anyone from filling bags. They are meant to
prevent additional work for the volunteers and
to keep the children from being disappointed.

23. If your church would like to help this year,
please contact, Bev Secrist at 480-345-9420 or
email: bevsecrist@cox.net
You may still participate on your own even if
your church isn’t participating. Please contact
Bev at the above number or email.
A list of the guidelines is available in document
form and it is suggested that all those who plan
to fill read them carefully. Contact Bev (see
above) for a copy.

24. November 2nd is the last
date for you or your
church to make a November 2012
commitment as to the
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
number of bags, stuffed
1 3
animals and/or gift cards 2
that will be provided.
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Commitments before this
date are most welcome
and encouraged. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Please consider this 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
commitment carefully
and promise only what 25 26 27 28 29 30
you think you can
actually provide.

25. Churches in the North and South Districts
will have a location in their districts that will
receive their gifts. Location, date, and contact
person to be announced. Contact Bev Secrist
at 480-345-9420 or bevsecrist@cox.net for
more information.
Gifts from churches in the Central East
and Central West Districts will be collected at
the Methodist Conference Center in Phoenix.

26. Central East and Central
West Districts will need December 2012
to deliver their gifts on
Monday, December 3rd Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
between 9:30 AM and
3 PM. to the Methodist 2 4 5 6 7 8
3
Conference
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Center, 1550 E.
Meadowbrook, Phoenix. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Please note – this is the
ONLY time that we can 30 31
accept the gifts at the
Conference Center.

27. Reminders
Space is limited at the Conference Center in
Phoenix – thus there is no place to store items
ahead of time. Please take this into
consideration when you make a commitment
and delivery arrangements.
North and South District Churches will be
advised at a later time when and where they can
deliver their gifts.

28. Volunteers deliver bags to the collection points.

29. Volunteers help
inspect, sort, and
count bags to make
them ready for pick up
by the site directors or
site volunteers.

30. Volunteers from Sidewalk sites come to pick up gifts.

31. Volunteers
help with the
distribution
of the gifts.

32. Thank you so much to all who
helped in 2011…..
.…and to all who will be helping
in 2012….

33. Thank you……
• to the contact person at each church who coordinates
their church’s gift giving
• to those who fill bags, donate gift cards and stuffed
animals
• to those who deliver the items on the appropriate day
• to those volunteers who help inspect, count, and sort
all of the bags
• to those volunteers who pick up the gifts needed for
each site
• to the volunteers at each site who help distribute the
gifts to the children

34. Thank you from
the children!!
These pictures used by permission.

35. THE END!