Pregnancy help organizations actively find ways for moms and families to celebrate the season and their motherhood.
In Jackson, Miss., Center for Pregnancy Choices holds an annual Baby's First Christmas event for the women served by the center throughout the year who have new babies.
This year’s Christmas party was the pregnancy center’s seventh annual event.
“It was truly special,” said Executive Director Erin Kate Goode. “We had music, story time for kids, gifts and door prizes, of course, a good meal, too.”
“The event is honoring to the moms, celebrating their children and pointing them onto Jesus,” she said.
This year’s event welcomed 15 moms and 18 children. Moms were invited to bring any child under age 6 and even offered Uber transportation if needed. The older kids had their own area to eat and play during the event.
“We had a story time for them led by one of our volunteers who dressed as Mary and read The Newborn King in a fun and interactive way,” said Goode.
The center does not have Santa as part of the event.
“We intentionally keep the event focused on Jesus,” Goode told Pregnancy Help News.
An example of this is that one of the center’s Support Services Staff members shared a devotion about being intentional about one’s time with the Lord and with their children. She provided practical ways to do this, such as reading scripture to their children and playing worship music in their homes. The door prize baskets revolved around family time with a local bank providing family themed gift baskets for each family.
One special gift for each family every year is an entire Christmas dinner for 10 people from a local restaurant that they can pick up just before Christmas and have at home with their family.
One mom who was surprised by this gift at the party cried and said that no one had ever done anything like that for her.
Another mother expressed gratitude for the event.
“I really enjoyed being able to get out and go to an event geared towards motherhood and Jesus,” she said.
The Christmas party, “doesn't just minister to our clients and their children, but to the volunteers and church staff who help us host it as well,” Goode said.
Volunteers for the party come in all ages, often with young volunteers who help with the children, all the way up to senior citizens who greet the women as they're coming in the doors, helping them in with car seats or sitting with the moms to help hold the babies.
This demonstrates practical ways of being the hands and feet of Jesus, Goode said, because they are able to see how small gestures at a party like this make clients feel loved and special.
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The Sealy Pregnancy Center in Sealy, Texas, just held its ninth annual Christmas party for 58 mothers and dads and 122 children.
The busy center sees 65 to 75 clients a week, including walk-ins. Moms who keep their appointments for counseling, obstetric care, educational sessions, well child checkups, and assistance information receive an invitation to the party.
The Christmas party included a catered lunch for the children and moms plus one guest.
The center offered pictures with a bilingual Santa, who gave them a gift and a candy cane. The party had child development activities geared toward the various age groups of the children attending. Each child also received a backpack filled with play items and candy. Among the door prizes this year was a large, ride-on Jeep for kids.
Executive Director Pat Penner shared that, “gifts provided through area angel trees were placed in large black bags, tagged with “Special Delivery from Santa” on them. The mother takes these gifts home and places them under the tree.”
“These gifts may be the only gifts some of them receive,” she said, “especially with the rising expenses with each household.”
Each year gifts are provided for the moms too. Stanley cups and a beautiful bracelet were purchased for moms this year. There are also gifts for the dads who are participating in the program.
This year’s Sealy Pregnancy Center Christmas party was, “successful because of the 35+ volunteers who show up from the three churches, the national honors society, and a few other volunteers,” Penner added.
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Sometimes centers simply seek resources for their clients as they do throughout the year.
A local community news outlet In the Kansas City, Mo., area, offers A Pro-Life Wish List where any pregnancy center is encouraged to post their needs for moms and babies.
Parkville Women’s Clinic in Kansas City posted what it most needed this Christmas:
“Our greatest need this season is diapers and wipes (newborn to size 6) for the moms and babies we serve. Your gift provides comfort, dignity, and hope to families in need. Monetary donations are always appreciated, and gifts over $100 qualify for a 70% Missouri tax credit.”
A Gift of Hope Adoptions asked for help for:
“A birth parent support fund, where we help with things like rent and utilities. We always welcome monetary donations to that. We don’t take donations lightly at A Gift of Hope Adoptions. We recognize that any donation is more than its mere monetary value, although we greatly appreciate that too! You are placing your trust in us to do right by our vulnerable clients, and use your hard-earned dollars wisely, responsibly, ethically, and most importantly, furthering the Kingdom of God. “
Birthright of Kansas City requested:
“One – two individuals to maintain the children’s clothing room. It would involve two hours a week and with flexible times. We also need a bilingual volunteer to assist our clients.”
A Long Island, New York, maternity home, Momma’s House Mother-Child Residences, held its annual Holiday Reunion Party for former residents of the maternity home and their children the Saturday before Christmas. Guests enjoyed lunch, Santa Claus, music, and gifts.
In addition, Momma’s House is held a Christmas concert fundraiser on December 19. Free-will donations along with tickets sold for raffle prizes will benefit the maternity homes. The organization has an annual toy drive starting in mid-November for families served over the past year, with a children’s Christmas gift Wish List and a separate list of items requested by moms in need. Typically, about 75 families receive gifts from the annual collection, including for older children ages 8-16.
