Christmas is about community, care, and joy – but for many, the holiday season is unfortunately also associated with worries about how to make ends meet. A donation of 15,000 kroner from Fonden Sol og Strand by Margit and Kjeld means that around 50 children can receive a Christmas gift this year.

– We can see that the need for help is steadily increasing year after year, which is partly due to rising food prices and the new welfare reform that has made it harder for many to make ends meet – and the Christmas season makes it even more difficult, says Bjarne Andersen, who is a volunteer project leader in the Christmas assistance project GAVEN at Bethaniakirken in Aalborg.

Bjarne Andersen is a volunteer project leader in GAVEN.

The Christmas assistance project targets families and single parents in Aalborg Municipality who are in a difficult life situation – it could be due to illness, financial challenges, or other personal circumstances.

To be considered for Christmas assistance, one must fill out an application form. After that, a working group reviews the incoming applications and selects those that meet the criteria.

– We always strive to help the applicant further if we cannot meet the application. For example, if it is an applicant from another municipality, we try to find an option in their own local area, says Bjarne Andersen, who has been involved in the volunteer work since 2022.

– I want to make a difference because I received help from unexpected sources as a child. I grew up in a home where money was tight, and I was a boy who wanted to play sports, but there was no money for that. I was lucky that there were adults who raised funds so I could get a badminton racket and equipment to play badminton, and that made a big difference for me, says Bjarne Andersen, who works as a consultant in the Ministry of Children and Education.

A creative workshop has been set up in Bethaniakirken so that the children have the opportunity to make gifts for their parents.

In 2024, 392 children from 232 families received help through the project, and this year Bjarne Andersen expects that gifts will be distributed to around 425 children from about 250 families. The families have the option to choose from 60 different gifts tailored to gender and age. In addition to the Christmas gifts, each family receives a gift card of 375 kroner, which can be used for Christmas shopping.

The distribution takes place at Bethaniakirken on December 6.

On December 6, there will be a distribution, and it is a festive day where the approximately 45 volunteers behind GAVEN have transformed Bethaniakirken into a cozy Christmas setting. Here, parents and children can enjoy making gifts in the creative workshop, enjoy a refreshment, and have a family photo taken before they take their gifts home.

– Our experience is that GAVEN helps create joy and hope. Parents see that their children are happy to receive a gift, and they feel that there are local forces that want to help and support, says Bjarne Andersen.

The many volunteers involved in the gift assistance project.