A grandmother shops for basic necessities with her young grandchildren in tow.

The youngsters eye the toy displays.

“Grandma!” one calls out, pulling a toy off the shelf, “this is what I want for Christmas.”

The grandmother hangs her head, saying there isn’t money for gifts this year – and to put the toy back on the shelf.

A woman watches the scene and discreetly pulls the grandmother aside. There are, she says, organizations where parents and grandparents can “shop” for holiday gifts – free of charge.

The family soon visits the North Kitsap Fishline Toy Shop in Poulsbo.

For the grandchildren, a Thanks to the generous community and to local organizations Fishline, Kingston’s ShareNet and Bainbridge Island’s Helpline House, many children in need will wake up to find a gift specially chosen for them.

“I’ve had parents sobbing because they were so relieved to have a gift for their child,” said Karen Timken, director of Fishline.

The “stores” are set up with new donated toys and gifts to allow parents and grandparents to “shop” for the children. It varies by organization, but most parents are able to pick out one big-ticket item, plus one smaller toy and stocking stuffers. Books and games are also given, to be shared during family time.

Over the years, Timken has had a few community members tell her the money should be spent on utilities or food, not gifts. And while she understands the importance of paying the bills, she also understands the importance of children receiving gifts.

An intangible gift is given when children receive a present: it helps their self esteem. When children go back to school after the holiday break, on every playground and in each lunchroom the discussion centers around what they received for Christmas.

“Can you imagine being at school and everyone around you is talking about the gifts they received, and you received nothing?” Timken said.

Helpline House volunteer Dana Maria enjoys playing the role of “personal shopper” for clients at the Holiday Shop. She helps people find the perfect gift for family members. Maria said people comment that they wouldn’t be able to get gifts for their family any other way.

“People are down on their luck. For now. It could be any of us,” she said. The economy, job loss, illness and divorce are all reasons people walk through the doors at Helpline.

“There are a lot of people who sign up here who probably never thought they would have to,” Maria said.

Helpline House Volunteer Director Clara Manny said the generosity from the community is astonishing. Timken agreed.

Two and a half weeks before the Toy Shop opened, Fishline had only 80 toys – a small fraction of the number needed. A plea was made to the community and more than 800 additional toys arrived by the time the shop opened.

ShareNet’s Christmas Shop coordinator, Barbara Brumagin, said she was blown away by the donations this year.

“In spite of the economy, people continued to donate,” she said. ‘They realize there are folks out there struggling even more than they are.”

People at Helpline told a heartwarming story about a donor who brought in new coats for the Holiday Shop.

When she dropped them off, she asked what else was needed for the store. The staff told her gifts for teens were scarce.

The donor returned with a stack of gift certificates.

Shop volunteers agree that the ability for parents to shop for their child makes the experience personal. It isn’t someone else picking out the gift; rather, parents are able to search through the shop to find just the right item. It makes them feel part of the process. It gives them ownership.

“We want people to feel regular,” Timken said. “I don’t know how else to put that. Like they are part of the way things are, rather than being second hand. A lot of these people feel second hand.

“To be able to allow them to get something really nice and new for their child is a real beneficial thing.”