# Clothes vs Toys For Charitable Christmas Donations **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 29, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165 "2021-11-29T22:52:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/1 "2021-11-29T22:52:16Z")
Work is doing the yearly local charity donation drive, this year with a place that is basically pre-K combined with homelessness charity. Unlike some years, it’s pretty open-ended in that there’s a number of children with their current clothing size but nothing actually requested, and the guidance from HR was to get one thing, so like a reasonable outfit (like just a shirt/pants combo) or a toy. And of course nothing too crazy in cost (there’s not a limit set but I’m thinking $15-20 is reasonable). But the opinion I’m looking for is if it’s better to get something somewhat more useful (a good outfit for the winter) or something a kid might be more excited about (a reasonable toy that doesn’t take batteries or have a lot of parts to keep track of). Knowing of course at that age even clothes might be exciting. Honestly, my first instinct is a nice toy, maybe a stuffed animal or something. But I don’t know enough about what parents involved with such a program would find more useful or would want to see their kid get. So I’m asking here since I know there’s a wide range of actual experience. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/2 "2021-11-29T23:11:53Z")
You could call the place. Even if nothing has been specifically requested, the folks who work there know what they most need. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/3 "2021-11-29T23:18:58Z")
My company does the toy drive thing some years and I bought some Lego sets in the $20-30 range that came in a nice carry box. Sometimes I bought some sort of Barbie-like doll. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/4 "2021-11-29T23:40:28Z")
Regarding toys, I would recommend things like coloring books and a set of crayons, or beginning-reader books, unless the child or family has requested something specific. And even if they do, most kids that age would be delighted to get a coloring books, etc. featuring Peppa Pig, Spongebob, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2021, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/5 "2021-11-29T23:51:42Z")
The toys might be the only gift the child gets. And it may be the only thing the parent can give. I would get the toy. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/6 "2021-11-30T21:39:24Z")
I vote for the toy too, unless a very specific request was made for clothes. Kids need toys as much as clothes, maybe more. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/7 "2021-11-30T22:47:50Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > Kids need toys as much as clothes, maybe more. This. Useful stuff is the every day quest of people in need. Something fun, a distraction from being forever in survival mode, is humanizing. Everybody deserves a little lightness, even the destitute. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/8 "2021-11-30T23:06:36Z")
More. Having worked with the homeless as a City Commissioner, the homeless told us they have plenty of clothes- the exceptions being : Socks, nice warm socks, or hell just clean socks. I called a guy I know and got a deal on 4 dozen pairs of mismatched seconds warm winter (many wool) socks, and they were greatly appreciated. I even heard they were being traded for a while as a form of currency! Underwear Women’s interview outfits/suits. This can get a woman out of living in her car and back into a real job and housing. In some areas- a warm, weather proof coat. Best toys are something portable, sturdy and not easily lost. iirc. For a boy, a toy truck, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/9 "2021-11-30T23:57:54Z")
Once I bought my son a package of socks that was too small for him. I only found out after I’d opened the package and washed them. So I sent them to his school with a note that teachers/aides could give them out as needed. Did they ever. It was a wet, muddy day and little kids were coming in with cold, wet feet. I heard that aides from different classes would open his classroom’s door, saying, “Somebody said you had clean socks!” I did this again later. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/10 "2021-12-01T00:23:02Z")
Several years ago, I was involved in a local underwear collection project, and while they said they always needed socks, the one demographic that seemed to be consistently overlooked was underwear for grade-school aged boys. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/11 "2021-12-01T00:36:07Z")
Good on you! ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clothes-vs-toys-for-charitable-christmas-donations/955165/12 "2021-12-01T01:18:38Z")
> [@Ranch\_Dip](#): > > The toys might be the only gift the child gets. And it may be the only thing the parent can give. I would get the toy. I am reminded of a Dave Berg cartoon in _Mad_ magazine eons ago where a kid is on the phone, being coached by his Mom. “Hi, Aunt Betsy. Thank you for the underwear you gave me this year – it’s really nice.” “Tell your mother she’s welcome.”