Holiday Giving: 'Rock Father Santa' Rides Again!

A huge part of working in the toy industry is the ability to give back.

This week, I put on my Gingerbread Man ballcap, masked-up, and made my seventh annual holiday toy delivery as #RockFatherSanta. Since 2014, I've been delivering toys to Avon Township here in Illinois where a team of elves (caseworkers and helpers) places the toys with families that they serve throughout the year.

Not counting this year, the Rock Father Santa program has provided gifts for more than 300 kids from more than 150 local families. I started this using the power of The Rock Father platform and am happy to continue it in my role as Senior Editor of The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider.

This was a challenging year, yet somehow the donation came together BIGGER and BETTER than ever with around $4,500 worth of great toys and games.

I can't do this alone, so HUGE thanks to my toy industry friends and our team at Adventure Media and Events, LLC for the generous product samples and other donations that I receive throughout the year.

The majority of the toys that I review, discuss, or show on TV are "just passing through" my office as they're set aside for the holidays. It's a big part of what makes my job so special and I do my best to make sure that everything gets to a good home.

In previous years, families signed up for assistance could come in and "shop" the assortment. This year, due to COVID-19, the Township is making care packages for kids by age — similar to how a "giving tree" would be handled.

As I point out every year, there are many national organizations that do great work for kids and families (and many are hurting this year), but I will always choose to keep my personal giving efforts as local as possible.

Our local Township serves families in five towns that often feel forgotten, so I love to support them on a hyper-local level to do some good here in the community, hopefully making an impact for some families that we may see in passing every day. If you have the means, I encourage you to do the same wherever you live!

Our company and its partners have spread joy in other communities this season. You may have even seen some of our editorial staff making the rounds on TV, showing off new toys with the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Wendy Williams, and Tamron Hall, and then making donations to children's hospitals and organizations such as Toys for Tots. It's a fantastic way to cap the holiday season, and personally, I'm already thinking ahead to 2021 and I'll be looking forward to checking out all the great new toys and games ahead while setting them aside for December.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of my friends here on LinkedIn and beyond!