The Angel Tree program allows children from struggling families to receive gifts from generous volunteers during the holiday season. Companies like Walmart and charitable organizations like the Salvation Army take part in the program each winter.
These children are assigned an “angel” which appears as a paper tag, usually hanging on a tree. The tag has the age and gender of the child, as well as a list of suggested items the child has requested for the holidays, including clothes and toys. Volunteers then select an angel and purchase the gifts requested off their list.
“I volunteer once a year or when I see the trees,” said Tim Regan, a retired teacher that now subs to the district. “I do it because it makes me feel good and like I’m spending money on something helpful.”
The idea for Angel Trees was initially sparked back in 1979 in a small town in Virginia. In the article “The Story of Angel Tree,” Shirley White says, “I spotted a Christmas card with angels on it and thought it would be a good idea to cut them out and add the kids clothing size on the back.” This simple concept around 42 years ago was the reason the entire program started.
“It felt nice receiving gifts from strangers,” said Anileiry Portillo, my younger sister and a former recipient of the Walmart Angel Tree program. “Even though I didn’t expect anything during Christmas time.”
Some volunteers have taken the opportunity to record themselves buying gifts for their Angel Tree recipients and share the experience on social media, with several of these videos going viral. The trend gained immense popularity in the last few years and has led some to question the intentions of the volunteers.
Critics believe that not everything has to be recorded and posted online. A good deed must be done because it is coming from you the heart and not because the volunteer wants to have a purpose of going viral gain a following on social media.
“I have seen people go record themselves finding stuff that is on a list and then not paying for it,” said Elsi Castellon, a Walmart cleaning employee. “[They just left] the shopping cart full without purchasing anything.”
Back in 2024, many people were criticizing a woman because it seemed like she was buying cheaper versions of the items requested by her angel. It the article “Tik Tok made Angel Tress a trend, now it’s making them a scapegoat” by Andi Zeisler, it says, “shopping for a 10-year-old girl garnered more than 9 million views and 7 thousand comments, many of which accused her of skimping out on price (for instance, buying a $25 backpack instead of the $150 one requested), [and] buying the “wrong” kind of Stanley cup…”
At its core, Angel Tree is about giving without expecting anything in return. Next year, consider visiting your local Walmart and adopting an angel from the Angel Tree to make someone’s holiday extra special. Sometimes, the most meaningful moments are the ones not posted online.
