It took a little bit of a push for Claire to sign up with Sub for Santa. Saying that she’s a reserved person, Claire was unsure about applying, but it’s been a blessing for her and her husband.

Claire is a full-time mom of four, a part-time caregiver and now is also a part-time member of the workforce. Her husband had to change jobs after a family emergency and now they’re putting every penny toward fulfilling their family’s needs.

Her hope for the holiday season is straightforward — putting smiles on her children’s faces. When asked what her 13-year-old wanted from Santa, he replied “nothing,” only to see his siblings happy. He added that he’s willing to work to help provide his siblings with Christmas cheer.

She wrote that she hopes the program can help because she “Want(s) her babies to believe in the magic of Christmas and in Santa.”

In addition to her 13-year-old, Claire’s other children are 8, 6 and 5. Like all siblings, even close in age, they are different kids with different interests. The one thing they have in common is a need for shirts, socks and pants.

The oldest wears a pants size 36, shirt size 2XL and shoe size 12. For books, he is a fan of Harry Potter, anime and mysteries. For gift ideas, he is called a gamer, likes anime and his favorite color is red.

The 8-year-old is also a male with a pants size 10-12, shirt size 10-12 and shoe size 3 ½. His favorite color is blue and he likes books on animals, cars and Disney. Some gift suggestions include remote controlled cars and Nerf guns.

The 6-year-old is a female wearing a pants size 14-16, shirt size 14-16 and shoe size 3. Her favorite color is purple and she likes books on princesses, Disney and animals. Suggested gifts include L.O.L. dolls and princess-related gifts.

The youngest is 5 years old and his favorite color is black. He wears pants size 8, shirt size 9 and shoe size 2 ½. He likes books about Disney and cartoons and gift ideas include Avengers-related toys and trucks.

“This year for Christmas will be hard on us,” she wrote. “I’m not asking (for) much but to see a gift under the tree for my babies will mean the world to me, as a mother.”

All names of Sub for Santa participants have been changed. To help a family like this one, call the Sub for Santa hotline at (801) 356-6300 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or visit https://subforsanta.org.

Newsletter