What kinds of things would children wish for at Christmas?

For their parents to play with them more?

A meal with all of their favourite foods (mostly sweets)?

To get every toy they want?

To become a superhero?

We may laugh at how whimsical a child’s wishes can be, but we probably wished for all sorts of odd things when we were kids ourselves! As adults, we see no harm in letting children make wishes, and we even try our best to make them come true whenever we can (Maybe not the superhero one). But a wish, no matter how silly it seems, can mean more to a child than we think – it represents their deeply held hope that good things are coming their way in the future!

What would children living in poverty wish for? They might want:

• A uniform, books and a pair of shoes for school.
• Farm animals like chicks, so their parents can make ends meet and not worry constantly.
• Clean water to drink and wash with so they don’t get sick.
• A hot, nutritious meal every day.

For a child in need, these wishes represent a life free of poverty and struggle, and any of them coming true could keep them going through the harsh realities they face. To see what we mean, here’s the story of a boy and his new shoes:

Thilasna had a simple wish, and it didn’t take a fairy godmother or shooting star to make it come true. All it took was one generous person giving a gift through our Gifts of Hope catalogue!

Through Gifts of Hope, many boys and girls around the world are getting their wishes fulfilled because they received the right gift at the right time. Whether it’s a herd of goats that supports a family’s livelihood, or school supplies that allow a child to get an education, every gift helps a child to hope for a brighter future. That may be the best thing you could ever give them.