Santa's head elves for Wilson County, Old Hickory and Hermitage, since 2012

If a child believes in Santa, Santa should come.

When a hard year lands on a family, we make sure the presents still show up on Christmas morning.

Three of the elves in holiday gowns on a settee in front of a lit Christmas tree, candles and poinsettias — Olivia, Joanne and Krys at Cocktails & Christmas Cheer.

All year long

Christmas around here gets paid for with music.

Five musicians with acoustic guitars playing a songwriters' round — A songwriters' round at one of our fundraisers. Every toy drive is a show.

Who we look for

The families who fall between the cracks.

They make just enough to sit above the poverty line, so they don't qualify for help. Then something unexpected lands, and there's no savings to cover it and nothing left for gifts.

It breaks the parents' hearts, and if the kids are still at the believing age, it breaks theirs too.

We go by need. We never look at a family's income, we listen to their story. Most years that adds up to somewhere between 150 and 500 kids, and one year it was 700.

How this started, with a Christmas party and an Opry family

Two women dressed as Christmas elves, one holding up mistletoe — Two of Santa's head elves, in uniform. We really do dress the part.

How it works

How a Santa letter becomes a black bag under the tree.

A parent tells us what happened this year.
The application asks for each child's age and what's on their Santa letter, and for a few lines about the emergency. Applications close December 15.
The elves gather the toys.
All year long, from toy drives with Nashville songwriters, donation boxes at local businesses, and neighbors who adopt a family from our list.
We shop the Santa letter.
We try to get at least one thing off every child's list, with two or three gifts each, and we wrap and sort it all at our wrapping parties in December.
Santa gets all the credit.
Parents quietly pick up one big black bag, full of their kids' gifts, so Santa can put them under the tree. The kids never need to know we were there.

Ways to help

Pick the one that fits your December.

Join Seven for Santa$7 a month
Members get a limited edition ornament, a membership card, and a VIP upgrade into every Give A Little event, Cocktails with Santa included.
Adopt a familyYou shop their list
Choose a family from our list and shop their kids' wishes yourself.
Throw a toy driveWe bring the music
At your venue, your office, your company party, or your living room.
Become an elfHat optional
Book toy drives, wrap gifts, find homes for donation boxes, sing.
Come to Cocktails with SantaFrom $75
Our biggest fundraiser of the year, Thursday, November 12, in Lebanon.