“We wish you are Merry Christmas, We wish you are Merry Christmas...” As Christmas light decorations are put up, people across the UK are getting ready to celebrate the big feast for the birth of Christ. While the world tends to forget the meaning of His birth behind all the magnificent Christmas glamour, the Salvation Army offers a chance for the general public to rediscover it through its annual charity campaign - Pass the Parcel Christmas Toy Appeal.

Pass the Parcel Christmas Toy Appeal was launched on 15th November on ITV1’s This Morning programme. In collaboration with Superdrug, the health care & pharmacy chain store in London, the Salvationists call for the public to donate toys and gifts for needy children across the UK. This generosity will allow them to enjoy a warm and happy Christmas.

This charity campaign has been running for six years, millions of pounds’ worth of gifts have been generously given by the public; indeed last year alone toys and gifts to the value of £1.25m were distributed.

“We were overwhelmed by the generous response from the public last year and we’re sure they will be even more generous in 2004,” said This Morning presenter Fern Britton.

“Pass the Parcel is a fantastic way for anyone to make a real difference in children’s lives this Christmas and we’re really pleased to be working with The Salvation Army again. An extra gift is all it takes- and please don’t forget the teenagers, particularly boys, who sometimes tend to get left out of such appeals,” he continued.

The leader of The Salvation Army in East Anglia, Lt Col Howard Grottick, said, “Such was the generosity last year that we were able to give gifts to families linked with local partner agencies such as lone-parent support networks and family centres.”

From 15th November to 13th December, the public are encouraged to drop off a new gift, unwrapped, for a child aged 16 or under at their local Superdrug store. The Salvation Army’s 800 local centres will then collect the gifts and distribute them to needy children through their own networks, local groups and social services.

The birth of Christ reveals an amazing truth of love to us by His self-lowering and sacrificing. Remembering His humbleness, please drop a gift at Superdrug to show this heart of love towards the least of our brothers.