MANSFIELD — Little eyes widened, laughter echoed through the halls and tiny hands clutched newly chosen gifts.
At the ARC Empowerment Center’s “Deck the Halls with Children’s Laughter” event, children experienced the wonder and joy of Christmas in a magical, hands-on way.
The event, now in its fifth year, transforms the center into a festive winter wonderland filled with Christmas decorations, hot cocoa, popcorn and themed rooms filled with brand-new gifts.
Unlike traditional toy drives, children can walk through the rooms independently and choose their own presents — like a magical shopping trip at no cost to families.
Growing community support
Amanda Nicols, the ARC Empowerment Center’s executive director, and Pastor Joe Nichols said watching the children’s bright smiles each year is the most rewarding part of the event.
The celebration has grown steadily since its start, with over 1,300 children signed up this year — up from nearly 800 last year and 500 the year before.
“We are meeting the needs of a lot of families today,” she said.
Amanda highlighted their partnership with Toys for Tots this year, which allowed more than 800 children to enjoy gifts.
She added they would love to have any organization, church or individual, who would like to donate or volunteer, in the future.
“We don’t really advertise this, so next year we will probably reach out to the community more since it just keeps growing every year,” Joe said.
The couple emphasized letting children choose their gifts independently, giving them a sense of ownership and fun.
“This allows the kids to have their own experience,” Amanda said.
A celebration for every child
While organizers celebrated the event’s growth, families attending were excited to return and celebrate the holidays with the community.
Diane Carter and her family attended the event for the first time last year.
“Everyone is very friendly and it’s great for the kids,” she said.
Carter emphasized the importance of events like this for children who may not have much during the holidays.
“This is a wonderful place to bring your children,” she said. “It’s great seeing the community come together and help out.”
Her granddaughter, Marcia Jones, eagerly explored the rooms and picked out her favorite gifts, which she said were a Barbie and Polly Pockets.
Alissa Allen brought her two children, KJ and Nick, to the event last year.
She said her favorite part is seeing their faces light up each time they enter a room.
Nick said he was most excited to go home with a galaxy ball, while KJ couldn’t wait to take his new football home.
“I know a lot of people don’t like coming because they think it’s embarrassing, it’s not,” Allen said. “Everyone loves you here.”
(Photos from the Deck the Halls with Children’s Laughter event. Credit: Hannah Martin)
