Angel Tree gift ideas: what to buy for the tag you picked
Short answer. Buy the needs on the tag first, new and in the size on the tag. Then add one wish if you can.
On most tags:
- A coat
- Buy new, in the size on the tag.
- Shoes
- Match the shoe size written down.
- Pajamas
- Warm, in the size on the tag.
Four steps for your tag
Use its due date
The date on the tag is your deadline. Order 7 to 10 days before it and ship to your home. If you will miss the date, call the unit first.
Some units use an online registry that ships for you. Follow that unit’s instructions.
Read the tag
It gives the age, sizes, needs and wishes. Buy the size shown, even if it looks big or small. Between 2 sizes, go up one.
A letter after the number, such as 1005A and 1005B, often marks siblings. There is no last name or address.
Needs, then one wish
Buy new. Start with a coat, shoes or pajamas from the tag. Add one wish if you can. A tag is not a promise to buy everything.
- Skip toy guns, chemistry kits and food.
- A bike or scooter needs a helmet.
- A gift card only if the tag and the unit allow it.
Wrap by its rules
A store or mall tree usually takes gifts unwrapped. A church tree usually takes the gift wrapped, without your own name on it.
The tag and the unit come first. If it does not say, ask the person running the tree. Tape the tag to the gift.
Choose the age on your tag
Cover the needs first. Then find a wish that fits.
Take the tag checklist shopping
One page per tag, with sizes, needs, a wish and the drop-off date.
Needs first: ideas for ages 6 to 8
*Paid link
The most common tag age. Pick the size on the tag on the store page.
GUND Nayla cockapoo puppy plush
Ages 1+ (GUND)
On Christmas morning, a kid wishing for a real puppy unwraps Nayla, a GUND cockapoo with her own name.
Primal Hatch megalodon shark hatching egg
A megalodon waiting inside an egg fits a kid who pores over shark books and draws giant jaws in the margins.
Little Live Pets interactive plush puppy
This interactive pup from Little Live Pets gives a child who keeps begging for a dog a companion to tend.
Jazwares Sanrio Keroppi plush toy
On Christmas morning, a child who reaches for anything with Hello Kitty on it unwraps Keroppi to hug.
No tag yet?
Toys for Tots collects new toys across the US, and USPS Operation Santa lets you answer a child’s letter.
GiftExperts is an independent gift guide, not affiliated with The Salvation Army or Prison Fellowship. Angel Tree is a registered trademark of Prison Fellowship Ministries.
Read the full guide
Short answer. Buy the needs on the tag first, new and in the size on the tag. Then add one wish if you can.
- Use its due date. The date on the tag is your deadline. Order 7 to 10 days before it.
- Read the tag. It gives the age, the sizes, the needs and one wish.
- Needs first. A coat, shoes or pajamas come before any toy.
- Check wrapping. Some trees want gifts unwrapped. Follow the tag, or ask.
GiftExperts is an independent gift guide, not affiliated with The Salvation Army or Prison Fellowship.
How do you read the tag?
- A number. A letter at the end, such as 1005A and 1005B, often marks brothers and sisters.
- A first name, age and gender. There is never a last name or address.
- Sizes. Tops, pants and shoes, sometimes a coat. Buy the size on the tag, even if it looks big or small. Between 2 sizes, go up one.
- Needs and wishes. Needs are things like a coat, shoes or pajamas. Wishes are toys, books or games.
Sizes like 2T, 10/12 and youth 3 are explained in the kids' clothing size guide.
What should you buy first?
Start with the needs. A warm coat, shoes or pajamas can matter more than any toy. Then add one wish, if you can. A tag is never a promise to buy everything on it.
- Buy new. Programmes ask for new items, never used ones.
- Pick the size on the store page. Our clothing links open the store's page, where you choose the size from the tag.
- Skip toy guns, chemistry kits and food. These are our own rules, chosen to suit both programmes.
- Pair a bike or scooter with a helmet. A ride needs one.
- A gift card only if the tag asks for one, and by the unit's rules.
Do you wrap the gift?
Only if you are asked. It depends on where you picked the tag:
| Where you picked the tag | Usually run by | Wrap it? |
|---|---|---|
| A store, mall or Walmart tree | The Salvation Army | No, leave it unwrapped |
| A church tree | Prison Fellowship | Yes, wrap the one gift, without your own name on it |
If the tag does not say, ask the person who runs the tree. Ship to your home and tape the tag to the gift. If you will miss the date, call the unit first.
Which gift ideas fit the age on the tag?
No tag, but want to give to a child you won't meet? Toys for Tots collects new toys across the US, and USPS Operation Santa lets you answer a child's letter.
Angel Tree is a registered trademark of Prison Fellowship Ministries.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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