Volunteers from AWCL are giving back to the children's festivities

A modest initiative started in 1996 by a group of women from the American Women's Club of Luxembourg (AWCL) has grown over nearly three decades into a national solidarity movement. Under the campaign Gifts for Kids, they annually provide children living in shelters with gifts for St Nicholas Day, a holiday that is particularly important in Luxembourg culture.

The essence of the programme is simple but touching: each child chooses a gift - a toy or a necessary thing - with the help of his/her supervisor. His/her wish is written down on an individual paper balloon, where the name, age and cost of the gift are also indicated. These balloons are placed on special "Giving Trees" all over the country - in schools, companies and public places. Those who want to help choose one of the balloons, pay for the gift, and then keep the balloon as a reminder that someone else's children's holiday is now possible.

This symbolism is particularly important: although the children's faces and names are not made public, each balloon connects the giver and the child invisibly but personally. The gifts are delivered to the orphanages by 6 December, the day on which children all over the country celebrate Saint Nicolas Day. On this day, those who live outside the family receive not just a box with a toy, but a feeling of participation and belonging to the general holiday.

The programme is growing: while in 2024, 1,609 children from 90 shelters participated, in 2025, more than 1,700 applications from over 100 institutions are expected. This growth reflects not only the scale of the initiative itself, but also the growing need: more and more families are facing difficulties and more children are ending up in the social protection system.

AWCL Luxembourg

Organisers recognise the scale of the task. In 2025, Gifts for Kids received a new visual design and launched the gfklux.org website, where you can now make a quick donation, find out how to become a sponsor or host a wish tree. All funds raised from the campaign go 100% towards the purchase of gifts, with logistics provided by a team of volunteers.

With their participation, organisations and individuals not only help the children. They also support carers, social workers and mentors - people who accompany these children on a daily basis and try to give them back a sense of stability and care. "Every gift is an act of recognition," says one of the volunteers, "to the child it says: 'I see you, you are not alone'."

The opportunities for participation are wide: companies can order from 50 to 100 balloons per tree, schools can tell students about the project and connect to the digital format, and individuals can make a donation of 25 euros, which is enough to fulfil one child's wish. The organisers emphasise that even one participation is already a contribution to someone's joy.