BLUE SANTA
Santa Claus most often wears a suit of red, but in San Marcos, children love it when he is dressed in blue.
Over the last several weeks, volunteers have gathered twice at a large retail space downtown–all to make Christmas 2023 as bright and welcoming as possible for this community.
Organizing the third mass wrapping underway today at 6 p.m. are members of the San Marcos Police Department and all those charitable “elfs” who are willing to share two hours of their gift-covering abilities.
San Marcos Police Department Officer Laray Taylor oversees the program, everything from welcoming volunteers, to finding, purchasing and storing toys throughout the year.
“Sometimes, I put on the Blue Santa suit. When it is the right time,” Taylor said,on the first night of wrapping in November. “My mom’s here. She is 86 and she’s a good wrapper.' His sister, Jeannette, is a wrapper, as well.
He said the Blue Santa distribution center is located at 301 N. Edward Gary Street, next to Sherwin Williams. People interested in coming out today to wrap do not need to register. Taylor said all anyone needs to do is to show up at 6 p.m. at the distribution center.
For 51 years, the department’s Blue Santa program has worked to provide toys for local children who might not otherwise have gifts for Christmas.
The Blue Santa program annually provides gifts for approximately 1,0001,400 youngsters. The COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult but even with that, the department found a way to bring Christmas to children in San Marcos, also working with Hays County’s Brown Santa program to make sure no child was left behind.
“We invite you to help us wrap gifts for this year’s Blue Santa event. This is the first time since the pandemic that we’ve been able to recruit gift wrapping volunteers again. If you’re interested in participating, all you have to do is show up on the following dates, on time, at 301 N. Edward Gary Street,” city organizers stated earlier this month on the website.
Taylor might be called the Henry Ford of toy accumulation. He said he attends meetings with others who are running similar programs, to fine-tune how best to get the hot toys that children are desiring each year. For example, he was able to secure Barbie toys before the release of the film this year–a coup. Taylor said he has a system that works for him that allows for a steady approach to toy accumulation.
“So, how this works,” Taylor said, moving over to a series of tables stacked evenly with a wide variety of toys–dolls, figurines and an assortment of games. “Everything is marked by age. These are ages 1-2. This is our biggest age, 3-5. Again, boys on one side, girls on the other side. Table monitors will grab them, four toys, either all boys or all girls. Four,” he said. After the gifts are wrapped, each wrapper receives a circle sticker on which the wrapper marks the age range.
“People who pick those toys up have the applications on the other side,” and they are charged with filling out the application requests, Taylor said.
Taylor got involved with the Blue Santa program more than a decade ago through his community service assignments at the department. Though he formally retired in 2021, he added that he was hired back to “to do some things.”
“This is one of the things they hired me back to do,” he said.
Taylor’s family is originally from California but Texas children are now his mission “My Dad was military and we moved around a lot,” he said, giving him an appreciation of how important the holidays are for so many.
“This is a service that the police department does for the community. Especially around Christmas time and especially when we can engage with the community and celebrate Christmas with them. And celebrate the people who we’re wrapping gifts for. We want to do this for those who can’t do for themselves,” Taylor said.
Monetary donations and toys may be delivered to the San Marcos Police Department at 2300 S. IH-35, in San Marcos. Organizers appreciate all donations but request no stuffed animals or used toys be donated.
For additional questions regarding the Blue Santa program or the application process, contact Taylor at 512-214-5867 or [email protected].
