THE GRANDPARENTS WHO HAVE GIVEN TO THE WISHING TREE FOR 30 YEARS, AND HOW YOU CAN TOO
Some families bake the same Christmas cake every year, but for one Victorian couple, the most treasured tradition is giving to the Wishing Tree.
Warrnambool grandparents Deb and Bob Jones have donated presents and money to Christmas appeals for more than 30 years.
On November 10, they took grandchildren Halle and Hugh along to Kmart Gateway Plaza as the local appeal opened, according to The Standard.
The couple gives up to $300 a year in gifts and donations, and they have no plans to stop.
"It's so that everybody has a good Christmas, that's how we feel," Deb told the paper.
A family tradition passed down the generations
What makes the Jones family's story so lovely is that the giving has rippled outwards.
The Standard reports that families connected to the couple's former business say their own children, now in their 40s, joined the donation trips when they were young.
Now a new generation is learning the same lesson, with Halle and Hugh helping to choose gifts for children they will never meet.
It is a simple, beautiful way to teach kids that Christmas is about more than what lands under their own tree.
Why the Wishing Tree matters more than ever
This is the 39th year of the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal, which is run with The Salvation Army.
Since it began in 1987, more than 14 million gifts have been handed out to families across Australia.
Australians donated more than 350,000 gifts in 2025 alone, according to Salvos Online.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched this year's national appeal at Parliament House in Canberra on October 26.
Kmart Group managing director Aleks Spaseska said a gift tells struggling families "that they matter and that their community cares".
The need is real.
In Warrnambool, the local Salvos said rising interest rates and credit card bills were putting extra pressure on families this festive season.
The gifts needed most this year
If you want your donation to make the biggest difference, think about teenagers.
The Salvos say gifts for teens are among the most needed this year.
Family-friendly items are also in high demand, including board games, outdoor equipment, arts and crafts supplies, headphones, backpacks, educational toys and gift cards.
Remember that gifts need to be new and unwrapped.
How to give to the Wishing Tree appeal
Drop your new, unwrapped present under the Wishing Tree at any Kmart store.
Your gift does not have to be bought at Kmart, so you can pick something special from anywhere.
If you are short on time, you can make a financial donation instead, including a $2 donation card at the checkout.
The Salvation Army has more details on its Wishing Tree page.
Start your own giving tradition
Inspired by the Jones family?
Here are a few easy ways to make giving part of your own Christmas.
Let each child choose one gift for a child of a similar age, which helps them imagine what another kid might love.
Set a small family budget and pool pocket money, so everyone feels they have contributed.
Make the trip to the tree a festive outing, perhaps followed by a hot chocolate or a look at the Christmas lights.
Talk to older children about why some families find this time of year hard, in a gentle and age-appropriate way.
If money is tight in your own household, remember that giving time counts too, and many local charities welcome volunteers in December.
The appeal is aiming to make this year its biggest yet, ahead of its 40th anniversary in 2027.
As Deb and Bob have shown, one small gift a year can add up to a lifetime of kindness.
