Founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks, Toys for Tots represents a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose families cannot afford to buy them gifts for the most wonderful season of the year.
The mission of this program is to collect and distribute new unwrapped toys to unprivileged children for Christmas.
According to their website, “The Foundation provides the leadership, funding, and support needed for successful annual toy collection and distribution campaigns.”
Back in 1997, the program launched what is one of the most beautiful commercials we’ve ever seen.
YouTube
Each Christmas, this commercial is shared by a number of people who wish for the holiday spirit to be spread around.
It features a young boy with a piece of paper in his hands approaching a Marine and asking him if he’s Santa Claus.
The Marine stands still because he’s on his job and doesn’t seem to pay attention to the boy who’s talking to him.
The boy then asks the same question again and then hands the piece of paper, which turns out to be his wish list for Christmas, to the guard, hoping his wishes to be granted this season.
To everyone’s surprise and delight, the guard, without making any eye contact with the boy, opens his hand and takes the boy’s list.
The commercial is supposed to raise awareness of the importance of the mission by Toys For Tots. It is a reminder that there are children out there who would not be getting any gifts, and that each and every one of us can help make a difference in a child’s life.