Giving Trees: A Tradition with Longstanding Roots

Throughout the Advent Season, Christmas trees with gift tags can be found in dozens of parishes throughout Eastern Massachusetts.

The tags themselves are small, but the collective impact of their existence is enormous. Parishioners in over 30 parishes helped provide much needed relief to Catholic Charities clients by selecting a tag and buying the requested item.

Donations ranged from clothing to gift cards and toys and were distributed to clients within our shelters and child care, basic needs, and refugee & immigrant services programs.

“For over a decade, Catholic Charities has been one of Saint Cecilia’s non-profit partner agencies and we value our on-going relationships with their wonderful staff and the volunteer opportunities they provide our parishioners,” said St. Cecilia’s pastor, Father John Unni. “We are so proud to support Catholic Charities many programs.”

The list of Giving Tree partners grows each year and the spreads all across Eastern Massachusetts. We sincerely thank the parishes and schools who participate, including the ones listed below. If your parish was inadvertently omitted, please let us know so that we may add to the list.

Ave Maria, Lynnfield (St. Maria Goretty and Our Lady)
Central Catholic High School, Lawrence
Holy Family, Lowell
Holy Name, West Roxbury
Most Blessed Sacrament, Wakefield
Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted, Waltham
Our Lady Help of Christians, Newton
Our Lady Star of the Sea, Marblehead
Sacred Heart Parish, Malden
St. Athanasius, Reading
St. Agnes Parish, Arlington
St. Agnes Parish, Reading
St. Ann Parish, Peabody
St. Ann’s Parish, Salem
St. Anthony, Cohasset
St. Bartholomew, Needham
St. Cecilia, Boston
St. Gerard, Canton
St. John’s Parish, North Chelmsford
St. John’s, Swampscott
St Joseph’s Parish, Wakefield
St. Joseph’s Shrine, Lowell
St. Katharine Drexel, Dorchester
St. Mary, Chelmsford
St. Mary’s Parish, Lynn
St. Mary’s of the Assumption, Revere
St. Mary of the Nativity, Scituate
St. Michael’s, Bedford
St. Marguerite, Dracut
St. Paul Parish, South Hamilton
St. Paul, Wellesley
St. Peter’s Parish, Cambridge
St. Peter’s Parish, Dorchester
St. Teresa, Dorchester
St. Thomas Collaborative, Wilmington
St. Timothy, Norwood

Part 12 of our Twelve Days of Giving Series, sharing heartwarming stories about people spreading joy and compassion within our community this holiday season. Explore more ways to give this holiday season on our Ways to Give page.