"Santa didn't forget me!": How you could make Christmas magical for children like Freya*

*This story is based on real examples of children we support.

Last year, when Freya came home from school she would climb into bed fully clothed to keep warm.

Her mum Jess* worked in a local shop, but she still had to make difficult choices between heating and eating. There would be nights where Freya would wake up shivering - despite her extra layers.

As Christmas approached, Freya would tell her mum about her friends going ice skating and to visit Santa at his grotto, asking when they would be going.

She said this year there was only one thing she really wanted - a toy farm.

Jess told Freya they might not be able to visit Santa’s Grotto because it cost a lot of money, and watched the excitement vanish from her daughter's face.

When the gas meter ran out just weeks before Christmas, the flat became bitterly cold and Freya became ill.

Freya was diagnosed with a chest infection. Realising they weren’t able to afford to heat their flat, the GP referred the family to Action for Children for support.

That's when Emily* stepped in. Emily helps children like Freya every day, all year long.

Emily provided the family with supermarket and energy vouchers so Freya could feel warm at home and eat nutritious fresh food for the first time in weeks. The vouchers also meant they could have a little Christmas tree and lights – little moments of Christmas magic for Freya.

She also arranged for them to visit an Action for Children grotto to meet Santa. Freya squealed and asked, "Am I really going to meet Santa?!"

In the days before Christmas, Emily delivered a festive food hamper full of special Christmas treats, a new coat for Freya and a bag of wrapped presents. Jess hid the presents until Christmas Eve.

On Christmas morning, Freya crept into her mum’s room to ask if Santa had visited.

As they opened the living room door, she could see the tree was lit up with presents lying underneath. Freya’s eyes widened. When she unwrapped the big box, she couldn’t believe what she saw. Inside was the toy farm she had asked Santa for.

The cost-of-living crisis and increased food and energy bills make the winter months particularly difficult for families like Freya and Jess.

But thanks to the incredible generosity of our Secret Santas, we can continue to be there for them when no one else is.

Emily continued to check in on Jess and Freya, providing more supermarket vouchers to help with the cost of living.

She also noticed that Freya didn't have a proper bed - just a mattress on the floor. So, she used our Crisis Fund to buy a brand-new bed, mattress, and bedding, helping Freya to stay warm. Freya also received new school shoes and a schoolbag, giving her one less thing to worry about at school.