"It is our responsibility to use those blessings to take care of others," Elizabeth Dempsey says of her Angel Tree

By Virginia Chamlee

A mom on TikTok says that her budget for her Angel Tree — a viral movement that encourages people to donate gifts to children and elderly people in need for Christmas — is larger than that for her own children's gifts.

Elsewhere in the video — which has been viewed more than 767,000 times — mom Elizabeth Dempsey adds, "For me, in my house, Christmas and the holiday season is about taking care of our community, and I think that is the greatest gift I can give my children."

As Dempsey explains, her own children — ages 2 and 3 — "have plenty of toys, they have plenty of shoes, they just went on a Disney cruise."

"They are fine — but what I do feel like is important for them to know is any financial blessings we have are a gift from God. Yes, we work hard. And yes, we have struggled. And now that we're in a place that we're not, it is our responsibility to use those blessings to take care of others."

Dempsey adds that she even enlisted her own children to help her shop for the recipients of the Angel Tree gifts.

"They did a really good job shopping this year, and they understood they were shopping for other kids and not themselves," she says.

In another video, Dempsey shares highlights from her trip go shop for the Angel Tree. In it, she can be seen purchasing everything from large packs of diapers to clothing and shoes.

As Dempsey explains, her own kids "do get a lot of toys throughout the year."

"And they will have toys at Christmas ... but we do keep those toys really limited, to not make Christmas just about getting gifts," she says.

With her kids, Dempsey says, the tradition is to give each a stocking filled with "some wants, some needs, some little trinkets, some little treats" — along with "a smaller gift from Santa," a pair of pajamas on Christmas Eve, and a gift from their grandparents (most likely "one book" each).

"If they get a big gift, it's going to be for their birthday and it's definitely going to be from mom and dad, not from Santa," she adds.

Dempsey also encourages others to take on the Angel Tree trend, saying in another video that her family budgeted to give to five Angels in 2024.

"You get a list of needs and a list of wants," Dempsey explains of the program, which is facilitated by The Salvation Army.