A Christmas workshop: Church members, volunteers help wrap holiday gifts at Clinton United Methodist Church

By BRAD HEINEMAN

Clinton Local

When they weren’t helping with the production of children’s toys at the North Pole, a handful of Santa’s elves were in Clinton for two days last week offering gift wrapping services to help give people a less stressful holiday.

These Christmas elves — most of them hailing as congregation members of Clinton United Methodist Church, 10990 Tecumseh-Clinton Road, made it possible for people to drop off their unwrapped gifts and presents between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 17 and 18, so they could be decoratively and efficiently wrapped for the approaching Christmas holiday.

“If you’re running short of time, our elves will help you out,” an online announcement from Clinton United Methodist Church said.

All wrapping paper, gift bags, tags, ribbons and bows were provided by Clinton UMC and its members. The only cost associated with utilizing the services was a donation to the church — any amount somebody could give sufficed. But even then, donations were not mandatory. 

“We’ve been here for two days having fun,” said Sheila Stasak, one of six volunteers Wednesday and Thursday who helped in the wrapping of gifts.

Clinton UMC’s Christmas gift wrapping services began in 2021 — the year after the widespread lockdowns from the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s continued since then as a seasonal church happening in December.

“Originally, LuAnn (Roberts) started this; she and I were in on it, but she was here from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for two days with the idea that you could drop (presents) off on your way to work, come back after work and pick them up,” Stasak said. “We’ve cut the hours a little bit. We’re now 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.”

Some of those who dropped off their gifts to be wrapped last week are repeat customers from past Christmases, Stasak added.

“They were all from the congregation but that’s OK,” she said Thursday afternoon. “This service is open to the public if the public wants to come. We’ve had people in the past from outside the church drop off presents.”

Roberts and Stasak were two of the six volunteers who helped wrap gifts. The other volunteers included Sandra Meissner; Crystal Freudenberg; Stasak’s mother, Mary Oakley, from New Boston, who is not a member of Clinton UMC, “but she came in to stay with me for a couple of days just so she could help with wrapping because she loves to wrap presents,” Stasak said, and Tessa Morgan who is employed as a registered nurse “but she marks off two days in December to come back every year and help us,” noted Stasak.