Doors at the Van-Far Elementary School swung open at 1:30 pm on Sunday. A half hour later, 112 people – children with parents in tow – were shopping for gifts or had already headed home from Christmas from a Small Town Heart with their haul.

“It has kind of exploded a little bit,” said Lori Culwell.

Sunday marked the third year of the event, which allows children to pick out toys, games or presents for adults, all for free. The items were donated from community members who often purchase new pieces to give.

Culwell, who serves as Van-Far’s Parents As Teachers coordinator, saw Christmas from a Small Town Heart as a modest affair when it began. Three years ago she hoped for donations of gently used holiday items.

But things quickly ramped up.

This time around toys, games, books, dolls and other items began rolling in on Nov. 1. The Vandalia Chamber of Commerce bought stacks of books for Santa to give out to kids.

“This last week has been a snowstorm of goodies,” Culwell observed.

Inside the school’s gym, long tables served as display shelves roamed by dozens of children. Along one wall volunteers wrapped gifts. Across the way a table offered cookies and hot chocolate. Santa waited in a corner. It was a festive scene.

As each family signed in and headed to the gym, Culwell laid down the rules. They were simple: make sure to pick out some gifts to give to others.

They put no limit on how many items children can take home.

“We have so many donations I say ‘take what you need,’” Culwell said.

To pull off the event takes a team effort. Teachers stayed after school on Friday to set up tables and arrange things. Culwell’s office doubled as a storage warehouse. Van-Far sixth grade students were given a couple hours on Friday to haul things from Culwell’s office.

Santa was the star on Sunday. Culwell points out that COVID-19 restrictions had made sit down sessions with the jolly old elf a rare treat, and children were eager to take advantage.

But she didn’t anticipate more than a hundred people in the first half hour of a three and a half our holiday shopping spree.

“That kind of overwhelms me,” she said. “It’s a pretty cool deal.”