Some of you reading this will just be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, and some will still be looking forward to fighting over the stuffing. Wherever you find yourself, tomorrow is Black Friday, and the Allspark would like to ask you to take a moment to think of those less fortunate when you’re battling the crowds.

Whether they go by Toys for Tots, Toy Mountain, or some other name, most cities and towns have a local charity that collects and distributes gifts for kids and teenagers who otherwise might not find anything under the tree on Christmas morning. Toy collecting is what brought most us to the Allspark to begin with, so we don’t need to tell you how much it means to a kid to unwrap a really cool Transformers figure or a LEGO set.

Some great ideas for older kids and teenagers might include iTunes cards, DVDs of movies like Transformers: Age of Extinction or The Avengers: Age of Ultron, teen fiction books like The Hunger Games or Divergent, gift cards for movie theatres, family restaurants, or trendy clothing stores; we’re told the kids like places like Forever XXI and Urban Outfitters.

Even if you can’t afford to donate a new toy (heck, we’re not all made of money here!) you can still help out. These charities always need volunteers to sort the donations and fill lists for families who’ll be receiving the gifts. You can donate your time, help out, and who knows, maybe even meet some cool people while you’re at it!

Want to share more gift ideas? Stop by our Toys for Tots 2015 discussion thread and sound off, then head back to table for that second slice of pumpkin pie.

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