It's Time for the Jay J. McCrae Toy-A-Thon!

Townsquare Media Lansing, the Lansing Capital Area Salvation Army, and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve are teaming up again this year to help collect toys for children ages 0-18 for Toys for Tots!

Toys For Tots distributed more than 36,000 toys throughout Mid-Michigan in 2023, to over 5,000 children - and officials say the need for help is even greater this year.

The goal is to make sure every child wakes up with a smile on Christmas morning.

How You Can Help the Jay J. McCrae Toy-A-Thon

Named for the late Jay J. McCrae, a longtime Lansing-area radio personality who championed the annual toy drive for years, the Toy-A-Thon aims to collect as many toys as possible for underserved Mid-Michigan children between now and the middle of December.

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Organizers are asking for donations of new, unwrapped toys to be dropped off at a number of locations around Mid-Michigan, including:

Mother & Earth Kids, 5437 W. Saginaw Hwy. in Lansing
Alumni Hall, 3017 Preyde Blvd. in Lansing (Eastwood Towne Center)
The Good Feet Store, 3415 E Saginaw St., Suite F in Lansing (across from Frandor)
Spare Time Entertainment Center, 3101 East Grand River Ave. in Lansing (across from Frandor)
Townsquare Media Lansing, 3420 Pine Tree Rd. in Lansing

The Jay J. McCrae Toy-A-Thon will culminate with a toy collection event and Open House at the Townsquare Media Lansing studios on Sunday, December 8, from 10am to 3pm. The public is invited to attend, and Santa is expected to make a visit early in the day.

Toys For Tots organizers plan to distribute toys to families throughout the area between December 9-13. More information can be found here.

Michigan—Your Antique Ceramic Christmas Tree Could Be Worth Some Money

You may have seen this at your grandma's house growing up. It came out for Christmas, and you had to be extra careful around it so you wouldn't accidentally break it: antique ceramic Christmas trees. These vintage trees are making a huge comeback right now. You can find newer versions in stores, but it's the older antique ones that could be worth a good bit of money these days. Take a look at some ceramic Christmas trees below to get an idea of some of the styles you should keep an eye out for.

Gallery Credit: Kristen Matthews

The Perfect Gifts for a "Pure Michigan" 12 Days of Christmas

Who the heck wants upwards of 30 birds for Christmas? I know I don't. Instead, why not try out these "Pure Michigan"-themed gifts that we've thought of as an alternative to the original 12 Days of Christmas

Gallery Credit: Kristen Matthews