Plenty of elves were buzzing around, clip-boards in hand, and things were running like a well-oiled machine for 性视界传媒 Christmas Bureau鈥檚 first day of registration on Nov. 9.

A steady stream of families flowed through the door in Newton, this year based out of the former Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre at 6878 King George Blvd.

Greeting residents as they arrived that first day were two longtime volunteers: Fred Minty and Bev Snook.

This is year 15 for Snook.

鈥淲hat keeps me coming back is the kids, and the looks on their faces 鈥� and their parents鈥� faces 鈥� when they get some nice things for Christmas,鈥� she said.

Minty has to agree.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful thing to see the satisfaction, or the happiness, of the children,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey check out after they get all these goodies in a big bag and they come to the front door and want to know what it costs. I have the pleasure of saying, not one cent.鈥�

The charity welcomed new leader Lisa Werring this year.

Standing in the lobby amid families in need, and just some of the 150 volunteers who will make Christmas happen for so many, Werring smiled.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really like a pop-up Toys R Us,鈥� she mused.

Like every year, people lined up before the doors opened that first day.

About 35 people were waiting by 9 a.m.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been very steady all day,鈥� she said around lunchtime.

Werring said one woman stood outside the doors at 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, the day before registration began, ready to camp out.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e really worried about Christmas and they鈥檙e really worried about being able to provide for their children at Christmas. If you鈥檙e willing to camp out overnight to ensure you get in to register, it鈥檚 pretty serious. Luckily, we were able to talk to this woman and send her home nice and toasty, she鈥檚 been registered. She was committed.鈥�

Werring urged others not to show up before they open at 9 a.m.

鈥淲e鈥檙e open for registration six days a week, so there鈥檚 plenty of time. We don鈥檛 want people freezing and standing in the cold.鈥�

While plenty of clients have already arrived, the toys have yet to make their way through the doors.

鈥淲e are going to be in dire need,鈥� said Werring. 鈥淭he shelves are bare right now.鈥�

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Every firehall in 性视界传媒 will be accepting donations, she said, and donations can of course be dropped off at the depot itself. Toys will be stored and sorted, and shelves will be stocked, all under the one roof.

鈥淲e definitely would like to see some things coming in sooner than later, it鈥檚 always a bit of a crunch. And the older kids, too,鈥� she said.

Gifts for teenagers are always a challenge at the bureau.

鈥淚t takes a bit of ingenuity and thinking. Sports equipment is great鈥� leisure passes for the rec centres, for girls, blow dryers, straighteners, hair appliances, all of those things. For boys, shavers and things like that, too. And of course, gift cards so they can buy clothes,鈥� she laughed. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what my kids always wanted.鈥�

The bureau is also in need of financial support, to help buy grocery gift cards.

鈥淢oney goes a long way and it also helps us fill the gaps for age groups on our shelves,鈥� she said.

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Like every year, the number of people in need of holiday help at the bureau is expected to rise.

鈥淎s 性视界传媒 grows, the need grows with it,鈥� said Werring.

鈥淲e鈥檝e seen in the last year or so a sharp up-tick in the number of refugees settling in 性视界传媒 and looking for services and support.鈥�

They鈥檙e expecting another large increase in refugee clients again this year, said Werring.

鈥淪o that鈥檚 a new base that will impact us as well.鈥�

Last Christmas, the bureau helped just under 2,000 families, which included more than 4,00 children.

鈥淭hink about the impact it has on a child if they don鈥檛 have a Christmas. If it was 4,000 kids who didn鈥檛 have a Christmas?

鈥淚t鈥檚 astonishing to think that could happen and we鈥檙e happy to be in a position to make sure that doesn鈥檛 happen.鈥�

One of Werring鈥檚 longterm goals for the operation is to find a permanent home, like the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau has.

鈥淭hat would be ideal,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd to be able to ramp up capacity so we can meet the need.

鈥淣o family is alone. We鈥檙e here. We鈥檙e friends. And we鈥檙e going to help.鈥�

The site will be open for registration from Monday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., ending Dec. 2.

Anyone wishing to volunteer can call 604-581-9623.

More information on the charity can be found at .