For 94 children, a blue star a day kept the Grinch away

Advent calendars usually entice us with the chance to munch on a chocolate a day leading up to Christmas.

But this year, the Archdiocese of Vancouver offered a twist on the typical Advent calendar: a contest for children that involved doing one kind or prayerful action per day, marking the day with a star, and entering to win a $25 gift card for books or toys and another $25 to donate to a charity of choice.

Ninety-four children participated, spending the month of December cleaning their rooms, writing Christmas cards, and praying for their teachers, pastors, and those sick in hospital (to name a few) to earn those blue stars. 

Ten winners were randomly chosen and invited to choose which charity would receive a donation in their name: the Door is Open Downtown Eastside outreach, the pro-life ministry Signal Hill, or the archdiocese’s Vocations Office.

Here are the smiling faces of some of these young philanthropists and contest participants!