Stockings donated to "Stockings from Santa" waiting to be filled with holiday goodies and delivered to kids in need by Santa Claus. The effort was started by two Oxford middle schoolers who have already collected enough donations to make more than 25 stockings. (Submitted photo)

OXFORD — Two middle school students in Oxford decided to give back to the community this year with “Stockings from Santa.”

Wendy Moore, a parent of one of the girls, said they’ve been collecting donations of stockings, candy, coloring books, crayons, pens, and other small goodies to stuff the stockings, which will be donated to local families in need this holiday season.

She said family members, friends, Oxford School District teachers, and community members have all contributed to the efforts. So far they’ve collected enough donations to create more than 25 stockings.

Moore said the idea actually started in the spring, when her daughter Bree came up with the idea to put together Easter baskets for kids that otherwise wouldn’t get them.

“Bree always is asking like, ‘are there kids that don’t get Easter baskets? Are there kids that don’t have Christmas?’” said Moore. “’That would suck if a kid didn't get an Easter basket,’ and then it just kind of went on from there.”

They were able to put together more than 20 baskets, including 20 to 30 filled Easter eggs for each kid. Plus, the baskets were hand delivered by the Easter Bunny.

“We filled probably, I don’t know, 20 to 30 eggs for each of the kids too. So they had like a little Easter egg hunt and then they met the Easter Bunny, and it was so cool,” said Moore. “It was fun. All the parents came over and did the baskets with us. It was kind of fun for us, too.”

When Christmas rolled around, she said Bree wanted to start another effort to support local families.

“They said, well let’s do something for Christmas. And they were just talking about it and then Bree is like, ‘well my favorite part of Christmas is the stockings,’” Moore said. “So then this time I was like, what about ‘Goodies from the Grinch’ and have the Grinch there? And they were like, no, the Grinch might be scary. They kind of tossed that around. And then they said well what about ‘Stockings from Santa?’”

From there, Moore took to Facebook to find local families in need, and she said the response was overwhelming.

“Hundreds. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that. It was hundreds of kids,” Moore said. “I’ve got some kind of on a waiting list because people are still bringing us some things. Like even yesterday I got a bag full of stuff that I’ll make more stockings [with]. We’ll make more stockings the more donations that we get, and they’re still donating.”

Those who would like to donate or request a stocking can contact Moore on Facebook, where she goes by Wendy Lynn, or by phone at 607-591-9768. She said donations can be dropped off or picked up, and stockings stuffed with holiday goodies will be delivered by Santa Claus himself.

“I’m proud of them,” said Moore. “They’re good little girls that are becoming leaders. It’s awesome.”