BUZZ LIGHTYEAR is hanging precariously out of a paper bag, one plastic arm swinging close to the tiled floor of the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. His owner leaves him carefully alongside a line of other bulging parcels, all spilling over with goodies such as chocolates, slippers, wine, soap, and a quaintly old-fashioned nurse's set. All have one thing in common.All are unwanted presents, looking for a good home.
Today is the last day of the cathedral's unwanted gifts appeal, and the response has been phenomenal.
"This is our third year, and already we've actually had to take away five vanloads of presents to another location, " says Fr Pat O'Donoghue as he leads the way downstairs to the basement kitchen in the cathedral. "The presents were actually reaching the roof yesterday, until we took some away."
He steps aside to reveal a colourful mountain of toys, clothes, and food, some carefully gift-wrapped, others encased in massive black bin bags. To one side stands a large wicker basket, full of organic chocolate, wine, jam, tea and coffee.
"There's one really good present that came in yesterday, " he says, rooting under a pile of Cadbury's selection boxes and plaid woollen shirts. A deep rumbling noise comes from the middle of the toy heap. "Mmmm, me so hungry, " says a voice that, to the trained ear, sounds suspiciously like the Cookie Monster. O'Donoghue leaps back from the presents and stares into the pile. "That happens all the time, every time you touch anything, " he says ruefully.
Upstairs, the steady procession of people bringing unwanted gifts continues.
One woman from Rathfarnham arrives with a bottle of skin cream and a hot-water bottle cover cleverly disguised as a teddy bear.
"The cream is no good, because I have sensitive skin, " says the lady, who introduces herself as Phil. "And my niece gave me the hot water bottle cover because I like hot-water bottles but it's . . ." she holds up the flat teddy bear and stares at it helplessly . . . "it's, you know, a teddy bear shape."
Behind her, Gerry and Peggy Fallon from Greystones walk by, carrying a large box of presents. The Fallons have travelled into Dublin on this Saturday morning to bring 13 bags of gifts that were not wanted by Greystones residents.
"It was another lady who organised it all, Angela Quinn, " says Peggy. "We're just the couriers. It's mostly new baby clothes and children's clothes and food, all of it completely new. A lot of people have way too many presents that they don't want.
We're hoping that next year we'll have a lot more, actually."
As the Fallons walk away, O'Donoghue reappears holding a white envelope with the words 'For the Poor' written on it. "Some people don't have presents so they're giving money instead, which is very unexpected, " he said. "And yesterday we got a package that was posted up from Kerry, so people from all over the country are trying to help."
As if to emphasise his point, John and Catriona Skelton from Cavan arrive at that moment, carrying a bag of luxury soaps from 'Lush', which they bought specially for the appeal.
"We didn't have any presents, but we'll be collecting them now throughout this year for next year, " says John.
"We came up from Cavan today after seeing the ad for this on the TV. We thought it would be good to give something. It would be nice to have this in every town in Ireland, I think."
This sentiment is echoed by Kate O'Connor from Ashbourne, Co Meath, who arrives with an unwanted book and rain-jacket.
"I think it's a really great idea. It should be on a larger scale, " she says. "Everyone gets presents they don't want every year." She glances down at the rain-jacket. "Or at least, I certainly do."
The appeal for unwanted presents officially ends today, and will be run again next Christmas. An inventory will be made of all the donated gifts, and they will be divided equally among all Crosscare branches in Dublin, for distribution to the homeless and people living in sheltered accommodation.For more information phone 018745441. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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