The 'Gifted Bears' initiative is a heartfelt endeavor designed to bring joy, love, and a sense of magic to special education and Lifeskills programs. Created with the belief that every child deserves to feel valued and cherished, this initiative aims to make the holiday season a little brighter for those in special education.

Santa's Gifted Bears
Bringing Joy, Love, and Magic
to Special Education Classes

The Gifted Bears Initiative

Bringing Magic to the Classroom

The 'Gifted Bears' initiative is a special seasonal program designed to bring personalized, colorful teddy bears to children in special education and Lifeskills programs. Each bear symbolizes a positive attribute—like love, joy, or courage—and is intended to make every child feel included and cherished.

Santa Claus himself visits the classroom, bringing joy and warmth to the students. During his visit, Santa meets and talks with each student individually, presents them with their very own teddy bear and a festive gift bag, and shares a delightful Christmas story, creating lasting memories for everyone involved.

Who We Serve

This initiative is dedicated to serving children in special education classes and Lifeskills programs. These are students who, through their incredible resilience and spirit, inspire us daily. 'Gifted Bears' is specifically tailored to bring a special kind of holiday magic to these classrooms, ensuring every child feels included and celebrated.

The Magic Behind the Bears

Each bear is more than just a toy; it represents a unique and positive attribute that resonates with the spirit of special education children. Santa Claus carefully selects each bear to match the child’s personality and to bring an extra touch of magic to the holiday season.

• Red Bear: Love

• Orange Bear: Joy

• Yellow Bear: Courage

• Green Bear: Kindness

• Blue Bear: Hope

• Purple Bear: Magic

• White Bear: Christmas Spirit

How to Get Involved

Special education teachers and administrators, Santa Claus is ready to visit, share stories, and present each of your students with a special teddy bear and gift bag.

Simply visit our Contact page to get in touch. There, you’ll find all the details you need to bring Santa's magic to your classroom. We look forward to making this holiday season unforgettable for your students!

Why I Do This

The inspiration for the "Gifted Bears" initiative stems from several deeply meaningful experiences in my life that brought me into contact with special education students.

Years ago, while serving as the president of my son's high school baseball team booster club, I had the opportunity to host a special afternoon game for the school's special education class. I wanted to make this day unforgettable for these incredible students. We provided hot dogs, chips, sodas, candy bars, and snow cones, and the joy on their faces as they cheered for the team was truly heartwarming. What made it even more special was seeing how much the baseball players appreciated the cheers from these students; their support brought an extra spark to the game. It was a day that melted my heart and made a lasting impression on me.

Last Christmas season, a friend who teaches a middle school special education class asked me to visit her students as Santa Claus. She mentioned that there were eight students in her class, and I wanted to do something extra special for them. Along with candy canes, I created personalized gift bags filled with reindeer headbands, red noses so they could be Rudolph, light-up Christmas necklaces, and more. The students were absolutely wonderful—hugging Santa, enjoying their gifts, and delighting in the Christmas story I read to them. That visit remains one of my most cherished memories from the past holiday season.

A few months later, while playing the Easter Bunny at a local mall, I noticed several special education classes from the Austin Independent School District passing by. The students were very interested in interacting with the Easter Bunny, but their teacher couldn’t bring them into the photo area due to the cost associated with having pictures taken. Seeing their interest, I decided to step out of the photo area (something I wasn't supposed to do) and greet them personally, offering big bunny hugs and allowing their teachers to snap a quick cell phone picture. The joy and excitement these students showed reminded me once again of how much these small gestures can mean to children with special needs.

These experiences have deeply touched my heart and inspired me to continue spreading joy and magic to special education students. If you believe that a visit from Santa Claus could bring happiness to your students, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I would be honored to serve your class and make this holiday season truly unforgettable for your incredible students.

As I continue to bring joy to special education students this holiday season, I'm also exploring the possibility of expanding these efforts into a nonprofit organization. Depending on the results of the 2024 holiday season, I hope to formally establish an organization that will allow me to reach even more children and make a lasting impact.