Each Christmas since the mid 1970s, the children at Connie Maxwell Children’s Home have shopped for gifts for their families from what has come to be known as the Christmas Store. A joint ministry of Connie Maxwell and Connie Maxwell Baptist Church, the store is an area arranged with gifts that range from toys to flashlights.

Churches and individuals donate the gifts. Money is also given to ensure that each child will be able to buy gifts. The gifts, by the way, are discounted dramatically. Connie Maxwell president Ben Davis said that a child could buy a watch for as little as 25 cents.

After all the children have shopped, the gifts are wrapped, courtesy of the store. The staff then gets to shop, but the prices go up. All the money received from the store is then donated to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Last year the store generated $2,100 for the missions offering.

According to Miller Murphy, director of communications at Connie Maxwell, many of the volunteers who work at the store say it is the most rewarding thing they do all year.

This Dec. 5-7 will also mark the 14th annual presentation of “A Connie Maxwell Christmas,” which includes a drive around a decorated route, wagon rides, hot chocolate, a live nativity scene, and a Christmas performance at the church. “A Connie Maxwell Christmas” runs from 6:00 to 8:30 each night.