Regina Transition House opens Santa’s workshop for families fleeing violence

Women and children staying at Regina Transition House now have access to Santa’s workshop — a safe space where mothers can choose Christmas gifts for their children. 

The initiative is for families fleeing intimate partner violence, offering a more dignified way to pick gifts for the holiday season for those who might be going through a difficult time. 

“It’s just about bringing some normalization to Christmas and some joy for women to be able to come up and shop for their children,” Kim Hickes, operations manager at Regina Transition House, said in an interview. 

The idea began more than a decade ago, when Hickes was working at a shelter in northern Manitoba. She recalled a mother arriving on Christmas Day with several children after fleeing a violent situation, with no gifts and nowhere to shop.

“There was nothing available, and no stores were open,” Hickes said. “That experience really stayed with me.”

The Santa’s workshop initiative allows women to select specific and new gifts for their children, rather than receiving pre-packaged donations. Shelter staff also worked with children to write letters to Santa, helping guide gift selection.

“That choice is important,” Hickes said. “Women are able to pick things their children are actually interested in.”

A Regina-based domestic violence advocate, Crystal Giesbrecht, said the initiative can make a meaningful difference for families escaping violence during the holidays.

“I think it is so important for survivors to have a choice when they’re planning Christmas gifts for their children. When you’ve experienced intimate partner and family violence, you’ve often lost a lot of opportunities to make choices,” she said.

“For some women, their partner has really been making all the big decisions, telling them what they can do, where they can go, what they can spend, if they can buy anything,” she said. 

The program is supported by community donations and funding, including SaskEnergy’s Share the Warmth program. Hickes said donations continue to arrive and the workshop will remain open throughout the holiday season, including after Christmas.

“Crisis doesn’t stop because the holidays are over,” she said. “This ensures families who arrive later still have access to support.”