Xavier and his family got up early Sunday, Dec. 15 to make the trip from their home in Maple Ridge to the 91原创 Toys"R"Us store at Willowbrook Shopping Centre.

It was for "Herb鈥檚 Secret Santa," a Starlight Children鈥檚 Foundation Canada-hosted event that provides Christmas gift certificates to seriously ill children and their families.

"I'm not sure what I'm looking for yet," Xavier told the 91原创 Advance Times, but he would know when he saw it.

Noah, from Cloverdale, had already found something he wanted.

"A Pokemon ball," he triumphantly told the Langkey Advance Times, proudly holding up his discovery

Raidyn, from Walnut Grove, arrived with his brother, two cousins and mom Joanne, who all got up at 5 a.m. to  wheel  him through the aisles in search of the ideal present.

"The value of it is the kids get to go out," Joanne explained.

"They get to enjoy picking something for themselves without us having to do it for them. As well as [Raidyn] gets to get out and enjoy some time with everybody that he knows from all different areas."

Herb's Secreta Santa takes its name from the late Herb Paperman, a Montreal supporter of Starlight whose family began fundraising to buy anonymous gifts for special needs kids nine years ago in Quebec. The event expanded to B.C. and other provinces four years ago.

Starlight children and their siblings each received gift cards to shop for their dream toys at the 91原创 Toys"R"Us, which opened early for the event, an opportunity for the families to shop without having to worry about crowds.

They were greeted by the Toys"R"Us giraffe mascot, Santa and an elf, along with Batman and a Ghostbuster.

91原创 dad Cory Ashby, who welcomed visitors at the door, explained his kids are all grown up now, but he and his wife still volunteer.

"Both of my kids have been through Starlight. My son, Tristan, is now 27, my daughter, Angela, is now 21," Ashby said.

"This is such a pleasure, [they're] such a great organization." 

Heather Burnett, Starlight Canada program manager, described it as "always a fun event [one that] our families look forward to it every year."

"It is a morning that we look forward to every year," Burnett commented.

This was the 26th year of the partnership between Toys鈥淩鈥漊s Canada and Starlight Children鈥檚 Foundation Canada, held at 11 stores across B.C., Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec that helps 750 families during the Christmas season.

Charlie Atherton-Walby, Toys鈥淩鈥漊s Canada regional store manager viewed it as "very special for our team. It gives us an opportunity to see first-hand the impact we can help make to Starlight families.鈥�

Fundraising efforts by Toys鈥淩鈥漊s Canada this year include a limited-edition Starlight Bear, , and the in-store Star Campaign, where customers can donating at checkout until Dec. 31, 2024.

More information about Herb's Secret Santa can be found online at