The Make a Child Smile Organization fights to bring joy, and smiles, to children battling chronic illnesses. MACS utilizes the community as people write letters and donate gifts to these children. Coppell sponsors this annual program by providing holiday gifts benefiting children for those families who need a extra help.

In order to participate, visit the City Manager’s Office to select a paper ornament. These may be picked up starting Tuesday Nov. 1 until Friday Dec. 9. Shoppers may pick up an ornament on the second floor of Town Center on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Once you have seleted a family, MACS asks that people purchase a gift of clothing and/or a toy for the child and return it to the City Manager’s Office, wrapped, with the paper ornament attached. These gifts will be delivered prior to Christmas by city staff.

Coppell parents don’t know what to get your high school student for the holidays? It’s all right; The Sidekick has got you covered. Here are just a few of the hottest gifts this holiday season for the CHS student.

Starting our gift list is the new Kinect for Xbox 360. This gaming system is different from any other because you actually use your body as the controller. It is great for a girl or a boy because it has many different games such as Dance Central and Kinect Sports that can be played solo or by multiple people. If you are planning on getting item, I advise that you have plenty of space to move.

While on gaming consoles many CHS students are also interested in the Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. All of these gaming consoles allow the player to play online with friends and people around the world. Each of these consoles also have some of the biggest game releases of the year such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, Fifa 11 and exclusively for the Wii, Epic Mickey.

“I asked for Call of Duty: Black Ops and Fifa 11 for Christmas because they are really fun games and all my friends play it,” junior Michael Fix said.

Something that is always a popular gift for a teenager is of course the iPod. This device allows you to listen to downloaded music through iTunes. There are a few versions of the iPod including the shuffle, nano, touch and classic. The newest version of the iPod is the iPod touch, which includes a rotating camera and app store.

“I’m probably going to get my son a new iPod because I know all you teenagers love your music and he has wanted a new one for while,” basketball coach Donald Youngstedt. said.

Apple, who produces the iPod, has also released a new version of their extremely popular phone, the iPhone 4. This new phone has a camera built into both sides and includes the new feature, Face Time, which allows people to see and talk to each other through the camera. The iPhone 4 is a great gift for any teenager but is only for the AT&T network.

Digital cameras are a great gift for any teenage girl because they are small enough to fit in a bag and can be used anywhere. Cameras such as the, Cyber-Shot Digital Camera by Sony, is extremely compact, has a screen display, and comes in multiple colors. These cameras are great for the holidays because they can be taken anywhere easily and capture all of the holiday memories.

“I really want a new camera because I love taking pictures with my friends and also the new cameras come in a lot of cool colors,” sophomore Jen Olson said.

Recently, Blue- Ray and DVDs have had a large release of hit movies and are always sure to be a holiday hit. Movies like Shrek 4 and action packed The Expendables have been box office hits and have been released on both DVD and Blue- Ray. While watching these movies a more expensive gift idea could be a new HD TV or a 3D TV to fully enjoy the movie watching experience.

A gift that is appreciated by all is the gift of money. But don’t worry parents you don’t have to give them a couple of twenties in there stockings. Gift cards for their favorite shops are certain to get a smile. Starbucks, ITunes and any clothing shop are bound to have gift cards and that way your teenagers can’t just spend the money at will.

So there you have it CHS parents, here are just a few of the hottest gifts for teens this holiday season.

Everybody knows that the holiday season is all about the joy of giving -buying or making gifts and distributing them to the ones you love. While I admit that giving is the most rewarding part of the the season, December goes deeper than the “giving” aspect.

I am not an avid shopper myself, but for those many who shop frequently and who are professionals at bargain hunting, the holiday shopping season is as awesome as tax-free weekend. Not only is holiday gift shopping more exciting than other shopping experiences (getting to shop for others can be quite a thrill) but the aftermath of the holidays brings great sales and blowouts.

Usually, for the serious shoppers, no money is spent untill after Christmas day; they wait for lowered prices. But this year’s post-holiday shopping extravaganza does not look extravagent at all. December shoppers will not find themselves nearly as lucky as they may have been with November’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday: shoppers this year are spending more than expected on gifts and buying at higher prices, so stores aren’t feeling the pressure to slash back prices (click here for more information).

Hit these stores for bargain presents or innovative gifts:
Old Navy: year-round, Old Navy offers great prices but during the holiday season they have thecutest stocking stuffers from scarves, slippers and PJs to dog toys, thermoses and stockings.

Wal-mart: always has great, low prices along with great gifts this year. Soft, cozy blankets and fun toys and games for game night all for under or around ten dollars.

The App Store: since almost everybody seems to have an iPhone (I’m sure atleast a couple of your friends own an iPhone or iTouch),  gift them with cool and fun apps like the i808 Drum Machine iPhone App for only $1.99.

The Sharper Image- offers unique gifts for parents or siblings. Tends to be on the expensive side, but has many gifts under $50, like the Putt’N Hazard Putting Mat that returns your golf ball right back to you; many of their products can be found at Brookstone.

Visit this online holiday gift guide for some great ideas.

Earlier this week, the kindergarten and first grade students from Cottonwood Creek came to write letters to Santa. I was privileged enough to help entertain the kids before the activity began which ended up being a somewhat eye opening experience.

As I went to different groups of children asking what they were going to ask Santa for, the response was somewhat shocking. I expected to hear that they wanted American Girl Dolls and Transformer Action Figures to greet them on Christmas morning. Instead, the majority of kids wanted iPhones, iPods and cameras.

Their wishlists were oddly similar to mine. How could a kindergartener have the needs as me? I asked one little girl who she could possibly want to call on her iPhone. She replied that she would call her two best friends, one of which already had the phone, and her mom. I actually found a website dedicated to iPhones and kids. I was baffled.

I was the same age as these children a mere ten years ago. When the holidays rolled around, I never thought about technology. Instead, I begged my mother to get me a set of Spice Girl Barbies and a Ribbon Dancer.

It blows my mind how we could not only let ourselves, but our children, get so spoiled. I am aware that we are in the era of technology, where even a seven year old can work a phone, but that by no means actually grants them the right to have one.

There were, of course, a few exceptions, scattered as they may have been, who wanted a LEGO pack and books like The Polar Express. It was these kids who managed to keep the glimmer of hope I had for the youth of Coppell, and the world for that matter, alive.

The City of Coppell is again hosting the Make a Child Smile program that offers some extra help to Coppell families during the holidays.

For its twentieth year, Make a Child Smile allows members of the community to help their neighbors by donating gifts for Coppell children. Participants choose an ornament from the tree at Town Hall which will name a few gifts of the child’s wish list. Those interested in participating should visit the City Secretary’s Department, at Town Center 225 Parkway Blvd., and pick a paper ornament off the holiday tree. Participants who have previously picked up an ornament should return their wrapped gift of clothing and/or a toy for the child today, Friday, Dec. 11.

Over 400 children are in need this holiday season, and still 100 ornaments remain. Although the official deadline for the project is today, citizens are encouraged to pick up an ornament today and will be given an extended deadline for the return of gifts to next Friday, Dec. 18.

Gifts need to be returned to the City Secretary’s Department wrapped and with the ornament securely attached by either this Friday, Dec. 11, or –for those picking up an ornament today- Dec. 18.

For more information, click here or call Allana Lamberth at 972-304-3669.