OPERATION
HOLIDAY®HOPE CHANGES EVERYTHING

Every Child. Every Family. A Brighter Tomorrow.

A smiling child in a Santa hat hugging a teddy bear beside wrapped Christmas gifts

SpreadingHopeOne family at a time

Operation Holiday® brings people, resources, and opportunities together to uplift families, empower communities, and make the season brighter for those who need it most.

Get involved Make a difference
★ NEW JERSEY 2026 ★

2,000 New Jersey Households This Christmas

500*Families
500Seniors
500Veterans and Service Members
500College Students

* 150 families were accepted at our October 1, 2026 launch. The remaining 350 spots are being offered to families on our waitlist through a private invitation link.

★ FROM OUR NEW JERSEY HEADQUARTERS ★

Proudly Welcoming Texas to the Operation Holiday® Family

What began in New Jersey in 2016 with 10 families now reaches across state lines. Operation Holiday® Texas brings the same Christmas assistance programs, Adopt-A-Family, Adopt-A-Senior, Adopt-A-Veteran and Adopt-A-College Student, to households across the Lone Star State, with sponsors, partners and volunteers making Christmas possible at home.

Visit Operation Holiday® Texas
Live · New Jersey 2026

Watch Christmas Come Home

Every ornament is a New Jersey household. When a sponsor adopts a family, their ornament moves from the left map to the right. Help us fill the right map!

Waiting for a Sponsor

 
To Be Adopted

Adopted for Christmas

 
Adopted

 

Adopt a Family

 

Ornaments show the family's town only, never their home. The maps refresh every minute.

Our Programs

Three ways to experience the heart of Operation Holiday®

Operation Holiday
at Home®

Adopt-a-family and help bring Christmas home to children and families.

Learn more

Every Day Is
Christmas®

Our annual statewide event providing toys, resources, services and joy for the whole family.

Event details

Mrs. Claus

Surprising shoppers at checkout registers by paying for their purchases and turning ordinary moments into Christmas joy.

Explore
  • 100K+Gifts Delivered
  • ThousandsFamilies Supported
  • 10 YearsOf Impact
  • StrongerCommunities
A child in a red knit hat and scarf looking up hopefully. It's more than a season. It's a movement.

Upcoming Event

Every Day Is Christmas®

A day of joy, resources and community for the whole family.

  • Family
    Activities
  • Community
    Resources
  • Toys & Gifts
  • Health &
    Wellness Services
Learn more about the event

“Christmas is not just a day, it’s a mindset. It’s what we do for others, how we love, and the hope we give.”

— Penelope “Penny” LopezFounder, President & CEO
Penelope “Penny” Lopez, Founder, President and CEO of Operation Holiday®, smiling in a black blazer

Christmas assistance in every New Jersey county

Operation Holiday® is statewide. We offer Christmas assistance and holiday assistance for New Jersey families, including Christmas toy assistance and Adopt-a-Family sponsorships. You can sponsor a family for Christmas, find Christmas volunteer opportunities, make holiday donations, or join one of our Christmas events, wherever you live in the Garden State.

  • Atlantic
  • Bergen
  • Burlington
  • Camden
  • Cape May
  • Cumberland
  • Essex
  • Gloucester
  • Hudson
  • Hunterdon
  • Mercer
  • Middlesex
  • Monmouth
  • Morris
  • Ocean
  • Passaic
  • Salem
  • Somerset
  • Sussex
  • Union
  • Warren
Together

We make Christmas possible.