Sox in a
box
Nobody wants to spend Christmas in the hospital, and everyone loves opening a present the morning of December 25. With that in mind, in 2009, Robin, a Baylor guest services coordinator, and her daughter came up with a colorful way to brighten Christmas morning for every patient at one Baylor hospital and the Dallas VA Medical Center. The duo launched Sox in a Box. They began collecting socks and putting them in boxes, which, like elves at the North Pole, they hand decorated. Other employees heard about what they were doing and wanted to help. Socks came pouring in by the hundreds, along with decorated boxes. Each one carried a note from Santa to the patient unwrapping the present on Christmas morning. The next year, Robin took her program to hospitals across the Baylor Health Care System. Socks came pouring in by the thousands from all over. Churches and other community organizations joined Baylor staff in the effort. In 2011, Robin spread the tradition to other Metroplex hospitals. Of course, since the beginning, the first Christmas Eve delivery has always been to Dallas’ veteran’s hospital, but Robin and her daughter took it further, dropping off boxes at every hospital in the Dallas area. When asked by staff who the gifts were from, they simply replied “Santa.” When asked who they were, they responded “elves.” Over the years, Robin and her helpers have gifted more than 25,000 Sox in a Box, and countless smiles to patients and their families.
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