COMBINED LOCKS, Wis. — As Christmas inches closer, having presents under the tree is part of the holiday tradition. The nonprofit Children’s Giving Tree organization is all hands on deck to make sure families across the Fox Valley get to unwrap a holiday surprise.

Set up in a small room with piles of wrapping paper, gift bags and bows, co-founders Bonnie Manske and Vicki Hermans get ready to start wrapping donated gifts.

Alongside other volunteers, and self-described as "Santa’s elves," more than 170 families adopted this year will receive a gift for each person in their family. 

“You hear about all the bad things happening, and believe me there are a lot of bad things happening,” said Bonnie Manske, co-founder of the Children’s Giving Tree. “But you will never believe of the good people that are out there, they belong to the Children Giving Tree.”

The organization started a decade ago simply helping one struggling family out, now it’s grown to adopt children, whole families and seniors. 

More than 120 regional companies help with the gift-giving, and people from across the entire country participate in the year-long effort. 

“We don’t take anytime off,” said Vicki Hermans. “After Christmas, we spend time with our families and then January 1st is when I get all my paperwork out to who I’m going to send papers to, [and] ask for help.”

The 364-day operation ends with bags full of wrapped gifts ready to be picked up by families across the Fox Valley. 

“There’s this little town on the map called Combined Locks and the surrounding Fox Valley,” said Manske. “And these people have never met and they faithfully, every year come in and adopt a child. It’s amazing how Santa works.”

As for Santa, he’ll have a busy schedule this season. 

“The Giving Tree for sure, 100%, is gonna be working Santa pretty hard,” said Manske. “But we have lots of good cookies!”