Spending money around the holidays is a given.

Let’s face it; gifts don’t grow on trees.

But opening up the wallet to get the good sensation of giving doesn’t need to end with the over priced gift. There are local stores that put the cash to good use. Auxiliary stores, like Gift Carte in Burlingame and Family Tree in San Carlos, are run by volunteers and donate all proceeds to local organizations. It’s a win, win situation. There are gifts under the tree, and extra cash for the community.

The Gift Carte on Broadway opened four years ago. The efforts to donate, however, began 60 years ago. The shop was a tea room in San Mateo when it first opened. A few years later, the Garden Cafe took its place on Burlingame Avenue. Now the volunteers congregate in a quaint shop near the west end of Broadway featuring lots of holiday items and gifts.

More than $2 million has been donated to the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University through the efforts of the three shops, said volunteer Billie LeBlanc.

The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, was originally the Stanford Home for Convalescent Children established in 1919. The center changed its name to Children’s Hospital at Stanford in 1970. A $40 million donation by David and Lucile Packard helped create a new hospital in the 1980s, with a new name.

The hospital treats thousands of children each year, with a goal to not turn ill children away.

Anyone visiting the Gift Carte can expect to find hand-made goods from knitted baby wear to original holiday decorations. The store sells new and used items. The used items tend to be donated antique furniture and jewelry. And there’s always a smiling volunteer working inside. It’s that attitude that keeps LeBlanc volunteering.

Just a few miles south, the Family Tree in San Carlos is a shop that raises funds for the Family Service Agency. The agency is a private nonprofit that serves families and individuals living in San Mateo County with programs and services toward building positive and productive lives. It offers housing, counseling, education and more working with children, seniors, domestic violence victims and low-income families.

The Family Tree has been volunteer for more than 25 years, donating all the proceeds to the local organization. It sells new and almost new items.

“We’re loaded with Christmas stuff, dresses, books, a lot of kitchenware; Everything except electronic stuff and large pieces. We just don’t have the space for it,” said volunteer Gilberte Belisle.

Anything the store doesn’t sell ends up donated to anyone in the area who needs help. The small gifts and holiday items are constantly being restocked, so anything that’s catching your eye may not be there tomorrow.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com. 

Where to go

Gift Carte

1433 Broadway, Burlingame

343-8461

Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Family Tree

1589 Laurel St., San Carlos

592-6150

Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.