The Golden Rule says that people should treat others as they want to be treated. The founders of the Christmas Village Toy Store thought about this principle, and about the feelings of parents who must rely on charity.

The Christmas Village Toy Store merges benevolence with a free market system that preserves dignity. A free market enterprise allows buyers and sellers to conduct a value exchange. In our culture we traditionally view benevolence as a one-way value exchange: benefactors give and the poor receive. Ironically, this runs counter to the Christian idea that "it is better to give than to receive."

At the Christmas Village Toy Store, benefactors contribute toys according to the law of supply and demand. Only toys that shoppers want are placed on the wish list, and store employees are empowered to set prices according to demand. The most sought after items have higher prices. Additionally, the Toy Store provides both the buyer and the seller with an opportunity to give and receive value. Benefactors from the community who donate toys and volunteer their time, and shoppers who purchase toys both contribute to store profits that are reinvested into the local community. Therefore, even the recipients of the charity are "paying it forward" into their own community.

The store itself is not for "Bargain Hunters." While the general public is welcome, priority to shop is given to shoppers who have been given special tickets from partnering schools, urban ministries, and local churches. This is our way of supporting the work of our urban partners, and ensuring that shoppers have the support services they need throughout the year.

Unity – God's Prayer for His Church

Jesus prayed for the church to be one. The Christmas Village Toy Store is a collaborative effort designed to empower partnerships between churches, businesses, and urban ministries that have a common desire to see people experience the unconditional love of God.

In the end, we realize that the purpose of Christmas is not to buy things, but to celebrate God's gift of his Son, Jesus Christ. It is in the spirit of love, and out of a shared bond to share the love of Christ with our city that the Christmas Village Toy Store exists. The store itself will promote joy and dignity at Christmas, realizing that true joy can only be experienced through Jesus Christ, and that humankind's dignity is ultimately realized when we discover our identity as God's dearly loved children.