It took about a minute, but finally a child of about six years old emerged from the crowd sitting on the south bleachers and brought her ticket to the table. She was then ushered toward a row of bicycles where she picked out a glossy new 16-inch with pink trim and rolled it toward the gym entrance.  

She also got her choice from three rows of games, toys and clothing items.

This process would be repeated a few dozen times until all the gifts that fundraisers and donors had helped gather for this day were gone.  

Parents and children began arriving to the gym at about 11:00 a.m., where they were served nachos, hot dogs, pizza and a beverage in the lobby of the gym. They could also pick out a free winter hat in designs incorporating striking multi-colors. 

In the gym itself, many folk ate their meals while sitting on the south side bleachers as a variety of Christmas-themed R&B tunes played  on large speakers. After an hour or so, Curry and several of his assistants, including his fellow Prescott City Council member Patricia Roberts, began the day's giveaway. After leading a prayer, Curry spoke of those who had helped him make such a day possible.

"We want to thank the community. We got together, and we work together to make all this happen for you. And I have to, I have to give brother Frank Henson a shout out. He really supports what we do, and he supported it in a very big way. He was supposed to be here, but he had a funeral. He's really done a wonderful job working with us, not just for this event, but for every event," Curry said. Henson is the pastor of Prescott's First Baptist Church.

"Here's the deal. We're going to start out this year with two gifts. So when the child has a ticket called, you have a number, you get two gifts, not two bicycles, okay, a smaller gift. But we're glad to be able to do this. We thank God for the blessing. Now we'll start," Curry said. And that's when he began reading numbers.

About fifty bicycles, tricycles and Halo scooters would be given away and several dozen toys. To watch reminded you of many of the best past Christmases and renewed hope for many such Christmases to come.