The Christmas season can feel not-so-merry-and-bright when you are a parent unable to provide Christmas gifts for your children, or a child who wakes up on Dec. 25 to find nothing under the tree.

Christmas isn’t about the material things — it is, instead, a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who would later give His life for the sins of the world.

But the tradition of gift-giving celebrates the gift of Christ and helps exemplify that free gift — given with nothing asked in return — to others, especially children.

In the spirit of believing that no child should be without a toy under the tree on Christmas Day, employees at the Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation recently donated 25 bicycles and other gifts to the Suffolk Toys for Tots program. Each of the bicycles came with a helmet and lock, and there was also a check for $1,500.

“It’s an act of extraordinary dedication and extraordinary generosity,” said Center for Innovation Vice President Jim McArthur.

By the time Christmas arrives, Suffolk Toys for Tots coordinator John Woleben will have distributed more than 10,000 toys to families across Suffolk who are in need. Many of the gifts come from collections like the one held at Lockheed Martin.

But Woleben also has to buy a lot of toys to fill in the gap. That is where your donations to the Suffolk News-Herald Cheer Fund help out.

The Cheer Fund raises money to buy toys for Suffolk Toys for Tots. Donations come from Suffolk individuals, groups, businesses, churches and charities who believe in the mission of Toys for Tots.

A donation to the Cheer Fund is used to purchase toys wholesale and therefore can buy more toys than a customer buying at a store.

To support the Cheer Fund, donate to the Suffolk News-Herald Cheer Fund by mailing a check to P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 or bringing it by the office between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.