“The Christmas Lady” still delivers Christmas Joy to those in need
Nearly three decades ago, a St. Francois County woman named Dorothy Lee Johnston retired from her nursing career and immediately set her sights on something bigger than herself.
Johnston’s journey began in 1996 when she was inspired by a simple yet profound idea: Christmas should be a time of joy and connection for everyone, not just those surrounded by family or financial stability. What began as small acts of kindness—buying necessities for a few people she personally knew in nursing facilities who needed some special attention through material items and love—soon grew into a full-scale mission of near-legendary proportions, and she became known as “The Christmas Lady.”
She gathers donations and shops throughout the year to bring holiday cheer to individuals with developmental disabilities, veterans, the homeless, nursing home residents, and residents of residential care facilities. Her mission has always been sharply focused on residents in nursing homes and boarding homes who lack family support. As she makes her annual rounds to personally meet “her people” and identify their needs, she lovingly ensures that each individual receives personal items along with the gift items.
Turning 93 this year, and the past year has been one filled with heartache due to personal loss and other challenges. Johnston said she has lost five loved ones–including two daughters. For a while, she contemplated the idea of this being “The Christmas Lady’s last delivery,” but shifted gears and decided to keep going.
What started as a modest effort to provide gifts to a few people in need has since blossomed into a county-wide initiative touching thousands of lives over the years. For those without families, her efforts are often a lifeline.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she says. “For some of them, the gifts and the visit are the only acknowledgment they receive at Christmas.”
She recounts stories of individuals who have broken down in tears upon receiving a gift, overwhelmed by the kindness of a stranger. “It’s a reminder that they’re not alone in the world,” she says. “I can’t bear the thought of someone sitting alone on Christmas Day without a gift.”
Meeting Every Need, Down to the Details
The impact of Johnston’s work is immeasurable.
“She’s an angel on earth,” says a worker at a facility that is one of Johnston’s stops. “Her kindness and dedication remind us what the Christmas spirit is truly about.”
The project provides far more than token gifts. Each year, after carefully interviewing residents to ensure clothing sizes are correct and noting personal preferences such as favorite colors or styles, hours are spent shopping for specific items. Men often receive zip-front hoodies paired with matching pants and shirts in their preferred colors. Women are given pajama sets with robes, along with fuzzy socks, jewelry, and headbands. Everyone receives socks in their preferred style—black or white for men, fuzzy for women.
But the gifts don’t stop there. Every bag is completed with personal care essentials such as body wash, vitamin E lotion, deodorant, and shampoo, along with a final touch that has become tradition: a box of chocolate-covered cherries. For some wheelchair users, large plush toys are often included—not only as comfort items but also as necessary supports for positioning. also receive warm sock caps.
Deliveries Made with Love
The logistics of the project are daunting, but local partnerships help make it possible. Belgrade Bank has always played a crucial role, providing a large van for deliveries, driven by Andrea McCarty.
Gifts are packed in oversized festive bags, often purchased in bulk by the fifties. To complete the gesture, each resident receives a signed Christmas card bearing the words: “You are loved by the Christmas Lady, Dorothy.”
This year, for the first time, shopping began in late summer. According to her calendar, it was early in the shopping season, but she chose to avoid the dangers of icy roads and winter weather. As of now, sixteen residents have already been checked off her list of about 50 people, gifts purchased and ready to be put into large, Christmas bags for delivery.
More Than Presents: Shared Meals and Smiles
The Christmas Lady Project is not limited to clothing and personal care. At two facilities, residents look forward to a special meal every year that has become part of the Christmas lady legacy: fried chicken with potato salad, lettuce salad, cupcakes, and drinks.
One of these locations has always been the Watts Street Manor residential care facility in Park Hills. The other recent development is the Shared Blessings Transitional Housing Ministry in Bonne Terre, where residents—including children—have been served fried chicken dinners for the past three years.
Awards, Recognition, and a Scrapbook of Memories
The Christmas Lady’s faithful compassion and dedication over the years have not gone unnoticed. Several years ago, the Kemper Foundation, through Commerce Bank, recognized the Christmas Lady’s extraordinary efforts with a banquet attended by more than 100 guests. She received a $7,500 donation, which she was directed to gift to the charity of her choice. She selected the group home, owned and operated by the St. Francois County Board for the Developmentally Disabled, a state-operated facility for individuals with developmental disabilities.
The donated funds were used to transform previously unusable land into a Memorial Walk, complete with concrete paths, arches, benches, and landscaped areas. Local scouts joined in clearing the grounds, while residents of the facility contributed to the work. A stone marker was placed on the site, inscribed with scripture, honoring both the project and the community it serves.
The Christmas Lady’s decades of dedication have not gone unnoticed. Her home overflows with tokens of appreciation—certificates, plaques, and letters that serve as a scrapbook of service–expressions of gratitude that have poured in from near and far. Among the many honors is a 2011 Commerce Bank award recognizing her community impact, as well as coverage in USA Today, which highlighted her philosophy: “Nobody would be left without.” For her, this mantra is more than words; it has guided years of generosity, including helping families who had lost everything to fires during the holidays by providing sets of dishes and other necessities.
Her scrapbook also holds a resolution from the Missouri State House of Representatives, along with a Chamber of Commerce Hometown Hero Award. Most recently, in 2023, she received recognition from the St. Francois County Rotary Club, adding yet another accolade to her long line of community acknowledgments.
One particularly memorable contribution in her collection came from a kindergarten class in Bonne Terre, whose young students crafted small gifts for the residents of a local nursing home. Their handmade items, while modest in size, carried enormous meaning—proof that kindness can be taught and passed down even to the youngest community members.
Despite the recognition and accolades she has received over the years—including a memorable Commerce Bank banquet at a lodge on Berry Road, where more than 100 guests gathered—she remains humble, insisting the project has never been about her. “It’s about my people,” she says. “It’s not about me. It’s about making sure everyone feels loved and valued, especially during Christmas.”
Organizing for Giving: A Home Turned Distribution Center
In what was once her late husband’s gun room, the space is now the designated storage and distribution center for the Christmas Lady Project.
There are carefully collected stacks of plush toys, coloring books, and nail polish—special touches that go into tailoring each gift. Women often request coloring books, while children and some men enjoy colored pencils or crayons. For two women in one facility, she even purchased nail polish to match their coconut body wash. This year’s list includes more than 50 individuals, though in the past, the project has reached nearly 500 residents in a single season. Each facility requires a separate round of preparation, with bags individually packed, restocked, and reviewed before delivery day.
The Christmas Lady insists that no detail be overlooked—every item must be new, tagged, and of a quality she herself would use. Nothing is done halfway. Meticulous attention to detail defines every step of the Christmas Lady’s process. Every bag is filled to reflect the recipient’s preferences. One man receives a complete set—zippered hoodie, shirt, and pants—all matched by name and size. Another gift for a woman includes a robe, pajama set, necklace, and a package of hair barrettes, as she had specifically requested them.
Though she prefers festive Christmas bags, she admits it is too early in the season to find them. For now, she uses sturdy, colorful birthday-party style replacements to hold the carefully packed gifts.
The packing process is meticulous. First, the large bags are laid out in rows. Personal care items, such as body wash, deodorant, and coloring books for those who enjoy them, go into the bottom. Next come the clothing items: hoodies, pajama sets, robes, and fuzzy socks, carefully selected for each person’s needs and preferences.
Organization is key. She spreads gifts across tables, stacking completed bags in neat rows. Each is labeled with the recipient’s name, size, and facility. For nursing homes and developmental disability centers, she uses clear tags to ensure nothing is misplaced. A detailed notebook records every item —from clothing sizes to the exact color of each garment purchased. This log ensures no duplication and helps with next year’s planning.
Support, Contributions, and the Future
Over the years, people have supported her with both financial contributions and in-kind gifts. Some businesses have donated cases of socks, while others provide steady supplies of personal items and seasonal clothing. “I’d like to thank everybody who has ever donated financially or articles,” she says.
The Horton-Wampler Funeral Home in Park Hills holds a special place in Johnston’s heart as the first donor she ever had.
“The Caldwell girls–Susie and Patty–were the first to start donating to me because their dad was in Desloge Health Care. I went down there and supplied him with his cologne, deodorant, and personal needs, as well as everything else. They saw what I’d done, and they began to donate regularly every single year.”
As Johnston prepares for her 29th Christmas season of giving, she reflects on the journey that brought her here, emphasizing that the true meaning of Christmas lies in giving. Her unwavering commitment to that ideal serves as an inspiration to all who know her.
“The Lord has blessed me with a long life and the ability to help others,” she says. “That’s all the reward I need.”
Johnston said if anyone would like to learn more, they are welcome to call her at 573-358-3226.
Lisa Brotherton-Barnes is a Daily Journal and Farmington Press staff writer. She can be reached at lbarnes@dailyjournalonline.com.
