She is the good Samaritan behind Kmart Maitland’s annual Wishing Tree appeal, and she is gearing up for another season of gift giving.

This year’s appeal to help the less fortunate feel loved on Christmas has begun, and Ms Ralston is doing everything she can to promote the cause throughout the city.

She has been putting up her hand to run the appeal since 1991, but she’ll tell you this is not about her, it’s about people doing it tough who deserve to smile on Christmas Day.

This year the presents will be given to Mission Australia and the Salvation Army, who will distribute them to their clients.

Each client’s circumstances have been checked to ensure they need and qualify for the support. 

Ms Ralston said donating a gift would let someone in need know that somebody was thinking of them and wanted their Christmas to be special. 

“Imagine how the parents feel leading up to Christmas – should they put food on the table or buy a Christmas present for their child,” she said.

“This way the children will have something to open on Christmas Day.”

Shoppers can buy a gift for a male or female and place it under the tree near the store entry.

If they choose to wrap the gift, they should place a tag on the present and write the appropriate age group.

They can buy for babies, children, or adults.

“People buy books or toys, a lot buy gift packs of toiletries or handkerchiefs for older people," she said.

"There's no age limit and people can write on the tag who it is most suitable for.

“Some people like to write on the tag who the present is from and others like to leave it blank.”

Ms Ralston said Maitland was always generous when it came to the annual appeal.

She has been working at the store as a check out operator for 30 years and has enjoyed watching the community grow.

“I love Maitland, I won’t go anywhere else,” she said. 

“You keep seeing a lot of the same people throughout the years.

“It’s getting harder each year for people with children, I know what a struggle it is for people to put presents under the tree for their children and put food on the table.”

Almost 1200 presents were donated last year, although that number is a lot less than previous years. 

All of the presents, except those left on Christmas Eve, will go to families in need in Dubbo.

The rest will be given to the local Salvation Army branch and distributed before Christmas Day.

The appeal is launched each year with a sing-a-long courtesy of Nillo Infants School students.