What began as a small request at a Hilton Head Island Christmas party has become a holiday tradition that reaches thousands of people – and has put more than $200,000 worth of toys into the hands of local children.
Ten years ago, Matt Bauman was looking for a way to make his annual Christmas party a little different. Guests traditionally brought a dish to share, but year after year, Bauman watched the food that went untouched pile up. Rather than continue the tradition, he decided to cater the party and ask his guests to bring something else instead: a toy for a child.
The response that first year was modest but meaningful. Guests brought 75 toys.
What happened next was less about the size of that first collection and more about what Bauman decided to do with it. He wanted the toys to benefit children in the community where he lived.
That search led him to Deep Well and its Santa Shop, a program that helps local families provide Christmas gifts for their children. A decade later, that one-party idea has grown into Hilton Head’s Largest Toy Drive.
The numbers tell part of the story. In 2025 alone, the drive collected just over $50,000 in toys for the Deep Well Santa Shop, making it the organization’s largest contributor to the program. Over nine years, the total value of donated toys has surpassed $200,000.
Matt Bauman and Chris Floyd with a loaded box truck full of gifts.
But the most remarkable part of the Toy Drive may be how many people have decided to make it their own.
Volunteers have decorated and delivered donation boxes to more than 60 island businesses. Public schools have served as collection points. Families, teachers, business owners, children, and neighbors have all participated.
And the giving is no longer limited to Hilton Head.
Tracie Martucci and Mike Mims donate toys.
Online wish lists have allowed people from Oregon, Tennessee, Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia to contribute to the effort. What started as a gathering of friends at a Christmas party has evolved into a community-wide – and increasingly regional – effort.
For Bauman, however, the mission remains remarkably simple: “Every kid deserves to wake up on Christmas morning and have something under the tree.”
That philosophy is at the heart of the Toy Drive. A family’s income, neighborhood, or circumstances shouldn’t determine whether a child gets to experience the excitement of Christmas morning. The goal is to make sure local children have a gift waiting for them when they wake up.
Now, the Toy Drive is preparing to celebrate its 10th year. The official kickoff for Hilton Head’s Largest Toy Drive will take place Saturday, November 7, from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Ice Cream Cone in Coligny. Community members are invited to stop by for ice cream and bring a new, unwrapped toy for a child from newborn through age 12.
Every donation will go to the Deep Well Santa Shop, with toys scheduled to be delivered during the first week of December.
Ten years ago, it was 75 toys and an idea.
Today, it is a tradition – powered by neighbors, businesses, families, and strangers who believe that every child deserves a little Christmas magic.