The community of the Bay of Plenty should be proud of their generosity, says Kmart Bethlehem store manager Forrest Worthen.

Bayfair collected 1568 gifts and Kmart Bethlehem 1328, for the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal at Christmas.

Together the two stores collected seven per cent of the national gift total that was able to be passed on to New Zealand families in need this Christmas time.

'Your contributions have meant that struggling families can also experience that giving feeling in what can be a stressful financial time for those living paycheck to paycheck,” says Forrest.

'We have also loved seeing the amazing support from the community, young and old, on social media and can't thank everyone enough for sharing their posts and encourage others to also give.

'On behalf of the entire Kmart team and our friends at The Salvation Army, I would like to thank each and every person and business who donated to the Appeal and particularly the incredibly generous people of the Bay of Plenty and experiencing the gift of giving this festive season.”

Thanks to the fantastic contributions of Kiwis, the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal is proud to have completed its 23rd year in New Zealand, says Forrest.

With more than 42,386 gifts collected nationally, Kmart and its charity partner The Salvation Army are humbled by the amazing generosity of New Zealanders who placed gifts under the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal this Christmas.