Cottage Grove, Minnesota · a community Christmas project

A little garage shoppe filled with stockings, stories, and Christmas magic.

Each year, the Cozy Cottage Stocking Shoppe turns a family garage into a free Christmas shopping experience where parents and caregivers can choose gifts their children will truly love.

Schedule a Visit Read Our Story

Nearly 3,000

stockings helped last year

70+

giant totes of finds, sorted by hand

Built with

bargain hunting, generosity, and community care

Instead of packing identical bags, we set up shelves, bins, and tables so caregivers can shop for the kids they actually know. A preschooler, a teenager, and a child who needs something soft to squeeze might all light up over completely different things — and here, that choice is the whole point.

Our story

Every stocking here was picked by someone who cared.

It started in a garage in Cottage Grove with a few clearance-rack finds and a hunch: Christmas should feel personal, even in a hard year. What began as stretching a grocery budget into a handful of gifts has grown into shelves of books, bins of fidgets, totes of craft kits, and racks of stocking stuffers — all set out so families can shop for the kids they know best.

We are not a store, and we try not to feel like a typical charity drop-off either. There is no bill, no proof-of-need paperwork, no waiting for a stranger-packed bag. You walk in, look around, and pick out the things that will make your kid — the one who only likes trucks, the one who needs something quiet to hold, the teenager who is hard to shop for — light up on Christmas morning.

Some families are in and out in ten minutes. Others stay a while, tell us about their year, and leave with a hug. Both are exactly what this is for.

Photo idea

A picture of the garage shoppe set up, the totes before sorting, or a cozy Christmas detail from opening day.

How it works

Shopping, not sorting through a bag someone else packed.

We open the garage doors

For a handful of scheduled days each November and December, the shoppe fills up with toys, books, and stocking finds.

You reserve a time

A quick sign-up keeps things calm and unhurried, so every family gets real time to look around.

You browse & choose

Everything is sorted by age and interest, so you pick what will actually fit the kids you're shopping for.

You leave, no cost, no questions

Bring a bag or box if you have one. We'll help you carry things out — that's the whole transaction.

See visit times Curious how to help instead? →

From the Cottage

Stories and updates from the garage shoppe

This is where we'll share notes from the season — cool finds, wish lists, sorting days, and little moments from the shoppe. The first post is on its way.

No posts yet — check back soon

We're just getting started. The first story from the cottage will land right here.

Ways to help

You don't have to do something huge to make Christmas brighter.

The Shoppe runs entirely on donated items, donated time, and word of mouth. Here's what helps most.

Donate new items

New toys, books, craft kits, fidgets, teen gifts, and stocking stuffers are always welcome and always needed.

Volunteer your time

Sorting bins, organizing shelves, and setting up before opening day is where most of the real work happens.

Share the word

Tell neighbors, schools, churches, and community groups — the families who need this most often hear about it from a friend.

Watch for wish list updates

Follow along on From the Cottage for the specific things we're short on — it changes week to week.

Contact

Want to donate, volunteer, or just ask a question?

Reach out any way that's easiest — we're a family running this out of a garage, not an office, so a message or a comment on Facebook works just fine.

Email hello@example.com
Facebook Cozy Cottage Stocking Shoppe
Location Cottage Grove, Minnesota area (exact address shared upon scheduling)