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WHITFIELD, MS – Mississippi State Hospital (MSH) will open its annual Christmas House on Monday, Dec. 1, inviting community members, churches, civic groups, and businesses to donate gifts or make monetary contributions so that every patient and resident on campus receives a gift this holiday season. The Christmas House was established in the mid 1980s by former Volunteer Services Director, Jerald D. Ball, to ensure Mississippi State Hospital patients were not forgotten during the holiday season. Donations to The Christmas House are used to fill Christmas bags for patients, then on “Santa Day,” business leaders, legislators, and others dress as Santa Claus and personally deliver the bags to every individual served by the hospital. Gift-bag assembly begins the week of Dec. 8. Santa Day, when gifts are hand-delivered, is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
Drop-off hours (Dec. 1–19): Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.; Sunday 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Donors who plan to deliver gifts are asked to call ahead at 601-351-8377.
Monetary donations: Give by cash, check, or online at www.msh.ms.gov (Click Friends of MSH → Donate). PayPal, Venmo, and credit/debit cards are accepted. Please note “Christmas House” in the Comments. Checks should be made payable to Friends of Mississippi State Hospital, Inc. Payment processors do not release your card information.
Mailing information for donations: Friends of MSH, Inc., Christmas House, Building 71, P.O. Box 75, Whitfield, MS 39193. Street address for packages: Mississippi State Hospital, 3550 Highway 468 West, Whitfield, MS 39193. Please include sender information; all donations are tax-deductible.
Questions: Contact Volunteer Services at info@msh.state.ms.us or 601-351-8377.
Christmas House welcomes new gifts (no used items). For safety, all containers should be plastic and products alcohol-free; please avoid games or activities with sharp objects. (Note: personal care items are no longer accepted.)
Popular items include:
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Top requests: crayons/markers/colored pencils; adult coloring books; word search/game books (regular & large print); journals (no spirals); trivia/dominoes/bingo; card games (UNO/playing cards); purses/wallets/billfolds; ladies’/men’s watches; movies/sing-along CDs; portable radios.
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Clothing ideas: socks, underwear (male & female), gloves, non-slip footsies, pajamas/nightgowns, slippers, belts/suspenders, t-shirts, knit hats, light jackets, hoodies, hair bonnets/shower caps, scarves, sweat clothes.
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For buildings/units to share: classic board and card games (e.g., Checkers, Chess, UNO, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Connect 4, Family Feud, Bingo), portable DVD players/radios with wireless headphones, DVDs (no “R” rated), karaoke/sing-along CDs, cornhole, ladderball, giant tic-tac-toe, memory/coping games.
About Christmas House: The Christmas House is the hub for holiday giving at MSH. Staff select items tailored to each individual’s interests and needs, and every patient and resident also receives an individual candy bag. Monetary gifts supplement donated items and help purchase one individualized special gift per person, ensuring no one is forgotten at Christmas.
Driving Directions: MSH is 10 miles east of downtown Jackson. From I-20, take Airport Road (Exit 52) two miles south to Hwy 475; turn left on Hwy 468 and proceed to the Main Entrance.
MSH, a program of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, was founded in 1855 and helps the individuals it serves achieve mental wellness by encouraging hope, promoting safety, and supporting recovery. The hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission.
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