Mitten Tree Day – December 6, 2026

Expected Mitten Tree Day Deals

Mitten Tree Day is a cause-driven holiday, focusing on community giving rather than commercial deals. Many local charities, such as The Salvation Army and Goodwill, organize “Mitten Tree” collection drives throughout December, inviting individuals to hang new mittens on a designated tree for distribution to those in need. Retailers like Target and Walmart often support these efforts by offering affordable winter wear, while brands such as Bombas and Patagonia may run donation-matching campaigns or contribute directly to warming centers. Check with your local community centers and shelters for specific donation opportunities. We will update this page with confirmed live donation events as December 6 approaches.

History of Mitten Tree Day

We don’t know the details of the history of Mitten Tree Day, but there is a belief that school teachers formed it during Christmas time. The idea of Mitten Tree Day is said to have emerged as a fun class activity, which they named after a book called “The Mitten Tree.” The book’s author, Candace Christiansen, focused the storyline on a woman who missed her grown-up children.

In the book, the lady walks through the cold winter weather and spots a few children waiting at the school bus stop. The lady notices that the children want to play in the snow but can’t because they don’t have any mittens to protect their hands. Feeling sorry for the kids, she knits a basket full of mittens and hangs them on a tree near the bus stop. The woman continues to knit mittens for the kids of her town and no longer drowns in the memories of her children.

According to sources, the name ‘mittens’ comes from the Old French word ‘mitaine.’ It was an old pet name for a cat, and at that time, mittens were made of animal fur. The earliest mittens found are said to date back to 1000 A.D. Mittens were also very common in medieval Europe. However, since they were hard to make, they were often worn as a fashion statement by the wealthy. Today, we make mittens from different materials like wool, leather, fur, or polyester. They also tend to be warmer than gloves because our fingers generate more heat when they are together.