You can pay off hospital parking tickets with toys this holiday season

There’s nothing worse than seeing a parking ticket sitting on your windshield, but there’s nothing better than seeing a child’s face light up at the perfect present — which could very well be the reasoning behind Alberta Health Services’ new campaign this holiday season.

If you happened to find yourself on the receiving end of an AHS parking ticket after spending some time at their Edmonton or Calgary sites this past November/December, you’ll now be able to pay that ticket off with a toy donation to patients of the Alberta Children’s Hospital and the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

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The campaign will work for any AHS tickets received between November 1 and December 10, and the toy donations must be made to the AHS parking office in either of the two Albertan cities.

Office hours for the various AHS sites can be found at their website, and it is also noted that all toys must be new, unwrapped, and of “a similar value to the amount owed on the parking ticket.”

The release even provided a few examples of toys that would be accepted for their patients, who range in age from newborn all the way up to 17-years-old:

• Books
• Art supplies
• Science kits
• Electronics and headphones
• Lego sets
• Portable DVD players
• Toys that make sounds
• Rattles and baby toys
• Journals and activity books
• Crayons and colouring books
• Gift cards for grocery stores or restaurants (for families)

Cash donations will not be accepted, though we’re sure they’ll take cash if you’re simply paying the ticket’s stated fine — but where’s the holiday spirit in that?