Some Christmas cheer is coming to the residents of Fort McMurray this week.

Thousands of boxes of Christmas decorations, trees and lights, donated by people here in the Foothills and around Alberta are being trucked up there this week.

High River's Terry Lempriere and his family helped spearhead the drive and Terry says as High Riverites are well aware, when disaster strikes, saving the Christmas stuff is not high on the list, but come Christmas time, it's nice to be able to celebrate.

"You're in a rush to get your house mucked out, all while winter's coming and they're fighting with their insurance company's and what not. To get their houses rebuilt all before winter sets in. And in Fort McMurray, winter sets in soon."

Lempriere and his family will make stops in Olds, Red Deer and Edmonton to pick up even more before arriving or Fort McMurray later this week.

High River's Terry Lampriere and his family spent most of Monday morning loading donations into one of two semi-trailer trucks full of Christmas swag bound for Fort McMurray.