SHELBYVILLE, Ind. — For more than 30 years, the Toys for Tots program has ensured children nationwide have a special Christmas gift.
In Indiana, one Shelbyville dad went above and beyond to make sure that tradition is true again this holiday season.
Christopher Ernstes and his 11-year-old son, Colton, are known as the "Ernie Boys" on TikTok.
Creating videos started as a hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it quickly became much more than father-and-son bonding.
"He did it for the very first time, and our first video went off for I think like 4 million views," Christopher said.
Now, the Ernstes family has nearly 2 million followers on TikTok, along with nearly 27 million likes.
Plus, Christopher said he also has more than 500,000 followers on Facebook.
"I have had people from Norway, Africa and Australia," Christopher said.
With his worldwide reach, Christopher decided to use his platform for good this Christmas. He said his plan was really a personal mission.
"We grew up a little lower than everybody," Christopher said. "My parents still made sure that we had just a little bit under the tree for us. So it's super important to me that kids get exactly what they want to Christmas."
Decked out as the Grinch, Christopher took to Facebook Live with the goal of collecting $500 for Toys for Tots.
"We blew that out of the water that weekend," Christopher said. "We put in $1,655 the very first weekend."
Then, his followers loved it so much, they asked to do it again the next weekend, according to Christopher.
"We set a goal of $800," Christopher said. "We ended up with $2,000 the second donation round."
In all, Christopher raised $4,855 for Toys for Tots, all thanks to his followers online.
"I have the best platform in the world," Christopher said. "They are just wonderful."
On his social media, Christopher documented every donation, sharing videos with followers throughout the entire process.
"The comments were so uplifting," Christopher said. "It was a great experience."
He collected the donations through Venmo, Cash App and PayPal. Then, Christopher said he made the donations at the Castleton Floor & Decor where he works.
"If I get to make one person — out of almost 3 million people — smile, I've done my job for the day," Christopher said.
Year-round, Christopher said he uses his platforms to promote mental health awareness and body positivity.
"I think everyone deserves to feel good on a daily basis," Christopher said. "Sometimes, you just need that little extra push to get there."
Millions of views later, Christopher hopes other Hoosiers will use social media's power for good.
"You have the power to do whatever you want behind this keyboard," Christopher said. "It's up to you whether that's good or bad."