A South Bay holiday staple, the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive gift wrapping party welcomed dozens of volunteers who spent their weekend helping wrap gifts that have been donated for the holiday season at the Hermosa Beach Community Centers gymnasium Saturday, Dec. 21.

Beginning in 1992 as a friendly competition between Manhattan and Hermosa Beach to see which city could collect the most toys, the event has grown into a massive undertaking. Arriving at 11 a.m. with scissors and wrapping paper, volunteers began wrapping hundreds of gifts, stopping only to enjoy their donated lunches.

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

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Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Hundreds of volunteers gathered in the Hermosa Beach Community Center gym with wrapping paper and tape to help wrap thousands of gifts donated for the 27th Annual Beach Cities Toy Drive & Wrapping Party Saturday, Dec. 21. The wrapped gifts were distributed to local charity organizations. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

The wrapping party rotates each year between cities, with last years event held at the Josyln Center in Manhattan Beach.

When the last present was wrapped, volunteers went home to their families to enjoy the holiday weekend. The toys will be distributed among South Bay charity organizations.

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Photos: Beach-cities drive pits Manhattan and Hermosa Beach in friendly competition to collect the most toys for needy - The Daily Breeze