Christmas came early to Yale New Haven Children's Hospital Tuesday with Santa's helpers dropping off what may be the largest toy donation there ever.

Piles of toys were donated to the children's hospital Tuesday, where Faith Tremblay was once a patient.

"It was started back in 2017 after my daughter was in the hospital the year before. Everything they did for us — they saved her life and did so much that we had to give back," said mom Lisa Tremblay.

The Tremblays created Faith's Toy Drive and collected 87 toys that first year. They never expected their haul to grow to this - 5,215 toys donated this year.

"We are in the holiday spirit at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital because of this dynamic duo," said Vice President of Development at Yale New Haven Steve Jakab. "I can't thank you guys enough."

Applause is also owed to the thousands of helper elves who've made the drive a success.

Lisa Tremblay knows first-hand the smiles that will come from these donations - toys gave her daughter something to look forward to and focus on during her stay. Now they'll do the same for others.

Half the toys will go to the Child Life program. The rest will go to the hospital's Toy Closet program which gifts each young patient a new toy of their choice when they go home.

"Typically the average is about 170,000 toys that we give out, so we're so grateful for this," said Toy Closet Program Chair Diane Petra.

Even as they made Tuesday's delivery, the Tremblays were already thinking about how to top it.

"Our goal for next year is 6,000 so we will be back," said Lisa Tremblay.

The Toy Closet program accepts donations year-round, not just at the holidays. For more information, click here.