The angel trees I have seen were Christmas trees decorated with envelopes or slips of paper. On each piece of paper was written characteristics of a person (often a child) who would be helped by a gift. For example, one might say, "Boy, age 8, likes games" or "Girl, age 5, likes to read." Sometimes just gender and age are indicated.

Well-wishers would each take one or more of these, choose appropriate gifts for the unknown recipient(s), then before some deadline, bring the presents to a designated place for subsequent distribution by the originating agency or group.

-- OneTahiti