KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — MEDIC Regional Blood Center is celebrating the holiday season through their Twas’ the Pint Before Christmas blood drive. The drive runs from Dec. 20-24.

Donors will receive a special-edition, long-sleeve T-shirt, an Ober Gatlinburg pass, a Salsarita’s coupon, and a Texas Roadhouse coupon. In addition, all donors will be entered to win a pair of tickets to see the Tennessee Titans play the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 2 and a pair of tickets to see Reba McEntire on Jan. 29 in Knoxville. The winners will be drawn Dec. 27 and be contacted by a MEDIC staff member.

MEDIC is also supporting East Tennessee Children’s Hospital through their Skip the Gift program through Dec. 24. For each donor who chooses to skip the MEDIC gift (shirt or blanket), MEDIC will donate $5 to ETCH. Donors can also bring toys to donate to the hospital.

For those who wish to donate, appointments are preferred and can be made online at www.medicblood.org. Appointments allow MEDIC staff to mitigate wait times and control donor flow.

The blood collected with help strengthen the blood supply in East Tennessee as there is an ongoing blood shortage throughout the nation. According to the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies, America’s Blood Centers, and the American Red Cross, the blood supply in the United States has reached one of its lowest levels. Some blood centers are reporting less than a one-day’s supply of blood, meaning that blood may not be available for some patients when it is needed.