A recent Associated Press story out of Boston caught our attention with an idea worth consideration in our communities.

For a limited time this holiday season, Boston is accepting a new form of payment for parking tickets. City officials are allowing parking pirates to pay for their misdeeds with toys in an effort to boost donations to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign.

When Boston put the plan into effect for just three days, it had a significant impact on Toys for Tots and on the people who donated.

“It just takes 10 minutes out of your day, and it makes you feel better about getting a ticket,” Theresa Labriola of Boston told the AP. She settled a $20 violation for an expired inspection sticker with two Groovy Girl dolls.

Around here, tickets tend to be cheaper than Boston’s, and it would probably take several days for such an option to have a big effect on donations.

It’s likely too late to consider the idea for this year, and we understand that the cities depend on ticket revenues in their budgets. But as deliberations about next year take shape, we hope the city councils and town officials will think about the idea.

It would take a little bit of the sting out of a holiday ticket, and help give some kids a better Christmas.