I think the question is that to get an item u need to donate wood for it but the xmas items will be replaced with other gear at some point in the future. If you have partially donated towards an item but not completed enough wood donations by the time it is removed, what happens? Do you lose all the wood you donated and your chance at the item or is it carried over to the new items.

I suspect you lose the donated wood and start fresh whenever it is that we get new gear in the manor but it would be nice if a GM could get confirmation from the devs.