This year I am once again taking part in operation christmas child in making shoe boxes for disadvantaged children across Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. As a parent I know the joy it brings to a child and parent when they receive a Christmas present and they rip into the shiny wrapping to reveal what they have inside, not many children get to experience this joy for many different reasons,but a shoe box full of goodies can change this it can bring the widest smiles to a child who has very little.
operation Christmas child is the largest children's Christmas project in the world, and is run by the christian charity samaritans-purse they have been sending gift filled shoe boxes to disadvantaged children since 1990 and have brought joy to over 80 million children.
last year alone 500,000 people got involved and wrapped and packed around 1.12 million shoe boxes.
Girls from Swaziland
Last year we managed to fill 3 boxes and passed them onto my sons school but this year I am hoping to fill a lot more than 3 but to do this I need help if any company has any products that they would like to donate please contact me on [email protected] a product list is below of things to pack in a shoe box
Brother and sister from Montenegro
Things to put in your shoe box
toys- bear, soft toy, tennis ball, finger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, building blocks, small musical instrument,
for boys- truck, cars etc
for girls dolls clip on earings etc
educational supplies-felt pens, pens, pencil, pencil crayons, eraser, sharpener, colouring book, note pad, picture or puzzle book, chalk, stickers etc
Hygiene items- toothbrush, tooth paste, flannel, bar of soap, hair brush or comb bobbles, hair clips etc
other items- sweets( sell by date must be at least march the following year), gloves scarf hat. sun glasses, cap, bangles, necklaces
you should include 1 or more things from each catagory
please don't send
No Food
especially chocolate - non-chocolate sweets are allowedNo medicine
or vitamins of any kindNo war related items
toy guns, soldiers or knives of any kindNo clothing
other than listed aboveNo fragile items
glass containers, mirrors.No liquids
including blow bubbles, shampoo, bubble bath, toiletry sets or aerosols.No dangerous items
sharp objects, scissors or razorsNo novels
Nothing of a political nature
No hand-knitted stuffed toys without a CE mark
once your box is decorated you need to decide if your box will be for a male/female and what age group then you need to attach the appropriate sticker
please don't forget to include £2.50 to help with the distribution cost you can pay here then download and print the bar code place it in your shoe box and you will receive an email that will let you know where your box went to.
boxes need to be made up and ready before 18th november
mummymummymum are running a competition for people who get involved in the shoe box appeal please click on the link to find out more
once again if any company can help in any way even if it is donating shoe boxes or wrapping paper please message me on [email protected] I will link your company in this bog post
Thank you
lets put smiles on children's faces this Christmas
shoe box appeal companies that have donated
massive thank you
visit their website 
Yay, thanks for the mention! Good luck getting donations. xx
ReplyDeleteI have just discovered your blog and was interested to read your post because I have just discovered operation christmas child and have blogged about it too. The more people who know the better. I have only managed to fill one box because of the short notice and also my daughter was in hospital but intend to do lots more for next year.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Emma xxx