Hello! Im from the Philippines. We just distributed Christmas boxes to the kids from Samaritans purse yesterday. ❤️ kids were so happy. 😊 Thank you to all who supports this ministry! God bless you.
This is the best ministry. My church does this every year. I teach Sunday school and we let the children pack the boxes with items they bring in. It's a good lesson on giving.
If the kids that get my boxes enjoy them half as much as I enjoy packing them, then I've been successful! I shop sales all year round. I tend to be heavy on school supply things (professional hazard).
Do you think it would be a good idea for me to start packing one or two boxes a fortnight when I get paid so I can have quite a few boxes made by the time it's time to hand them in rather than the low amount I would be able to manage if I started close to Christmas due to my low income?
I love doing boxes and i usually spend alot on each box, i want my childs box to have as much as possible. Im blessed to have everything i need in life so giving back feels so great. I have so much fun doing them. My wow item is usually a cute outfit and pj's plus one toy that is more than 10 or 15 dollars. I always pack lots of school supplies too plus feminine items for older girls
Our "Wow" items this year are Barbie dolls for girls and soccer balls with a ball pump for the boys. I find Barbie's, still in the boxes, at flea markets and from friends, as low as $2 each. I also find them sometimes at Tuesday Morning, for around $5 or $6. (I do take them out of the box, but at least they are new!) I buy size 4 soccer balls, deflated, and then kind of wrap the ball around the pump so it will fit in the box. For hair supplies, I buy colored bobbi pins, plastic hair clips, Scrunchii's, etc and then make up little tulle bags filled with them (like those used for wedding favors.) Each girl gets an assortment of hair accessories, and I think that the pretty little bags would make a little girl feel very special.
My mom started packing shoeboxes many years ago. As I grew up, we did them together. She has passed away and I consider it a special bond that I continue to pack an extra one in her name each year .... hugs
I get so excited when it comes time for the operation Christmas child. I’ve been doing this since I was 7, I’m 18 now and still do it 🖤 it makes me feel so good
These are great things you packed in those boxes. I haven't packed a box for occ so far, but I did something similar. I'm from Germany and we have a tradition called Schultüte in English Schoolcone. When kids start school they get such a cone from their parents, grandparents or aunt or uncle. The cones are filled with candys, toys and school items. Back in 2016 when many refugees came to Germany I packed such a cone for a little girl from Afghanistan. I put in pencils, a jumping rope, bouncy ball, hair accessories, a magic towel, tattoos, stickers, an umbrella, a waterbottle and much more. It was great to see that girls eyes and smile when she received and opened her cone.
You can’t if the packages show how to use them. I split up whatever didn’t need this. What is a kid in a non-English speaking rural area going to do with a Rubics cube? Why give them a lock? A toothbrush should be wrapped. I bought some with a plastic cover.
Still a great video even two years later. :) My favorite item to add is a hand crank powered flashlight. My son loves his and it's great to know they will continue to have them even after the extra batteries others send with standard flashlights are burnt out. We get them on Amazon. Thanks for the great extra ideas in this video!
The best thing is the brush/mirror compact, some of these kids have never had a mirror to look at themselves...there are so many neat things in these boxes and pencils too.
I packed a box in 2018 (girl 2-4) and I'll do 4 boxes for 2019 😊 it's just so much fun, especially because I can't have children on my own, at least I can go through all the cute and fun kids stuff! And because I wont have to spend money on my own kids, I take a little more money for my boxes and pack them with high quality and all my heart ❤ So I plan 10 - 12€ per month per box to pack them year-around - this way I don't have to spend much money in only one or two months. I guess that's the best hint, look for sales all year and spend a small amount of money every month. So my must have item is a stuffed animal! No matter what age or gender you pack for, it's a stuffed friend for lifetime 🐭🐺🦊🐑Boxes from Germany go to countries with cold winters, so another must have are gloves, a warm hat and - if it fits - a scarf. What's also going in every single box of mine are a toothbrush and toothpaste, 2in1 shower gel+shampoo, hairbrush (girls) / comb (boys), colored pencils, notebooks, a filled penicil case and a (cotton) bag 😊 (here we have a drug store which sells organic cotton bags for 2€ each and the colors of the bags changes from month to month🛍)
Age ranges are 2-4. 5-9 and 10-14!:)Could I suggest that you added notepads/notebooks/paper in your boxes!:) Paper is really important for them to have.
School supplies! When they have the school stuff on sale the 70 page notebooks are 17 cents and you can cut them in half to double them and they fit perfect in the box on the bottom!
At the distribution center where I took my boxes, the lady visited a country where the boxes are sent, she said the kids loved their washcloths, so that's what I'll be sending. Also those plastic totes can be used to carry water.
I have been packing boxes since I was a kid in the early 1990's. Here is some of my favorite items to pack. ***Water bottles (larger nalgene brand is my favorite because they are quality and you can stuff them with other stuff) ***Outfit for boys and dress for girls ***washable cloth feminine pads (for older girls) ***school uniform ***small toy ***small throw size blanket ***panties for girls ***underwear for boys ***socks ***jewelry for girls ***quality hair brush or comb ***notepad ***pencil and metal sharpner (they last longer) ***bar of soap ***cloth diapers and pins (for older girls. I am thinking girls of a younger age may be more likely to get pregnant at a younger age. They also can be included in other ages and the parent can use for a sibling.) ***bowls (quality wood or plastic.) ***silverware (at least a spoon and should be quality metal.) ***reading glasses with a case ***small mirror compact ***small toy (I try not to let toys take up too much room so I can pack more "essential" items) ***wooden spoon (for cooking) ***pretty scarf (not a winter one) ***winter gloves ***winter scarf ***flashlight with plenty of extra batteries (slot of kids do not have access to electricity and stores to purchase more batteries.) ***chapstick (Bert's bees or a nice one you would use) I always use quality items that I would purchase for myself. These kids do not have access to money and stores to purchase replacements for items they receive. So I make sure they will last. Even if that means I fill less boxes.
I always pack extra toothbrushes because I heard a story where a little girl was so excited to have her own toothbrush because she had to share hers with 25 other girls at the orphanage. I wrap the soap in a wash cloth before I put it in a ziplock. I packed 9 boxes this year and I am delighted that little boys and girls will be so happy to receive them. I also get the pencil pouches and make up little school kits with pens, crayons, erasers, pencil sharpener and scissors etc. I buy things all year longs when they are on sale which helps me able to get more bank for the buck.
Wow items could be -fabric with a basic sewing kit -beads and string to make necklaces -a multi purpose tool (no knifes attached) -tools ex. a hammer with some nails -a soccer ball with a pump -something that is hard to get in a remote village ex. an advanced calculator -a piece of clothing -something unique (you are allowed to include new items that are handmade) -a musical instrument ex. a thumb piano or a flute
Handmade items are allowed but they need to be in good condition (from Canada anyways). Batteries are allowed to be packed so I assume batteries powered calculators are also allowed although solar is preferred.
Going to be my first time this year. Im so excited to fill a box! I watched a few videos on kids opening them...made me tear up. So sweet. Thanks for the info, I was lost on what to be able to send. Great job!
This is so cool never thought to do this few yrs back I was in a bad time and this sweet lady helped my family for xmas she made something similar to this fir my twins boy girl so nice❤️
Did this for the first time this year and just turned them in yesterday at church. We opted to pack boxes for 10-14 years old because we were told that age group had the least amount of boxes packed. My plan is to start collecting items throughout the year so we can have a packing party with the family next year and pack a whole bunch of boxes. It was truly a wonderful experience.
I’m definitely going to do this, this coming Christmas season!!! I e just recently heard of this, and I’m so super excited! I’m probably going to do 1 box for each age group, for girl and boy! ❤️❤️❤️
Yes almost every year. I love getting cute socks, bath sponge, nice soap, crayons, little notebooks, pencils, dice, little balls, little stuff animals, school supplies, etc.
Slinkys (the original metal ones) are a fascinating, long-lasting toy. I leave magnifying glasses (one of our favorite things to add) in their packaging for protection of the glass and containment in case of breakage. We slip boxes of crayons into sandwich bags. After watching so many videos of shoebox distribution in very hot climates, I got to wondering how the crayons fare in the heat, and if things in the boxes ever get damaged with melting crayons. A plastic bag fixes that. Thank you for the video and encouragement.
I pack shoeboxes every year, and am the Drop-Off Coordinator for our area as well. If I pack any toothbrushes without packaging, I put them in a ziplock bag. For the larger toothbrushes, I just clip a small hole in one end and stick the handle out that end. The boxes look really nice if you line them with a piece of wrapping paper, a sheet of tissue, or a folded piece of Christmas crafting paper. I put all of the girls' hair accessories in little voile drawstrings bags, like you'd maybe see at a bridal shower. They get an assortment of different items- plastic barrettes, metal barrettes, bobbi pins, scrunchi's, etc. The first year I did this, they were actually leftover from my daughter's wedding, but this year I found them online. There were some lovely Madame Alexander dolls at Tuesday Morning, so most of my girls' boxes have those this year. The last two years I put rubber stamps, inks, markers and crafting papers in the girls' boxes. My husband put in tools for the older boys: screwdriver, screws, hammer and nails, 2 different kinds of pliers, a measuring tape, twine and wire in addition to the school and hygiene items. All of our shoeboxes always have a Beanie Baby, no matter what age the child is. I buy them at bazaars or anywhere else I can find them, but they must look and smell new and still have the tags on them or I won't buy them. (This is the only exception I make for a "used" item... but as I said, they must look new. You might ask your dentist for donations of toothbrushes. The first time I asked, I was given over 100 toothbrushes, but the new dentists that took over the office didn't give any this year. : ( It's always worth the time to ask! Please tell people not to tape their boxes closed! And if they wrap them, wrap the lid separately because they do need to be opened at the Processing Centers. Almost forgot - we bought a case of flashlights for $1 each at Walmart, and a case of Space blankets from eBay.
I always try to pack something really special on the top of my boxes so that the child loves what they see and are excited, also always pack a new complete outfit for them really enjoy the fact that my box may make a child smile
over 20+ yrs.now- shoeboxing! also a rumanian friend at local church remembers her shoe box as a child in Rumania back then. tip - collect items on offer during the year. God bless you all Suzanne, u.k.
I did 8 boxes this year mine included. Barrel of monkeys ,blankets,drink bottles ,crayons / coloring books. Pencils, cars , toothbrushes, a stuffed animal , socks , under ware,
I do this very year. In the UK there is less of a focus on the Christian part (the UK is very PC) and it is promoted as a humanism project. My classes love doing this. At work we do this instead of secret Santa too. Way more fun. Some items I like to include are flasks for drinks so they can get water but I can also stuff the flask with lots of small stuff. The weirdest thing I have put in is car tarpooling folded up. This can be used for shelter, to gather water or to keep off the cold ground. I do put fun stuff in too but also things to give a kid an extra chance to survive.
Many schools stopped doing this when they discovered the Islamophobia behind it. The group are also offensive towards Hindu's and Catholics. By supporting this in the UK schools are at risk of breaking rules about equality and inclusion. As a humanist I can say this is definitely not a humanism project. It's deeply unethical.
The religious aspect is a real turn off for me too. However, I realize that it wouldn't exist without the churches and missionaries. If a bunch of people ever organize the equivalent of this project, but without foisting religion on the recipients, I would be delighted!
If you are totally against God then this project is not for you. But if you just don't agree with some of Graham's beliefs, then it shouldn't stop you from making a box because the kids still get a gift and the message they are sharing with them are simple things like God loves them and they are offered to learn more. It's not mandatory. And I did want to add that usually they work with the churches that already there so people choose to come.
doing 15 boxes this year, last year was 4.. paper, pencils/ sharpener, toothbrush, rag & soap goes in all my boxes. ive done stuffed animals, soccer balls as wow toys, I track my boxes & even got a letter back once!.. you coudl have put wrapping paper on the inside to decorate the box.. I once put fishing hooks in abox gave fishing line too , sewing kit and fabric for older girls. I like trying to find reusable bags in them when I can
Great idea on removing the packaging. You can stuff more items into the box and you're not sending trash to a country that more than likely cannot expose of it properly. Love OCC!
Small sewing kits and scissors are good too. Enables an industrious person to mend clothing and attach buttons etc. Provides a skill that could turn into a way to earn money or make things to barter. Best in the 10 to 14 girls boxes.
my school does operation christmas child and last year of my whole city 700 items were sent in and 400 of those items were from my school and this year im sending one boy and one girl both in the age range of 5-9
I love the excitement in your voice and all the wonderful ideas. I was curious as to how to pack my items - leave tags/items in their original box? Thank you!! :)
Thank you for all of your ideas. This out first year of doing the boxes, we are so excited. Thank you for letting us know we can take things packages. We went sure. That helps so much. Any ideas for older girls? Most others but for younger kids, we want to help them have a great Christmas also. Please let me know.
I used to remove all the packaging too bc I felt they didn't need the trash but then I heard the kids liked seeing the packaging because so many of them never had new things. I'm torn because you really can fit so much more without it. I loved that some of your items still had packaging inside the big packaging so clearly it's new but takes less space.
I bought two little sturdy plastic dolls with darker color skin at the Dollar Tree. Both their arms and legs move. I I am going to make tiny little dresses for it and a blanket and put it in a zip-lock back
It would be great to put a comb or 2 in the boys boxes!! Dollar Tree has a large package you can split up! Another fun thing is the Disney expanding magic towels at the dollar tree! They take up barely any space and are super fun! Also printing out mini coloring books can be great addition to your box when adding markers or crayons!!
We always try to remove all the trash packaging then replace it with fabric bags that will be sturdier and still useful once the toy or whatever is gone. Also as someone who has packed boxes for years and also has long hair myself I highly suggest bamboo/wood wide tooth combs in place of brushes. The combo of comb for detangling and wood to better distribute hair oil has almost completely replaced my personal use of a brush and takes up way less in a box.
Hoy me dijo la profesora de mi hijo que va a recibir el día de mañana una caja de estas, así que me dió curiosidad. Le conté a mi hijo de 5 años y comenzó a hacerme muchas preguntas al respecto. Muchas gracias a todos quienes se esfuerzan y ponen su corazón en este hermoso proyecto! Somos de Ecuador 🇪🇨
I add a sewing kit with scissors, tape measure, quality threads, quality assorted sewing needles, very thin crochet thread as it is strong, with needles whose holes are big enough for crochet cotton, cloth to sew, always quality assorted sizes of safety pins as they are like treasures in impoverished areas to hold clothing together, sturdy tee shirts on sale at Michael’s @5/$10 or even sometimes a dollar store has them( check for flaws or tiny holes), quality erasers, best quality pencils, as they maybe the only ones a child ever has, along with one or two pencil sharpeners, a pack of Bic or Papermate pens, if wax crayons are sent, place in sealed container so wax does not melt over items in hot areas( kids at missions in India,etc love them, just get them there intact. at least 2-4 school notebooks, a flat cloth bag to carry box items in, like those sold at cash registers, quality plastic animals,
Thanks Laurie!! My husband and I pack a few boxes a year & I didn't know about the packaging...awesome! I am gathering ideas, I want to get my church together & pack boxes. There have been changes in our parishes & we are still recovering from hurricane Harvey. I think this could be something wonderful gather people together & be grateful. Any ideas on how to do it as a small group? Should we ask for supplies, then at a later point have a packing pot luck or something?
Great video-I love your boxes! I dont think the magnifying glass is allowed if its real glass though? I have packed shoeboxes for a few years now- its great fun finding all the cute stuff isnt it?
I registered mine online and paid for the postage. Then they'll send you an email message that tells you where your box went to. Last year mine went to Tanzania. I did think they would go to Africa so I didn't see any need for socks or scarves.
In CANADA, we can NOT send candy, gum, used items, any kind of liquid, creams, regular playing cards, dice, toothpaste, breakables.... Check with Samaritan'sPurse.ca. Do not put any kind of make-up in the boxes! Your boxes look good! I try to cram as much stuff as possible in my boxes and put a minimum of 40 items. I have a basic list for each box, then I fill in with toys and amusements that differ from box to box year to year : Here are my basics in every box: Hygiene items- Bar of soap in plastic box Toothbrush with cover Dental floss Facecloth Plastic or metal cup Set of 3 good plastic cutlery(ie: Ikea) OR stainless steel spoon and fork T-shirt: age 2-4 box sz 4, 5-9 box sz 7/8, 10-14 box sz 12/14 2 pair underwear 1 or 2 pair socks Hair barettes/clips/elastics/etc. for girl boxes Comb and/or hairbrush 1 stick (solid) deodorant for the 10-14 yr old boxes School Supplies- 2 exercise books Pencil case Several pencils Pencil sharpener Several pens Eraser Crayons (2-4 yrs and 5-9 yrs) Felt pens (fat washable ones for younger boxes, thinner ones for older kids) Pencil crayons Ruler (I try to find 6" ones) Scissors (usually blunt for younger kids) For older kids- calculator and math set Toys in EVERY box- Stickers Colouring book or pages Sm. ball Stuffed animal Soft or small doll (girls) 2 story books for younger kids Maze/activity book for older kids Then, I add whatever else I can for toys or hygiene items, such as cars or a manicure set....you'd be amazed how a little ingenuity in packing can result in a lot of room. I remove as much packaging as I can. Little girls LOVE headbands that look like crowns. Kids love musical instruments or fake mustaches and goofy glasses, etc. I collect up stuff all year long. Ty Beanie Babies are a great size. Small dolls are becoming harder to find in my area. This year (2019) the dollarstores did not have a good selection of either dolls or stuffed creatures. Either none or too big. I use the already decorative boxes that Dollarama sells and buy up all their $2.50 size boxes for the following year but the Samaritan's Purse ones are o.k. as are clear plastic ones. Just make sure your box is sturdy enough to travel! The boxes can be expensive. The one I filled yesterday had CAD $60.00 worth of goodies in it. Therefore, I do not pay the shipping- I fill and people at church contribute by giving items or paying shipping and the church covers the rest. I probably spend 1-2 thousand a year on box stuffings.....and I'm a low-income single parent, so if I can do it, anyone can. It's fun!
We knit caps and put them in. We put toys, soap, tooth brushes and tooth paste. Puzzles, T-shirts and socks. little towels. Jewelry. Little note books, pencils and sharpeners. Ball, a tiny blanket.
Some paper to go with the Spirograph and coloring supplies would be a great idea. Walmart has little sketch books that fit nicely in the boxes for $1.98.
Great tip, instead of ziplock bags, these are ok but tend to rip I recommend buying a pack of A5 document wallets as they will last and you can put a few In and fill them with stationary ( pencil case ) or a hygiene one
We now add a plastic soap dish/box to each shoebox. Just 13 cents each through MD Supplies (MDsupplies.com) and then the kids have somewhere to store a wet, slimy bar of soap! Also, we have two toothbrushes for each child: one in regular packaging and one in a plastic toothbrush holder. I'm guessing your penny items are from Michael's? They won't "Penny Out" any of their items at the Michael's in our area. I did find pencil boxes at WalMart marked down to 10 cents each last year and bought 184 of them... exactly enough to finish up our 300 shoeboxes and it was all they had left! Love your boxes and the items you chose!
I have personally packed a few of these and also helped at the packing Center this year. The point of the box is his two teach the gospel to these children. one of the suggestions from Samaritan's Purse and makes complete sense include Christian type stuff and your boxes. For the children to get to know Christ which is the whole point of these
❤we always put a deflated soccer ball with a small hand pump in our boxes, after deflating the ball lay the hand pump inside of the curled ball, roll it and contain it with several rubber bands.
Magnifying glass and glass compact may not be allowed ( I know they aren't in Canada) Nothing that might leak or break. Here these items would be removed and sent to local charities so that they cannot be broken on the way. I like to send pencil cases with the pens/pencils/erasers in them for the kids to take to school easily. And a notebook...some kids need school supplies so they can actually attend school. Did I miss you explaining there is a suggested donation for each box also....It adds to the price but is really important to help cover shipping and costs.
Office Depot begins back to school sales where spiral notebooks, pens, etc. are only a PENNY! Staples also has similar sales where items are $.25. We stock up then. I just hit the jackpot at the Dollar General store where shoes are 90% off! I bought "boat shoes" for older boys for less than ONE DOLLAR! I got nice leather sandals and embellished flip flops for $.40 & $.50! Walmart also puts the multipacks of washcloths on clearance for a dime around back to campus sales time. My parents make sure to keep all the mini packs of tissues and soaps when they travel, so we really get lots of those for free basically. I also scored big at the TJ Maxx clearance rack and got a Tommy Bahama girls summer dress for $6! (I splurged because I could just imagine the look on this little girl's face- I would have been proud to put my own daughter in that dress.) I agree that if the children that receive these have as much fun opening them as we all have packing them, then the Lord is truly blessing us all exponentially! Wonderful video. God bless.
I like to get the container with the tags in them take them out thin I put underwater and hair accessories , thooth brushes in them and for the teen girl I also send reusable pads.and at the dollar store have coloring crayon plastic boxes so you can also use the container.I also do a first aid kit from the dollar store it was lots of extra room in it to add other things to it like a small sewing kit colorful band aid so on and I heard some one said shower curtains cause they use them as a ending from the ground.
Here they put hand made bags so the child has something to store their items. They are like library book bags so the children can keep their stuff in something other then the box which will eventually break down.
IKEA has wonderful children’s plastic dishes...6 each of colorful glasses, bowls, plates or cutlery are only about $2. If buying only 1 type choose bowls..they double as a drinking ‘cup’. Also sturdy plastic play dishes are a real hit, especially if accompanied by a doll, or any holiday clearance stuffed toy from Walmart, Target, or a pharmacy( except no occult or scary, or super hero ones as many impoverished children, without any access to public media are terrified of them, thinking they are evil spirits, nature board or picture books, stickers, if including a doll, try to be sure the eyes are not scary looking, as some dolls are these days, elastic waist long length skirts, bath sheets bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths, and several bars of soap are so appreciated. I knew of an orphanage where no child had ever owned their own towel or soap, quality toy cars, whistles,quality harmonicas, soccer balls and pumps are still about the most favorite box item, plastic and wooden building blocks with folding zipper case, jenga game
For the older girls I get them a mini sewing kit that zips everything inside so they can start learning how to sew or be able to sew. For the older boys I give them something called stubby tool set of a stubby hammer, adjustable wrench and a six in one. If you purchase the pink handled ones they are cheaper and can be rubber banded together to help keep things from hurting the other items in your box. I always get a soap holders in Walmart that clip closed and get the ivory soap that is the original sent that has paper around it so I can put it in the soap dish and then I found wash clothes from Ocean State Job Lots that I wrap around the soap dish and then seal it in a gallon ziplock back. The Gallon ziplock can be reused for so many things once they get the box. I get a travel toothbrush holder from Walmart as well and put the toothbrush in it to save on space! I love Dollar tree for hair ties and hair things that break apart and divide the different colors into sandwich bags. These are just a few of the tricks I use to save space! Staples has great deals on notebooks for 25 or less cents around back to school time. Dollar tree also has great bouncy balls the size and look of a baseball that are in a mesh bag that I get for the boys as well. Also little cars and jump ropes! Lots of school supplies pencils, pens, sharpeners, colored pencils, erasers and extra cap erasers that I put on the pencils before going in the boxes.
