Christmas Shoebox Appeals

jamtart6 wrote:

well, i was thinking of doing the oxfam/charity gift this year for all those friends who have put no thought whatsoever into getting me a smelly set (again)...this year, they all got an equally unthoughtful present back (so why do we bother?), so thought about doing a shoebox in their honour instead of getting them a gift that they will surely not appreciate

I do this and have done for a while. I also ask others to do the same for me. I have never had a 'bad' reaction to the suggestion either.

We have made up shoeboxes for years while my children were growing up and still do them every year now.

When the children were younger I paid for the items to go into the box and they paid the "administration/transport" money. Now they are older they all pay for their own items, oldest 20 yrs old and youngest 14 yrs.

Every year we have a little competition on who can make the best value/content box up. There are six of us in the family so it makes it a bit of fun (uummmm perhaps a just a little bit competitive;) )trying to come up with the best value items and a good variation of things in the box.

I thought that I'd end up making the boxes up now they are all older but they still all love making their own. We always reveal them to the others on a Sunday tea time a week before they are too be collected. You'd be so surprised how much you can cram into each box...we have a top price limit of £5 a box.
I buy new items from car boots/sales throughout the year and cram in as much as possible.

We also add a family photo on a christmas card, when they were small perhaps a preloved item (second hand but immaculate that belonged to each child) and a homemade item into the box.

Over the years the children have made some lovely things to go into their boxes and still do it now even at their ages.. i.e. a paperbag puppet, felt fingerpuppets, a christmas decoration, blow football game, a book mark, egg cosy, friendship bracelet, decorated t shirt, height chart, pencil holder, pom pom spider, calendars, mini kite, cardboard jigsaw etc.

I'm always really chuffed with mine but then I see everyone elses and they've done even better lol.

My 20 year old son won the prize this year (a wrapped shoebox with masses of silver foil ribbon wrapped around lol)

Hope you all have lots of fun collecting bits for next year.

I too missed this year's deadline, but have two nearly complete boxes ready for this year. Just need to pick up a few more bits

I always do a shoebox - love trying to come up with something different to put in. Also I have a son so always do a girls box - make a change! :rotfl:

W H Smith are selling off all wrapping paper at 69p. I bought some lovely thick holographic paper down from £2.79 a roll to wrap my boxes in. They also had some reasonably prices stationary.