2008 Christmas Shoeboxes

tiddly_widdly

I have filled these boxes every year since my children were small. Their schools always organise them. Sometimes it operation christmas child, other times its the roatary one. I always fill 4, one for each of my children and a household one for a mother. I always make it from them and to the same age and sex child. That way they feel like theyve given something.
In each one I always put: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and shampoo, gloves and wooly hat, or scarf. A notebook and pens or coloured pencil (age dependant). Then a few things for their age. so my 14 year old daughter sends girly stuff like perfume and make up. In the household one I put wahing up liquid, shower gel, face cloth , toothburshes, toothpaste and whatever else I can fit in.
My boxes are always rather full though but we enjoy filling them.

Glpark01

so far i've bought pack of 4 face cloths 89p morrisons, twin pack toothbrushes 13p from asda, toothpaste 18p from asda, haribo sweets 10p a pack from morrisons bought 4 packs per child, pencil crayons 19p each morrisons, eraser and pencil sharpener pack 50p each morrisons, i still need to get soap, colouring books, notepads, felt tips, they had some small animal soft toys at asda for £1 each, toy cars 54p each at asda, socks, pencils and something for the girl box if im giving the boy one toy cars.I still need to find 2 shoeboxes from somewhere too.

thevicster

Love doing these!! And love doing lists!! I do mine with one of my customers who takes them to the collection point for me. In my boxes is;

snowman toy - 55p co-op
3 bars soap - 15pish asda
toothbrush - from pack of 4 £shop
flannel - 25p ish from asda
toothpaste - about 19p asda
colouring book 25p wilkos
colouring pencils - 30p bogof morrisons
exercise books - £1.99 for 12, 2 in each box, rest donated
beautiful hat and mitten sets knitted by a friend - free
stickers - 10p a sheet from cheap shop in minehead
pencils - 19p ish for 5 wilkos
skipping rope for girl box - £1 woolies
hair things - £1 for pack of 3 types- £1 smile
toy cars for boys - 54p asda
haribo starmix - 8p asda
pencil sharpeners - 10p each wilko

think that might be it although know if I go and have a look in the boxes, I'll never get the lid back on again!!

got-it-spend-it

Well I packed up my six boxes last week and I'm really pleased with them. I've done family ones for Link Romania and so far the contents are:

-Four toothbrushes (14p for 2 in Sainsburys)
-Toothpaste (50p BOGOF in Boots)
-Bar of soap (4 for £1 in Poundland)
-Two pairs Kids Gloves
-Two pairs Kids warm socks
-Plasticine strips
-Colouring Book (25p Wilkos)
-Pencil Case (4 for £1 Poundland)
-Coloured crayons, felt tips and biros, eraser and propelling pencils (Wilkos)
-Toy Car
-Little puzzles (3 different ones in each)
-Stickers
-Sanitary towels
-Two flannels (20p each Tescos)
-Hair Comb
-Notebook
-Bouncy ball

I think that's it, I've included prices where I can remember but I've just pucked up bits and pieces over the last four months so it doesn't feel like it's cost a lot. I still want to get a little soft toy to put in each. I may try and do two more boxes as I have a few surplus items left.

Box wise I found Clarkes to be most helpful- I asked loads of places! I found that if you ask for boxes, then go back an hour later they are able to save some for you, otherwise they just destroy them as soon as the shoes are sold.

I love reading people's lists so please keep them coming. I might take a pic of the contents of one of mine too.

Thanks everyone- GISI x

rainmac

My eldest son (he's 4) and I have finished our 2 boxes today, one for a boy and one for a girl both aged 4-9 years. Thought I'd post some pictures...

Girl...



Contains:
Pink gloves - 75p Tesco
Hair accessory set - half price at £1.50 Tesco
Hair bands - about £1 Tesco
Comb - 20p Tesco
Hair braid set - 50p Wilkos
Pack 2 toothbrushes - Tesco
Tube toothpaste - Tesco
Bar soap - 20p Tesco
Felt pens - 85p? Wilkos
Pencil crayons - 15p Wilkos
HB pencils with rubber at end x 5 - (split a pack of 10 bewteen 2 boxes) Wilkos
Pencil sharpener - 30p Wilkos
Green stripe notebook - 70p Wilkos
Princess jigsaw - £2? Wilkos
Sweets - about £1 not in pic as DS1 had hidden them!
Flannel - 25p Wilkos, again not in pic as it had been hidden by a certain someone!!!

Boy...



Contains:
2 pairs blue gloves - £1.25 Tesco
Pack 2 toothbrushes - Tesco
Tube toothpaste - Tesco
Bar soap - 20p Tesco
Comb - 20p Tesco
Felt pens - 85p? Wilkos
Pencil crayons - 15p Wilkos
HB pencils with rubber at end x 5 - (split a pack of 10 bewteen 2 boxes) Wilkos
Pencil sharpener - 30p Wilkos
Pencil case - 50p Wilkos
Green stripe notebook - 70p Wilkos
Circle stickers - 35p Wilkos
Set of cars - £1 Wilkos
Bouncy balls pack of 6 - £1? Wilkos
Set dominoes and pack of cards - not in pic (was an afterthought)
Sweets - about £1 not in pic as DS1 had hidden them!
Flannel - 25p Wilkos, again not in pic as it had been hidden by a certain someone!!!

Just done my donations online for covering the cost of processing the boxes.

Looking forward to seeing some pics of other people's boxes

rainmac

Forgot to say I got my boxes from Dorothy Perkins, they were really helpful, I just happened to think about needing boxes as I was walking past the shop so thought I'd go and ask and they were great!

Arwen

savingholmes wrote: »

I'm afraid I find some of these posts offensive. Operation Christmas Child and Samaritans post do a great job... We will be doing some boxes...

Really? I find Franklin Graham,his particular brand of Christian Fundamentalism, and the fact that his organisation is prepared to brainwash young kids for a few sweeties offensive,but each to their own.:D

I will also be donating shoe boxes through the our local church where they are given freely without any conditions attached.

got-it-spend-it

Lizbeth wrote: »

I'm putting together some family shoeboxes for http://www.linkromania.co.uk - the deadline for getting them to an area collector is 7 November. Unfortunately I haven't been hunting around throughout the year, but this is what I've found this week - hope it give someone ideas for what to get and where to look...

Asda
- 40 plasters - 47p
- Pencil case - 31p
- Hardback notebook - 50p
- Slide puzzle - 16p (£1.25 for 8)
- Princess stickers - 31p (£1.25 for 4)

Tesco
- Bouncy balls - 13p (50p for 4)
- Jelly beans - 33p (£1 for 3)

Wilkinsons
- Hair brush - 49p
- Comb - 29p
- Toothpaste - 21p
- Flannel - 19p (95p for 5)
- Soap - 15p
- Scissors - 27p (80p for 3)
- 4 pencils - 10p (26p for 10)
- 5 coloured pencils - 15p
- 6 felt tips - 15p
- Wooden sharpener - 30p
- Noisemaker instruments - 34p (£2.75 for 8 sets)
- Girls’ jewellery - 35p (£2.79 for 8 sets)
- 4 jumping frogs - 10p (99p for 40)
- Spinner - 7p (79p for 12)
- Caterpillar balloons - 9p (89p for 10)
- Foil star stickers - 8p (39p for 5 sheets)
- Heart stickers - 8p (39p for 5 sheets)

Woolworths
- Women’s scarf - 99p
- Men’s hat - 50p
- 24 coloured pencils - 75p

Pound World
- 2 toothbrushes - 33p (£1 for 6)

Poundland
- Sewing kit - £1 (Link Romania has said this is fine as long as it's safe for a child when opening)
- Tennis ball - 25p (£1 for 4)
- Magnetic travel snakes & ladders - £1
- Three juggling balls - £1
- Rubix cube - £1

99p Stores
- 2in1 shampoo/conditioner (under 200ml) - 33p (99p for 3)
- 10 disposable razors - 33p (99p for 30)
- Kids' magic gloves - 33p (99p for 3)
- Exercise book - 8p (99p for 12)
- String - 25p (99p for 4)
- 20 bobbles - 11p (99p for 180)
- Eraser - 8p (99p for 12)
- Wooden animal dominoes - 99p

Au Natural
- 3 small cars - 29p (£3.99 for 42)

Home Bargains
- Playing cards - 19p

www.bakerross.co.uk
- 4-in-a-row game - 95p (£5.70 for 6)
- Mini biff bats - 40p (£4.80 for 12)
- Magic slates - 30p (£3.60 for 12)
- Memo pads - 30p (£3.60 for 12)
- Glider plane - 28p (£3.36 for 12)
- Snake wriggler - 40p (£3.20 for 8)

I also had promotional pens, balloons and unused women’s jewellery lying around at home and will be printing off colouring sheets from the internet.

Remember to wrap any liquids so that if they leak they won't spoil the other items. Socks/tights and drawstring PE bags would also be good to include. I've tried to put some items in jewellery bags/tins so these can also be reused.

Has anyone seen any small soft toys for under £1?

Hi Lizbeth, great list of stuff! I got went into Asda today and they have really nice small soft toys for £1. They have loads of different animals- I bought a very cute monkey but they had dogs, cats, bears etc too.

crystal_fire

Hi , i'd love to do a couple of boxes myself i'm thinking a couple for troups and a couple for kids.
I have some good ideas where to start for the kids but i'm at a loss with the troups!
what can you put in those boxes and where do you send them etc..
any help would be greatful.

thevicster

crystal_fire wrote: »

Hi , i'd love to do a couple of boxes myself i'm thinking a couple for troups and a couple for kids.
I have some good ideas where to start for the kids but i'm at a loss with the troups!
what can you put in those boxes and where do you send them etc..
any help would be greatful.

crystal_fire, check out this link, it should tell you what you need to do; http://www.supportoursoldiers.co.uk/