2008 Christmas Shoeboxes

RoxieW

My boxes havent got anything in to prove I've donated - although I have online. I'm worried that they wont get sent because of this!

Lizbeth

I'll be doing a shoebox for local people as well but no appeals have been launched yet (don't think they anounce them until closer to Christmas). International appeals tend to have earlier closing date as they need to collect shoeboxes from across the country and then transport them abroad.

jackieglasgow

Hi, I don't know if this will appeal to anyone, but my family make these boxes every year, and my MIL who is incredibly talented with the sewing machine, used to make her shoe boxes into doll's beds.

She would make a sort of bassinette cover for the box with a little bed cover and pillow for the doll to match (so it looked like a moses basket without the hood) and buy a wee doll from the pound shop, and put some of the normal essentials like toothbrush, crayons or whatever in, she simply then folded the cover back in over the contents. So whatever wee girl got that for her Christmas was not only getting a dolly but a bed for her, too! It was a great idea, and they looked so cute, and were free! She just recycled old stuff from her children, mine, or picked up wee cheap bits from the charity shop which could be resewn into a bedcover. I'm not a great seamstress myself, but am trying it this year, so we'll see how it goes!

HTH Jackie
PS just remembered the cover had elastic around the bottom to hold it in place!

snoony2

Hi soblivion - don't know if this will help but I know someone who is involved with checking the Samaritans purse boxes and taping them up so that they are ready to go - she said that they like people to put a card in to say who the box is from or even a photo of the person / family as the children who receive them like to know where they come from. After reading reports on the internet about lots of religious information being placed into the boxes, I did ask if this was the case - apparently they will put in a Christmas card if there isn't one in, but that is all.
I've also always wondered if after spending so much time choosing and packing these gifts, whether my complete box of items ever reaches a child or whether the items get split into different boxes (I suppose it doesn't really matter either way as it would still be reaching and benefiting a child) ..anyway, it seems that very rarely is anything taken out of the boxes - only really if there are items in there that are on the 'do not include' list, and also if the boxes are very big they may need splitting.

Roxie W - I donated online last year - I seem to remember that the Samaritans purse leaflet (the one that has the box labels on and the envelope for donations to be put into the box) had a section that you fill in if you have donated online - I think I had to enter a code that I got following my online donation - hope you've managed to sort it out.

...sorry for going on a bit, but hope this info may help someone - best get back to wrapping my boxes - have wrapped 10 so far but still more to go (am determined to finish them tonight!)

snoony2

rainmac - your boxes look lovely, I'm sure they will be greatly appreciated. It's great to see photos and get some ideas about extra little bits I can add in - has anyone any more ideas?

(would add a photo of what I've packed, but don't know how to!)

Lizbeth - I found your post really useful - we have a Wilkinsons opening up near us soon. I haven't shopped in there before - sounds like they have some great bargains though. Also, thanks for the bakerross link, I hadn't heard of them before.

Lizbeth

I've just bought lots of 5m rolls wrapping paper for 20p at a Matalan Clearance store. And everything in store (except books) is bogof free at the mo... so 10p wrapping paper before xmas - bargain!!

They've also got Winnie the Pooh etc wrapping paper for 50p.

http://www.matalan.co.uk/pages/information/clearance-stores

snoony2

that's a great find with the wrapping paper

shame - I've just wrapped all mine - got a bit carried away this year with finding things for my boxes and didn't realise but had enough items to do 22 (17 for older girls & 5 for younger girls)- am now a bit worried about the cost of sending the boxes

Lizbeth

I know what you mean... I got a bit carried away too - first I'd intended to do one, then five (as I was finding so many bargain multipacks!) and now I've had to limit myself to eight!

I've managed to persuade a few people at work to do shoeboxes too and have taken in leftover items from the multipacks for them to include in theirs.

angie_baby

Am I right in thinking that I can wrap the whole shoe boxes - I dont have to wrap the lid seperatly?

Thanks

Edit- for link romania

angie_baby

Also, would a bag / box of marbles be ok?