Operation Christmas Child 2010

queenlizard45uk

Ok, we all need to start thinking about OCC for next christmas as it will save us all money!!

Remember all the pens, pencils, toothbrushes etc

Does anybody live near Manchester/chester/wrexham and fancy helping me do a shoe box party next year?????

I really need some help.

littlestar1981

Hi queenlizard45uk

What does a shoe box party involve?

queenlizard45uk

littlestar1981 wrote: »

Hi queenlizard45uk

What does a shoe box party involve?

Hello littlestar!

Basically, you get a shoebox, cover it with pretty xmas paper and fill it with goodies for a child which is then sent abroad.
Fill it with stuff like, pens, paper, games, toothbrush, lollipop. No liquids, war related toys, chocolate etc

A shoe box PARTY is where alot of people collect certain things through the year.
One person can collect pens and pencils.
At the end of the year, you bring all your stuff together and you can then pick items from each person to create LOTS of shoe boxes to send.

This is my plan!!!!!

borders_dude

queenlizard45uk wrote: »

Hello littlestar!

Basically, you get a shoebox, cover it with pretty xmas paper and fill it with goodies for a child which is then sent abroad.
Fill it with stuff like, pens, paper, games, toothbrush, lollipop. No liquids, war related toys, chocolate etc

A shoe box PARTY is where alot of people collect certain things through the year.
One person can collect pens and pencils.
At the end of the year, you bring all your stuff together and you can then pick items from each person to create LOTS of shoe boxes to send.

This is my plan!!!!!

Sounds good in theory!

queenlizard45uk

hehe, yes it does!
Lots of people in America have them, mostly done in churches though.
I want to do one here though, in the UK.

And, as Im from Wrexham, and this is where Operation Christmas Child was BORN... I want to bring it back!

Why should America get all the praise, this is a british tradition really!!!!

you_wicked_gay

This sounds like a fantastic idea

I remember doing one of these every year in high school (i'm 21..so it wasn't that long ago haha) and I had loads of fun covering my shoe box and filling it with items

CathChat

What are you putting in your boxes this year?

kingfisherblue

I've got my Brownies involved with shoeboxes this year. Hopefully at least some of them will return them, but I realise that it is really the parents and not the kids at that age. Some parents sounded interested when I gave out the information though.

My mum and I have been collecting things throughout the year, for ourselves and my three children to make some boxes. As well as toothbrushes and toothpaste, we have soaps, combs, hair brushes and accessories, small teddies, packs of cards, rulers that have stencils in them, notepads, erasers and sharpeners, pencils, felt tip pens, sanitary towels, deodorant (roll on), small toys such as yoyos. I can't remember what else.

To be moneysaving, have a look in gift sets that you have received in the past - I send the fancy soaps in boxes for the girls (especially teens). Wilkinsons and Asda have party favours - I've included small flutes in boxes for primary aged children. BOGOF of sanitary towels and other items save you money when filling the boxes - my daughter is making boxes for teenage girls. She's also included a bracelet, some nice stationery and hair clips. Home Bargains have tubs of lollies quite cheaply, and they have a long date on them. The pound shops sometimes sell tennis balls at 3 for £1. I also look our for stuff in sales - Wilkinsons was selling pencil cases for 5p a couple of months ago.

A few bits a week doesn't add much to the family shopping bill, but you can get quite a bit of stuff that way. We're looking at making ten boxes this year, but we might have enough for a couple more.

The kids get quite excited and I think it's important that they realise that some children are far less fortunatethan they are.

stclair

We are doing this at work and have done for the last few years.

I think its a great idea but its a pain wrapping the shoe boxes ;-)

Ianna

I love shoe box appeals! They're a great way to help people. I don't do it for Op Christmas Child because of the controversy around it instead I do it for Link romania who are a really great charity. I like that the shoeboxes go to a family and not just a child.

annie-c

Ianna wrote: »

I love shoe box appeals! They're a great way to help people. I don't do it for Op Christmas Child because of the controversy around it instead I do it for Link romania who are a really great charity. I like that the shoeboxes go to a family and not just a child.

I feel uncomfortable with the evangelical aspect of OCC too and think Link Romania is a fantastic alternative