Operation Christmaschild Boxes

babymoo

This is a fab idea and something that I think about every year but have never known really what to do with it. I was wondering though, is there an shoebox appeal that allows the shoeboxes to go to kiddies in this country? You know like kids that spend xmas's in childrens homes or hostels etc?

Thanks

moonpenny

Where does it say about age ranges etc on the site?
On one site I read about last year, it gave age ranges and possible items to include for that age which I think is helpful.

Is everyone aware that you have to pay a donation of at least £2.50 per box?
This is not a problem if you are just doing 1 or 2, but if you are doing a few it will mount up.

SUESMITH_2

moonpenny wrote: »

Where does it say about age ranges etc on the site?
On one site I read about last year, it gave age ranges and possible items to include for that age which I think is helpful.

Is everyone aware that you have to pay a donation of at least £2.50 per box?
This is not a problem if you are just doing 1 or 2, but if you are doing a few it will mount up.

the label you stick on your box has age range boxes to tick and a male and female one too.

they have always asked for a donation towards delivery etc.

moonpenny

It must have been another site I was looking at last year where it gave an indication of age appropriate things to put in the boxes.

I was thinking of doing a couple of boxes for teenagers (not sure of what to include) It's easy to think of things for little ones so if anyone has any ideas?

Just wanted people to be aware of the "donation" for each box if they were making several up.

Katiehound

I haven't done boxes myself but have supplemented others!-e.g last year gave friend who is a TA stuff to put in the boxes at their school. here are some of my ideas

This morning I noticed in Wilkinson they have:
packs of lead pencils 30 or 36 in pack for £1
3 erasers for 32p (I think)- 2 boots+football in one pack, other designs also
4 heart erasers £1
pink or mauve hairbrushes 50 pence

In my local Scope shop they have 'jewellery' 3 for £1 includes bracelets, necklaces,hair elastics and 3 elastic headbands with a butterfly (that's one of the possible 3 for £1)

I was thinking you could dip the boring wood pencils in enamel paint on the end to make them look even better. No lead in paint these days!
Make felt pencil toppers- like finger puppets

If you can't find suitable puzzles like dot-to dot etc download from internet and make own booklets

Depends where boxes are going- in the past I have knitted mittens- they are easy and quite quick. The fun ones are striped and made from oddments for the young ones. (Made mitts for teenage boys too in darker colours)
Cheap beanie/bobble hats?
Solid stick deodorant for teenagers
Pair of gloves- bought or made- for little ones with embroidered faces and hair on the fingers- like finger puppets

Are you permitted to put a card inside with photo of the sender? perhaps you do that anyway.

NickyBo_2

Great idea for a thread on here

I organise the Christmas shoebox appeal at the school where I teach, we usually collect around 100 shoeboxes. Because we collect so many someone from the organisation comes to our school and collects them, even though we're not an offical drop off place.

If there are no drop off points near you, it could be worth contacting a local school and seeing if they are doing shoeboxes themselves. They may be able to take your shoebox rather than you travel a long distance. Definitely make sure you don't seal the box (they shouldn't be sealed anyway) as the school will probably need to give it a quick check before they take it just for safety/security.

Nicnax

Hi NickyBo, I'm thinking of suggesting this at my school. Can you give me an idea of how you run it at your school.

Dorastar

We do it at our school. If you contact the charity they will send you leaflets and stickers for the children to take home and will set up a pick up date when you have an idea of how many you are doing. We normally do a letter explaining what it is for/about, and there is a dvd you can get about what happens to the boxes which we've shown in assemblies. Set a date a few days in advance of collection date so children who forget have a day or two to remember and make sure you have somewhere to store them all. All the instructions are on the leaflets but we emphasise not to seal the boxes.

My mum volunteers at one of their sorting depots and she says they open every box to check it for suitability anyway so schools don't need to do this. If anything unsuitable is in then it is taken out and replaced with something appropriate as there are also rules about army toys and liquids. Anything taken out is sold and £ used to buy more things for the boxes. Will ask her if she has any ideas for teenage boxes.

elysia2003

My eldest is 20 and I have an 8 yr old too - so I tend to do one for a young girl and one for a teenager.

Wilkinsons have loads of bits - hair bobbles, scrunchies, hair brushes and things, and Stationary. I buy from Claires Accesories too - for Jewellery for older girls, usually when they have it for 10 items for £5.

According to the website - they are wanting to go with a sporting theme this year, so add balls, and skipping ropes and stickers and posters featuring the Olympics. etc. I'm sure they'll be out in the shops soon, so I'll have to keep an eye out.

candjsmum

As most people on here we have been doing them since dd and ds were babes always trying to do a box to match their age. So this year we will be doing one for a teenage girl and one for a 12 year old boy. I do gather things throughout the year and now is a great time to buy the "back to school" items which are reduced. If anyone is thinking of doing one, please try to put notebooks/ exercise books and pens and pencils in as if chicldren have these they can then go to school, which believe it or not they all really want to do. I have also bought a skipping rope for the girls box and tennis balls for the boys. Both have toothbrushes and toothpaste, flannels and soaps and then some other items. I have bought today bags of jelly babies bogof from tesco which have gone in. The date must normally be longer than March the following year, 2012 in this case and chocolate is not allowed. Just in case anyone wishes to do one and dont know what is allowed or not please check out the website as above thread as certain items aren't allowed, normally war related toys, toys which need batteries, reading books although picture books are ok and liquid items in case of spillage.
Hope all this helps someone and it really is a worthwhile cause.
Nicky:A