Santa’s challenge 2020 ...

Katiehound

26,015 shoe boxes sent out by Link to Hope this year.

Congratulations to us on making some lives a little happier over the winter 

1 day ago:
"And the fourth truck just left Ferring. A massive and heartfelt thanks to every single person who played a part in the Shoebox Appeal this year. Even the smallest contribution has made a huge difference to a really successful year. And the final total is ...........26,015 Family & Elderly Shoeboxes winging their way towards Ukraine, Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria. The Shoebox Delivery Team leave this weekend for Moldova, so we will be updating you on what happens next."

Happy_Kitties

This will be the closest I get to shoebox royalty😇. The hub organiser I dropped my boxes off to with other bits for the care packages she makes up, despite a personal bereavement, I found out today that she has gone out as part of the Moldova team. When I dropped my boxes off, the stories she had from going out with them previously to Moldova were heartbreaking. She said that they don’t get enough elderly boxes, more are living on their own because any family have to work away to make any money.
I’ve already started to collect bits I’ve seen on special offer for the care packages next year and I think I will focus my shoeboxes for the elderly. It’s become part of my Christmas tradition now to do the shoeboxes and really hoping to volunteer at the hub next year

I’ve noticed that despite the cost of living and energy crisis, people are determined that it is not going to get the better of them. Going to Tesc@ tonight I saw more lights on display and lit than ever before and the toy collection trolley within the store stuffed full.
Plans of dropping things off to Duncle didn’t happen because of the weather so plan to get it done this Saturday.
Have bought two birthday presents ready for next year, they were a bargain. I’ve noticed bargains popping up everywhere. 
l’ve just got one present to wrap, the last card with letter went today and on Thursday I’m going out with a friend for a Christmas dinner to celebrate her birthday. Happy days🙂

Happy_Kitties

After all the weather issues, I finally got to drop a lot of stuff and gift bags off at Duncles. Very happy about this. He normally gets a fresh turkey from the butchers, but has got a frozen one as a back up this year which if he doesn’t use, has already planned to use it at Easter. He received his advent calendar late from me this year but it doesn’t really matter as he is bound to eat it in one go🤦‍♀️
Despite several family set up changes at Christmas over the years I still provide the gammon and beef. Yet to buy the beef.

The shoebox hub organiser has been putting a lot of stories and photos up of delivering the boxes on the hub fb page. I always hope I can see my boxes…..out of 26 thousand I think that is abit of wishful thinking from me🙈

There are so many early sales about. Picked up a couple more birthday presents and quite a few items for the charity auctions.

Did quite a few Christmas bits last week (Christmas bingo and friend’s birthday Christmas dinner) and have another week of a few things. I’m on top of things present wise, everything done and two thirds handed out so will just enjoy the week which includes going out for another Christmas dinner with a different friend which I am looking forward to. Determined not to get stressed or rushed by anything but just enjoy

chanie

Happy_Kitties said:

I always hope I can see my boxes…..out of 26 thousand I think that is abit of wishful thinking from me

i thought it was just me that did that!

i can’t remember what paper i wrapped mine in, but i’m i’m thinking of wrapping mine in something really stand out next year, as i may have a better chance of spotting my boxes. 

i still haven’t done any wrapping yet.  my plan of starting early didn’t work out.  i still have a few gifts to buy as well.  Oh dear, i’d better get moving.  it feels really strange having so much to do, as i m normally finished well before now.

Happy_Kitties

chanie said:

Happy_Kitties said:

I always hope I can see my boxes…..out of 26 thousand I think that is abit of wishful thinking from me

i thought it was just me that did that!

i can’t remember what paper i wrapped mine in, but i’m i’m thinking of wrapping mine in something really stand out next year, as i may have a better chance of spotting my boxes. 

I was planning on doing that for the 2023 shoeboxes aswell!😆

Chanie im surprised uve managed to do as much as u have with all the house building work going on, I would of gone into meltdown by now. Even sorting things out after to put back, it just stresses me out. I hope the wrapping is in full swing. 

I have been making the most of the cheap veg in the shops. Currently have a leek and potato soup on the go. My slow cooker will be earning its money this week. Popped into Morries last night to pick up remaining bits like peppercorns, forgot my bag but when I was popping the plastics into the recycling area someone had dumped the bags u have to pay a £1 for ready for the recycling. Picked up and took the bigger of the two bags, was nothing wrong with it. Ended up coming out with 3 bags full of stuff, veg very cheap like stir fry’s for lunches this week. As I was going past a staff member I briefly know was reducing a big trifle and asked if I wanted it. It was a £4 trifle (I would of never have paid £4for it) for 38p. There were a lot of smellie sets reduced, (so many places have gone to sale so early this year and the staff member was saying they had found people were more prepared and had spread Christmas out more) did some research after and I really picked up some bargains that I have put away for the care packages for the shoebox hub.
The shoebox hub lady who went out to Moldova put a very emotional story on fb of a lady she had visited for the third time and how emotional the lady was. It makes the shoeboxes so worthwhile.
The shoebox hub lady has already been receiving items for 2023.

Def won’t need to be buying any food next week. Will be living on soup and leftovers. We’ve all had orders for everyone to bring a spare plate and Duncle is going to plate up an extra dinner for everyone to take home. Duncle is very practical like that. Because he plates up very big dinners I ended up eating Christmas dinner 3 days in a row….not that I’m complaining, thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a full card of saving stamps so will leave using them until the end of the month and then do a big stock up that will easily see me through January and prob part of February. 

My only plan now is to stock up on more very cheap wrapping paper after Christmas for the shoebox hub (forgot to give them what I had bought for this year🤦‍♀️) and look out for some distinctive paper for my boxes😃

chanie

oh my goodness, i had to go out today to buy some presents and it was so busy and the roads were full of cars.  

…. that’s why we get prepared early on this thread, so we aren’t panicking at the last minute.  Despite not having all of 2022 sorted, i do have some gifts sorted for Xmas 2023 already 😂.

happy christmas to you all.

Anglea

Hi everyone, sorry I've been awol. I did eventually send a talking stick and I'll explain everything about it next week, however, even though I sent it weeks ahead it hasn't turned up so far. I've got DS1 and his wife arriving today so I don't have the time to do the replies as I haven't finished wrapping their gifts.

I hope it all goes well for you all, Happy Christmas my friends.

chanie

i went to Pandora this morning to get a gift and there was a queue, despite getting there for 9am.  luckily, i didn’t have to wait too long and as i had an idea of what i wanted, was in and out quite quickly.  i had some unexpected visitors pop in and didn’t have any gifts to give them, but had a few gifts in my stash that i could use, thank goodness.

Katiehound

Best wishes to everyone for a happy time.

I looked at all the Link to Hope photos on their Facebook page: lots of happy folk. I especially liked the video of the children opening their parcel: pretty much everything looked at, handled carefully and passed on.
Thank goodness they didn't have to unload the whole lorry load and weigh individual parcels when stuck on the Moldovan border: that must have been a very worrying time.

 I already have a lot of things for the 2023 boxes - but sad/annoyed/ angry that Tesco have increased the price for their 'Keep it handy' range from £1 to £1.50 that was where I bought my magnifying glasses and playing cards.....big increase.

Happy_Kitties

One present left to wrap to replace the missing present and my phone charger broke this afternoon so a quick dash into town and then to Tesc@ for a couple of bits. They were literally shouting out reduced items as being shut for two days they were desperate to get rid of a lot of stuff. I got quite a few items…..just about stuffed in the freezer which will really last me now.

Katiehound, in the photos there is a lady called Jane who went out with the Moldova team and runs the North Wales hub, they are also on Facebook. She also does care packages for the local area after the Link to Hope boxes are dispatched. 

I have to admit I did look at the photos closely to see if I could spot my shoeboxes😆, I would love to spot one of mine🙂.
if you’ve got a ‘W@rks’ nearby I’ve been getting my playing cards and occasionally dominoes from there for a £1. At the minute there hasn’t been a price increase with them, just stock can be hit and miss

Chanie having a stash is priceless, u just never know when u have to dip into it. 

Anglea im glad u managed to make a talking stick

Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful Christmas…..off to wrap that final present