Not dropping Santa down the chimney!: 2025 Santa, Shoebox & Life Chit,Chat,Chunter! ALL welcome....

Katiehound

25,281 shoeboxes en route to E Europe.

Well done us for contributing even a tiny bit!! as that well known supermarket says " Every little helps!"

Auti

Well done to everyone who took part in- I am in awe of you. 

Happy_Kitties

We played a tiny bit, but those tiny bits add up to big bits and thank you to everyone, esp @Auti for your support, it is much appreciated.

2 more Bags of Joy dropped off, 52 Bags completed and also extra bits handed over. Put some care sets together which were part of a last minute call out for a cause. 

Katiehound

@Auti, thanks for your comment.

If you are not able to do a complete shoe box you could always make things to go inside like hats & mittens /gloves or buy a few bars of soap, cheap toothbrushes, small toys etc. The list is on the web page.
Have a look on the Link to Hope website on the 'getting boxes to us' link and it will show if there is a collector in your area. Of course you can always post stuff but that is an expensive way of doing it.

I collect things all year round especially if I see a bargain!

Hope the treatment is going well

Take care xxx

Katiehound

HAPPY CHRISTMAS to everyone  and wishing us all contentment & joy in the New Year . I suspect we all wish for peace in the world and I hope that is not impossible.

Anyone who would like to watch the shoebox story please watch here- what joy one shoebox crammed with goodies can bring. These deliveries took place in Bulgaria

https://linktohope.co.uk/shoebox-delivery-diary-2025/

Happy_Kitties

Really good Christmas and lots of activities done in the run up to Christmas, if anything I did abit too much and was more disorganised with the wrapping of presents but did have the kitchen gutted and completely redone, which meant the tree went up later. 

Have just ordered some pyjamas in the Ar gos sale to pop away from the Bags of Joy which were very diverse this year.

Have been lucky enough to pick up bargains already from Lush, Boots, George etc, some will be for presents 2026, many items are for charity. Some things have been popped away for the Bags of Joy.

i read the shoebox diary @Katiehound, it is a very humbling read and that people cannot understand why someone else would think of them. Have quite a few bits ready for the 2026 boxes and for the shoebox hub, both for their shoeboxes and local projects.
I am really going to try and do 11 boxes again. If I can do it this year, I can do it next year!!

chanie

hi Everyone,

i hope you all had a lovely Christmas.  I’ve been MIA, just had other things going on.  But, i got Christmas sorted and got some good bargains.

Have already bought a few bits for Xmas 2026, but now is the start of birthday season, as we have quite a few  over the next few months.  DS turns sweet 16 in the spring, so i’m not sure what we are going to do for that.  

Happy_Kitties

Great to hear from you @chanie.
Pleased that you got Christmas sorted as I remember you in the past running out of time.

i don’t envy you with DS with his birthday and turning 16. I always found girls easy to buy for, DD at 26 is still very easy to buy for,  but I’ve a couple of boys in the family and they are hard, the older they get, even harder, and what they want to do. I don’t envy you!

chanie

DD13 decided she wanted a beauty advent calendar for Christmas, but asked for it way too late.  I’ve decided to make her one for next Xmas as it means i can buy stuff that will be used.  

In some way, DS15 is easier to buy for as he doesnt want much and is happy with whatever you give him.  DD on the other hand, is very fussy and wants to choose everything herself (and doesn’t want to admit i’ve got her something she actually ends up liking).


a few gift ideas that went down well:

- handbag hook 
- luggage tag (try Etsy)
- personalised wooden chopsticks (shein)
- handbag charm 
- personalised drinking glass

chanie

DD told me she wants a beauty advent calendar for Christmas 2026 and i decided to make her one as i think ill be able to do a better quality one myself. So far, i have a bath bomb and a face mask, which i picked up today.

For Xmas, i made my niece a hamper, filled with lots of craft items, toys and sweets, which she seemed to love, so i think ill do that again this year.