This is the first time I have heard about this program before, but I am excited to be a small part of it!
Operation Christmas Child donates millions of gifts every year to children all over the world who would've otherwise not received a single Christmas present. I can only imagine the stories those children will tell their children when they get older about the wonderful gifts they recieved from perfect strangers.
I have wanted to do something special with my kids this Christmas, and this just seems too worthy not to try!
Here is what I plan to do, and maybe it will spark some ideas for you to become involved as well!
First, we are hitting up the Dollar Store! I am going to give my kids $10 each to buy items they would think a little boy and girl would like to get- small toys, coloring book & crayons, toothbrush etc. We are going to write letters and print pictures of our family and then place all items into a shoe box. All there is to do next is drop them off at our nearest drop center. (They have thousands all over the US in every state!)
For more information and to find the closest drop center to your house, please visit the OCC Homepage.
Lets get involved everyone! Blog about it and add your link to THIS site to show your support and be entered to win a fun prize pack!
Our church has done this for several years...dollar store, target dollar spot and walmart cheap toy isle has lots of good things for these boxes. A few other ideas are toothbrushes, new socks and collect some of your extra halloween candy to use as packing "filler" in the shoe box! :) Happy shopping!
ReplyDeleteFamily Christian Bookstores are giving out boxes and taking the boxes back when you are done filling them.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great program we've been involved in for several years. I have even been to the Atlanta distribution center twice to help prepare the boxes for shipping. Be sure to put hard candy (no chocolate) in each of your boxes. That is one thing the center tries to be sure is in each box when they go through inspection. I'm going to link up my post from last year's trip. http://thecreekmorefour.blogspot.com/2008/12/operation-christmas-child.html
ReplyDeleteDo you send these toys to countries that don't celebrate Christmas?
ReplyDeleteI am SO glad you're participating! This has been a huge tradition for our family each year, the kids get into it, and we get to teach them about people all across the world!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are participating. I can't tell you how much those boxes mean to those kids!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to include a card with your family's name and mailing address on it. My Mom actually gets mail from a girl who receives one of her boxes and they mail regularly now!