Operation Christmas child

The charity Samaritan's Purse run Operation Christmas Child.  This is a scheme that we've participated in for at least ten years, possibly longer.

The idea is best explained by the organisation itself
Fill a child's life with joy this Christmas.  Wrap, pack and send your own gift filled shoebox to a child in need with Operation Christmas Child.  I prefer to think of it as sending a parcel of love across the world.

So how does it work?
1. Find a shoe box
2. Decide if you want to send to a girl or boy and what age range
3. Select things to go inside the box
4. Do not include food, medicine, anything toxic or sharp, nothing war related or political.  Don't worry, there is lots of help on their website
5. Donate £2.50 for postage, if you do this online then you even find out where your box ends up
5. Drop your shoe box at a collection point between 1st and 18th November.

Our boxes 2011



We are doing two this year; one for a boy aged 2-4 years and one for a girl aged 5-9 years.

Girl aged 5-9 box will include:
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- brush
- flannel and soap 
- hair clips
- bangles and necklace
- skipping rope
- inflatable beach ball
- note book, pencil, sharpener, eraser
- gloves
- scarf
- cap
- sweet lolly

Boy aged 2-4 box will include:
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- brush
- flannel and soap 
- two dinky cars
- crayons and colouring book
- inflatable beach ball
- gloves
- scarf
- cap
- sweet lolly

I have always enjoyed producing the shoe box for a child, but it is even more fantastic now I have Rachel; she learns about children who have less than herself and makes her own box for a girl her age across the world.

For more information and to prepare your own box if love and joy please visit the scheme website at http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/