Last year I hosted a big Operation Christmas Child party. It was super fun, but also a super big deal. This year, we went low-key and did an Operation Christmas Child playdate. My friend Vanessa from Silly Eagle Books came over with her two cuties and we packed shoeboxes all morning!
Of course, when I woke up that morning, I realized, “We don’t have any shoeboxes!” Last year, I had the fold-able red and green boxes from OCC and it did not even cross my mind to gather actual SHOEBOXES to pack this year.
So, thirty minutes before Vanessa got to our house, the kids and I ran to the Dollar Tree and bought 20 plastic shoeboxes. Vanessa beat us home. So, that’s always some nice hospitality.
Between forgetting boxes and not paying for shipping, I know Operation Christmas Child is grateful I’m blogging for them!
First we let the kids sort all the gifts. I think that might classify as homeschooling, don’t you? Sorting? Definitely, math. (And although that picture doesn’t look like it, they were sorted. I promise.)
After sorting, we started packing. We made sure every box got toothpaste, toothbrush, socks, notebook and pencils. Everything else was a free for all.
The kids were so cute packing them up and choosing what could go inside. I love to see their little hearts and minds work out the gifts.
Once we hit the end of polite-children-packing-shoeboxes and hit crazy-kids-running-around-the-house we stopped for lunch and a coloring sheet. Lydia loves filling out this sheet every year–it’s an easy way to send something personalized to a kid around the world.
In all we packed 22 boxes. That’s 22 kids who will get a Christmas gift this year!
It’s National Packing Week for Operation Christmas Child which is another way of saying PACK A BOX AND DROP IT OFF! You will be surprised at how many drop-off locations are near your home. (Five within 25 miles of me!) Our church is one of the drop off sites and our goal is to collect 15,000 shoeboxes (it’s a big church). It makes me excited thinking about all the boxes being packed this week because one box equals one child!
Oh, and don’t forget to follow the 100 Millionth Shoe Box tour on Facebook. Super fun!
Have you packed a shoebox this year?
Great idea! I love the thought of doing a shoebox packing playdate! We collect stuff all year long for OCC. After-holiday markdowns and toy clearance aisles are my friends. Then when November hits, we pull out all the bins of collected goodies and see how many boxes we can make. Last year we reached a family record of 30 boxes!
I think this is such a wonderful idea! I definitely want to plan to do this next year and invite some of my children’s friends over. Thank you for posting! 🙂
My daughters were just watching the Veggie Tales Live DVD. My 6 yr old came up and said (and I mostly quote), “On the bonus features they were talking about World Vision, which is for helping children in need, and I saw Amanda from Oh Amanda!”
(So, from this comment we learn that I let my kids watch DVDs alone and I read blogs when my kids are around. I think I’ll be preparing a craft now.)
Hi Amanda, I would like to thank you for blogging about all of the wonderful ideas and things that you do with your children. I’m the mother of a beautiful three year old little girl, Gracie Kate, who I want to instill Christian values into. I grew up in a household where Christian values weren’t taught to say the least. It was a home where domestice violence, drug and alchohol abuse prevailed. I’m so thankful that God pave a different way for me! Sometimes it’s hard to come up with things or model things that I’ve never been taught myself. I’m thankful for those I can learn from so that I can help my daughter have a different life. We are planning to sponsor a child through World Vision and also participate in Operation Christmas Child. What a blessing! Thank you for doing what you do on the blog and keep up the great work! Many blessings to you and your family!
Lovely post and terrific charity!
We packed our boxes at church this week in a big brigade. It was a blast!
A few weeks ago we gathered up a bunch of our kiddos and gave them each one of those awesome cardboard shoeboxes to hold. I took a large group photo that was more candid than posed. What a hoot!
I sized the photo at 5×7, and we printed it on an 8 1/2 x 11 white paper after we added CSS logo and church name. There was room for the kids to write a note in the white margins and draw an arrow to themselves. We taped the print to the inside of the lid. The kids loved it and so did we, and we hope our recipients will as well!
How fun! I haven’t been to a OCC packing party in awhile, but they are fun. We have just been putting together boxes as a family, and it has been great to share with our girls more about why we do it and who it is going to. 🙂
We had fun!! Thanks for inviting us. It did get a little loud at the end…but I guess that is part of the fun for kids. 😉
Amanda,
We pack shoeboxes every year! Love the photos of your playdate.
Lyndse
http://theballews.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/second-day-of-christmas-we-wish-you-a-merry-birthday/
I have never heard of OCC but would love to be a part of it. I live in Texas and don’t see any drop off locations in my state. 🙁 hmm maybe I should change that for next year!
Too fantastic. ..did this couple years ago! I cover shoe boxes with comic paper & decorate them with personal themes! Have quite a few in my God’s Craft Room waiting to be done,also use old calendar pictures etc.! My granddaughter,Amanda was called HOME 2 weeks after turning 15, Thanksgiving 2007! Along with her 9 yr.old brother,Jacob. ..passengers in dune buggy hit by train in Glamis! Love doing for kids as i miss my grandchildren immensely! They always thought of those less blessed than them & were ready to help…i can do no less!!
I love this idea of a OCC playdate!! It isn’t ofter that we can get all of our mom’s group together anymore. You know, ’cause they have school an all. lol But this would do it! I was looking for something to do together and was thinking cookie exchange etc. but just wasn’t sold on the idea completely! This however fits the bill! Keep on doing what you’re doing because the rest of us love to hear and read about it all!