Living in Australia we are faced with a multitude of #firstworldproblems like finding time to do the Christmas shopping within our busy lives of work, parenting and other commitments. But how about people — specifically children — in developing countries, who might not even receive a Christmas present? The thought of it breaks my heart. That’s why I’m getting behind Operation Christmas Child this month and asking you, my lovely readers, to fill a shoebox and donate it. Then make a $9 donation per box to help it get to its destination and track its progress online. If you don’t have time or a dropff location near you, you can make a general donation instead.
This is an initiative I always took part in as a school child. I loved choosing things for my shoebox, wrapping it in festive paper and knowing it would bring joy to another child less fortunate than me. If you have kids, this is a lovely activity to do with them. This short video explains what to put in it. Download your labels here for boys and here for girls.
Here’s a list of dropoff points for your shoebox. Please drop off by the end of this month.
ONE MORE THING!
To encourage other people to get involved too, I’d love you to share a photo of your finished shoebox or of you/you and your kids filling your shoebox on Instagram. Please tag @interiorsaddict and use the hashtag #interiorsaddictshoebox We’ll be sharing the best ones.
Last but not least, I challenge you to watch this video and not want to take part. I cried!
A record 316,323 kids in seven countries received shoeboxes from Australia and New Zealand last year.
Thank you so much in advance! Jen x
4 replies on “Pack a shoebox with gifts and make a child’s Christmas”
Tread carefully here….you should research this organisation before promoting it on your site. It is a Billy Graham organisation and all is not what it seems with Operation Christmas Child. Many schools and businesses in the UK (including major supermarket chains) have boycotted this “charity” as a result of its close connection with the Billy Graham Foundation. FYI. I know your heart is in the right place, and i love your blog, but you should reconsider. If you read this, Thanks. Natasha Perkins
Thanks Natasha. At the end of the day the end result is still a great one though?
Well, it all depends if you think that Muslim children having to hear an evangelical Christian sermon from “missionaries” before being allowed to have their gifts is a great result. I know first hand that “fair trade” extends to homewares too, and those communities that we like to value and protect can be slowly eroded by the practice of consumerist purchase- in this case be it with “gifts’, or the gift of the “gospel”. Muslim parents in Africa generally aren’t that interested in their kids being fed some Christian nonsense so that they can be given some gifts that they could never afford to buy, but could probably do without anyway and that their religion doesn’t even recognise. I’m not the only one that thinks it’s insulting- there’s a whole movement against this “Christmas Child” business- and that’s what it is by the way- that it seems you don’t know about. It all looks squeaky clean and wonderful from the outside, but the Graham foundation are racist, ecumenical evangelists with money in mind- a fact that has been proven in a court of law. It’s not a conspiracy theory- and I just thought you should know. Peace!<3