Boxes

We took a little trip this week, over to Storage King near Polytech.

Munchkin had a special delivery to make...

He insisted on holding a box all the way there.  And managed not to open it! (photo taken while waiting for seatbelt assistance!)

Six lovely boxes full of cute, useful, colourful gifts organised by myself and my mum.

The production line on my dining table last weekend!

Finished boxes!  I'm always slightly disappointed that it takes so little time to fill them all up!

There were teddies.
There were marbles, and skipping ropes, and plastic animals.

I like to fill my boxes well, but cheaply - three packets of marbles ($9 total?) and two of animals ($4-6 total) equaled enough toys for six boxes!  I already had skipping ropes in two, so the two lots here in the bowls got packaged up as 'spares' for other boxes (bowls included)!

There was stationery (LOTS and LOTS of stationery - pencils, erasers, rulers, sharpeners, notebooks, exercise books).
There were tshirts and shorts.
There were toothbrushes, flannels (facecloths), soap and even plastic soap containers.

Aren't these the CUTEST soft toys??

And there were draw string bags.  Made by me. I am rather proud of the achievement - I made them all by myself.  I did, sadly, forget that the drawstring would need room to tighten, and didn't leave enough space at the top, so they don't fit the exercise books I'd originally made them for, but they DO still fit lots of other things.  I'm sure they will be enjoyed.  And I will remember next year.

Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes are due into local drop off points around New Zealand by Sunday 20th of October.

You've got two and a bit weeks, people!  Head on down to your local Dollar Value store and get shopping!  Why not go as a family?  Turn it into a tradition.  We wrap and start packing our boxes every year at Christmas.  This year Munchkin helped me deliver them, like last year.  Next year I think I'll get him to fill a box himself, take him shopping with real money, get him to choose things, and put them in himself.

What to put in:

What to leave out:

A little something extra that made it's way into our boxes this year:

Cards given to me, printed image of our family with "love from..." written underneath.

Why not head out and fill a shoebox this weekend!  It's a fabulous lesson in generosity that makes a world of difference to a child who has so very little.

Amy

ps - and in case you're wondering how to fit an exercise book in a narrow shoebox:

Make sure to hold your tongue in the right position!

Squish!

Get the rubber band on fast!

One happy little girl in a few months' time!