It is that time of year again! Time to kick off our holiday season! Every year since Michael was a baby, we have kicked off our Christmas season with a very special project. We pack one OCC shoebox for each child. When a child turns 3 years old at our house, they get responsibility for packing a box for a child their age. We start with the plastic shoe storage containers. Each kid gets to hold their own box and fill it as we go. We start with the same staples; toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, and wash clothes. From there, they have freedom to put things in their boxes that they would like to get themselves. They have so much fun picking gifts. My favorite part comes when we get home. I set up a mini packing center where I call each of my children one at a time. We pack things neatly in the box and talk about why we are doing this. We talk about the things that God has blessed us with and how there are so many children that have never received a gift in their lives. By giving them this small gift, we are hoping that the child that gets that box knows that Jesus loves them and that someone is thinking about them and thinks they are worth taking time to pack them something special. After we pack that box, I have my child draw a picture and write a small letter to the one that will receive it. Once that is put inside, we place our hands on the box and pray together for the child that will receive it and that the box will make a difference. After that, we put the lid on and tape our label. This year we paid for shipping online and got a barcode for our labels. When they get to their destinations, our box will get scanned and we'll get an email about the country receiving our boxes. The kids are SO excited! And it is perfect for this year since our homeschool curriculum is about Countries and Cultures! That is always a plus! I try very hard to focus our entire Christmas season on the giving instead of the getting. This is our very favorite thing to get things started! This year, as the bigger boys will get allowance, we will challenge them to put a little aside each week and see how many shoe boxes they can pack next year. It blesses me as a mom to see that my children truly care about others and sincerely want to do what they can to help. As they have gotten older, it has become more real to them. It has gone from a fun project to a genuine love for others. And that is the goal!
To find a drop off location near you, go here
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