https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:06:15 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2399849 Thu, 24 Dec 2015 18:53:27 +0000 misolee 2399849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Regberadaisy</p> <p>I just got an email telling me where the box is going and that its on its way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2397088 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 13:11:18 +0000 regberadaisy 2397088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@misolee: @snowjewelz: @Mamaof2: did any of you do the $7 tracking ticket before? When do the boxes typically get delivered? Before, on, or after Christmas? Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357775 Mon, 16 Nov 2015 09:50:40 +0000 snowjewelz 2357775@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357726 Mon, 16 Nov 2015 09:19:55 +0000 vnvdvci 2357726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to participate in this as a kid in elementary school, but I'm personally not comfortable with them using these donations as an evangelical tool. I'd love to find an alternative. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357685 Mon, 16 Nov 2015 08:49:57 +0000 MrsBrewer 2357685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes legit, our church sends hundreds of these each year!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357655 Mon, 16 Nov 2015 08:08:53 +0000 regberadaisy 2357655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@simplyfelicity: that's a great idea! Will save for next year. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357609 Mon, 16 Nov 2015 00:54:55 +0000 simplyfelicity 2357609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! Totally legit! I usually use a plastic container (the ones that are meant for shoes) so the child has some sort of storage for the future. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357533 Sun, 15 Nov 2015 21:41:47 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2357533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: yeah I really appreciated the real world examples in this post. I hadn't found that elsewhere. I'm going to go by this post to pack my shoeboxes. I love the soccer ball idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357514 Sun, 15 Nov 2015 21:24:59 +0000 regberadaisy 2357514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: thank you for that link! I was wandering through the target travel aisle yesterday thinking I don't think the will have a use for travel toothbrush cases. But that post brought up a good point! Lots of them. We're not dropping off till Saturday so I'm going to adjust some of my items. Thanks!<br /> I'm a little worried about the webkinz elephant now. I was reading on the website to include one big wow item that a child will love. I didn't take into consideration what an elephant might be in another country / culture. </p> <p>I'm thinking about starting a shoe packing get together next year for a bunch of friends with young kids. </p> <p>@Torchwood: we're not religious. At all. But we're fine with the Christian affiliation because the intent is good. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357508 Sun, 15 Nov 2015 21:19:54 +0000 Torchwood 2357508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: I'm already familiar with it, but I wanted to say thank you for letting people know it's a Christian organization that proselytizes in addition to the gifts. If I didn't know, I would want to be told so I could take that into consideration. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357491 Sun, 15 Nov 2015 21:06:13 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2357491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! Definitely legit - I've been doing shoeboxes ever since I was a kid. My mom took us to target/dollar store/walmart and we helped pick things out for the kids, pack the boxes, and drop them off. A lot of churches do shoebox packing events, and those can be a lot of fun.</p> <p>I found this article awhile back and shared it on FB. It has some really great pointers on what to pack and what not to pack (beyond the list Samaritan's Purse provides): <a href="http://garrett.with.sim.org/index.php/archives/1675" rel="nofollow">http://garrett.with.sim.org/index.php/archives/1675</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357384 Sun, 15 Nov 2015 19:47:16 +0000 regberadaisy 2357384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: lots of great stuff at Target One spot! You can have your daughter help you put the items in the box? Or just be there? We did it as a family and DH just held the 14 month. It was nice and we plan to do this yearly. Next year we'll do two boxes, one from each girl. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357366 Sun, 15 Nov 2015 19:28:35 +0000 Charm54 2357366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our daycare does them too...this reminds me that I have to fill our box this week. I was going to take DD with me to pick out the items but at 2 I don't think she'd get it. I'll probably just fill it myself and next year have her take a more active roll </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2357358 Sun, 15 Nov 2015 19:23:09 +0000 regberadaisy 2357358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've seen a few people post on IG. :)</p> <p>What did everyone fill their boxes with? What gender and age group?</p> <p>We picked to fill the box for a 2-4 year old girl because we thought it would be the easiest for DD1 to grasp.<br /> We went to Target and let her pick out a few things with us.<br /> Ended up filling it with a Webkinz elephant, multipack of toothbrushes, bar of soap, Frozen coloring activity pack, holiday stickers pad, mini xylophone, mini pack of ABCs and 123s wooden blocks, a blue polka dot bow, mini hairbrush and some hair ties.<br /> ETA: my 3.5 year old also made a card and DH helped the 14m "make" a card.</p> <p>I also thought it was worthwhile to donate the $7 so I can show DD where in the world it went to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342999 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 12:07:03 +0000 .twist. 2342999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: our daycare gets the boxes and they ask the parents for donations. Then they take the donations and fill the boxes accordingly and ship them off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342980 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:55:44 +0000 regberadaisy 2342980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@abmamma: your daycare pays for the contents themselves? That's awesome!</p> <p>Eta: oops saw your update. I think I will suggest this next year for the 3 &amp; 4 rooms. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342977 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:53:55 +0000 abmamma 2342977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: at our preschool, they provided the boxes but asked parents to donate the $7 for shipping. It's all voluntary but I think most families participated.</p> <p>eta: the families donated items for the boxes too </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342974 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:52:18 +0000 snowjewelz 2342974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: They don't mess with your boxes! They get checked to make sure no forbidden items are in there (my friends volunteered at the big packing location once). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342970 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:50:58 +0000 regberadaisy 2342970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: so, they go through the boxes and put something in? I'm fine with it being a Christian organization as long as I'm not forced to participate in the religious aspect. :P I saw it through a blogger and she had put travel size toothpaste etc in there! </p> <p>@abmamma: @.twist.: I was just thinking this would be a great daycare activity. Where do the box items come from? Does daycare pay for it or do they ask for parent donations? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342948 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:37:32 +0000 abmamma 2342948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD's preschool (which is part of a church) does this every year with the kids. It was a nice way to introduce the concepts of gratitude for what we have and the fact that not everyone is as lucky as we are. DD seemed to enjoy helping to fill the shoebox too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342878 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:53:40 +0000 .twist. 2342878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's great! Our daycare organizes ours and we bring in stuff for them to box up. </p> <p>I also used to do this in school too as a kid. They've been around for a LOOOONG time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342872 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:51:40 +0000 snowjewelz 2342872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ash: Haha yeah!! We just started showing them this week. I really loved that article too; I feel like I've def put things in there that they could not appreciate before. And I never ever thought about soap/tooth brush containers for them... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342860 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:44:32 +0000 Ash 2342860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: :grin: did you see the promo video this year? I laughed so hard! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342853 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:41:29 +0000 snowjewelz 2342853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ash: Oh ahha I didn't realize you shared the same link :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342852 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:40:56 +0000 snowjewelz 2342852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Yes! Our church does a HUGE drive every year for at least the last decade! Just so you know though, it is a Christian organization and with the shoeboxes, the Gospel is shared with the children. But I still encourage people to do it even if they are not religious; we show the promo videos and the pure joy on these children's faces is priceless. </p> <p><a href="http://garrett.with.sim.org/index.php/archives/1675" rel="nofollow">http://garrett.with.sim.org/index.php/archives/1675</a></p> <p>This is a really great article on what the kids really like/need. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342755 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 09:39:49 +0000 sleepybear 2342755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've done a box a few times, and think it's a great organization. There should be some videos somewhere on the website too, that show the kids getting their boxes if you want to help your LOs understand the concept better. My understanding is that the $7 is per box, but it's not necessary (if you do it online, though, you can track where your box ends up - which I think is neat) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342741 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 09:32:10 +0000 regberadaisy 2342741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@misolee: thanks for the tips about the coloring page!</p> <p>I'm thinking I'll take her to Target dollar spot or dollar tree and pick out a few things. What kind of countries have your packages gone to? I know there's a list of suggested items on the site. Will have to check it out. Too late this year to coordinate but I think next year it will be fun to get a group of kids together and make this into a shoebox stuffing party! :)</p> <p>Awesome! @Mamaof2: @coopsmama: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342738 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 09:31:25 +0000 Ash 2342738@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely legit! We're doing it for the 1st time this year.<br /> great resource: <a href="http://garrett.with.sim.org/index.php/archives/1675" rel="nofollow">http://garrett.with.sim.org/index.php/archives/1675</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342732 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 09:29:52 +0000 coopsmama 2342732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's a great organization! I've participated many times. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/operation-christmas-child#post-2342693 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 08:49:31 +0000 misolee 2342693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@REGBERADAISY I've done a shoebox way before LO was born. It's a fun thing to give back during the holidays. </p> <p>I started doing a shoebox for her since she was born too. And will start for Lo2 that's coming.<br /> She was 2.5 last yr and kind of understood that it was for our friends around the world and she enjoyed running around dollar store and picking out stuff.</p> <p>This year, it's easier to explain its for another friend bc she gets it more. Oh and they also have these coloring sheets on their website that LO can do and include in the box to make it more personal. </p>