Operation Christmas Child
Here at UK Christmas World this year we are supporting the Samaritan’s Purse project – Operation Christmas Child. This may be a programme you have heard of before, it is quite a popular way that people give to charity over the festive period.
Samaritans Purse was founded in 1970 by Bob Pierce. It is an international relief and development organisation working through local churches to demonstrate the love of God throughout communities in Central Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe.
Operation Christmas Child began in 1993, where the charity collected and delivered more than 124 million shoeboxes to more than 150 countries and territories. They may only be small shoeboxes, but once they are filled with fun, the effects can last forever!
We would love if you would be able to help us this year to spread the magic of Christmas to children all over the world who are less fortunate than ourselves. You can help to change a child’s life somewhere in the world from the power of one simple shoebox.
Click here to see a video on exactly how a Christmas gift from someone like you may effect a child somewhere in the world this Christmas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ArtadSwg8
You can pick up a leaflet in our store, or follow the steps on the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Website, to see the best ways to fill your box. Perfect gifts can include:
- A ‘wow’ item, such as a doll, cuddly toy, a flat football with a pump
- Other fun toys – bouncy balls, animal figures, puzzle games, simple dressing up items, colouring books and pencils, toy cars, flip flops, t-shirt, cuddly toys etc.
- Hygiene items – toothbrush, toothpaste, flannel, bar of soap, sponge etc.
- School supplies – notebook, pencils, coloured pencils, crayons, pencil case, stamp and ink pad set etc.
- You could also include a note and/or photo of yourself or group
- DO NOT INCLUDE Used or damaged items, war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures, chocolate or food, liquids or lotions, medicines, handmade or knitted stuffed toys, playing cards of the 4-suit variety, breakable items such as glass containers, aerosol cans, clothing or items of a political, racial or religious nature.
How to pack your shoebox…
1. Find an empty shoebox (average size) and wrap it in colourful paper (wrap the box and lid separately).
2. Decide if your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Use the boy/ girl labels (they can be downloaded or printed from the website). Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape it to the top of your box.
3. Fill the box with a variety of fun toys, hygiene items and school supplies, as well as something to love like a doll or soft toy but don’t include items that are on the DO NOT INCLUDE list.
4. Help cover shipping and other costs related to delivering your shoebox to a child overseas by donating £3 for each one you prepare. You can give online to discover the destination of your box, or you can write a cheque to Samaritan’s Purse or include cash in an envelope. Place the cheque/cash on top of the items inside your shoebox. If you are preparing multiple shoeboxes, please make one combined donation.
5. Place a rubber band around each closed shoebox and take it to a drop off point.
Please return your completed shoebox to us at UK Christmas World before 1st November 2015.
We hope that you might take the time this year to help us make a child’s Christmas special this year. Please join us in supporting this very worthy cause this Christmas