It’s with great joy and anticipation that our Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoeboxes are filled and will be taken to our local drop point this morning!
Today is the last day to drop the boxes off, so check for a location near you if you’ve forgotten to do so.
Although we don’t have a final cost per box yet, it is a lot less than other years. It’s like the miracle of the loaves and fishes!
Anna and Mary shopped throughout the year for sales. For example, after Resurrection Sunday (Easter), they bought candy (not chocolate) and stuffed animals for heavily discounted prices. They found knit stocking caps for $.10 earlier in the spring. At the end of the summer, they bought flipflops on clearance. At back to school time, they purchased notebooks and pencils for a great sale. In between holidays and events, they checked the clearance aisle at Wal-Mart, along with keeping an eye on Amazon for special deals. Anna also bought yarn from Joann’s when she received a $5 off coupon, again making it hardly any cost. So if you receive a $5 off coupon to a store, think again before you decide it’s not worth buying something!
Then, last week, we girls went shopping to round out the boxes. Since boys 10-14 are probably less-purchased for, and our desire is for them to have items that would be useful in a life skill, Anna and Mary bought tools at Harbor Freight.
So make it a family project, and start collecting for next year! Most of all, pray for those who will receive your gift and hear the good news of the Gospel!
Love,
Sarah
As I finished this post, I couldn’t help but add this picture of Melanie and her kiddos yesterday afternoon before they dropped off their boxes. The joy of giving continues!
“For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth;
the poor also, and him that hath no helper.”
Psalm 72:12
You are amazing! We need more people like you all … people who are willing to give their lives for Christ. Keep up the good work. Blessings.
Yay! Great job on the boxes! We shop all year long for our boxes also. Harbour Freight is great for the tools ~ we love to use their freebie coupons for shoebox items…screwdriver sets, flashlights, etc. Great for older boy boxes! Happy Thanksgiving week!
Have you thought about doing Angel Giving Tree through the Salvation Army? That is my favorite Christmas project. You can even pick a child online. There are so many children in need in the US and throughout the world. I too shop all year around. It is my passion to find the best price. I too love shopping at Kohl’s. The store had a $5 off coupon last week. This week I received a $10 off coupon for Black Friday. Sears also has some really good tool deals on Black Friday. Maybe you can do Angel Giving Tree in addition to OCC. The holiday season is all about giving.
This is so wonderful to see! Our family will be volunteering at the OCC Warehouse here in Dallas on Wednesday.
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So much fun! Enjoy!
Beautiful!!! I have always wanted to do this ut have never gotten around to it!!! 🙁 But this year I am definitley going to do it. Thanksfor the great post!!
Your Christmas box posts have been great. As a processing center volunteer, I have learned that simple sewing kits can help a girl learn a trade. I use my fabric store coupons for small boxes and notions, but large pill bottles work well, too. Some folk fit the essentials for fishing in a pill bottle in the boys boxes!
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Good idea! Anna and Mary did include some fishing supplies last year but didn’t this year.
We bought those same dolls for our girl boxes. We did 5 this year, one in honor of each of my children. Next year there will be one more to add to the pile. I agree with shopping sales, we bought notebooks, crayons, pencils, and erasers for like 5 or 10 cents a piece when the back to school sales were going on. Also, Harbor freight is always putting out “free item” coupons, that would be a great way of stocking up on stuff without spending a cent.
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Congratulations on your new baby on the way. 🙂
We have been assembling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child since my kids were preschoolers (now middle schoolers) and we love this ministry! We also shop all year round, and save things like note pads that come in the mail, hard candy from holidays all year long, etc. to include in our boxes. It truly is more blessed to give than to receive, and I love when my children catch a glimpse of that in a very practical way. I love when my 11 year old brings me a trinket or a toy that she’s been given in the middle of the summer and asks me, “Mom, could we save this for this year’s shoeboxes?”
Forgot to ask-do ya’ll do the online tracking on the boxes? We do and then learn a little about the country where they are sent during school. It also gives us an opportunity to pray specifically for that country.
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Yes, we do too!
We’ve done shoeboxes in the past, and I love to shop special sales throughout the year and after holidays. But I’ve never considered Harbor Freight or Joann’s. Thanks for the encouraging post and great ideas.
Such a wonderful ministry project! Loved seeing these photos, and what a blessing these gifts will be to precious children in other countries.
Love, Mrs. Patti 🙂