ShannonAlbert.com - June 2009

A few times over the years, we've participated in Operation Christmas Child. The concept is that you take a shoe box, put necessary stuff in it (hygiene items, toys, school supplies), wrap it and take it a drop-off center. The boxes are then taken to third world countries where the items are needed to give children for Christmas.

You can choose the gender and age range so I've always picked whatever corresponded to the kids. I think it helps them develop empathy to understand that somebody like them needs all of these things. Also, it's nice to see the kids giving away the very things they might like to have.

Blake and I had a lot of fun going through the list and finding things for our boxes. His great reading skills came in handy as we tracked things down. Funny enough, we ran into another group with the same list so we worked together on getting what we needed.

Loading the shoe boxes with our stuff. They were SO full. Blake said he thinks it would be fun to get a shoe box full of presents. I suggested maybe that's what he should get this year. He responded "no, only if I didn't have anything, this would be fun." :)


Wrapping the lid and box separately....tough for me to do. Took a little while and came out kinda bumpy but it'll work.


Wrapped, rubber banded, labeled and postage included.


Last step is to take it to the drop-off center around the corner. All boxes are due between November 17 and 24 so if you would like to participate, download the information form here and then find your local drop-off center.

First wrapped presents of the season...what a nice way to start!