To secretly fill a Christmas Charity shoebox with as good as new toys?

[ferriswheel]

I've filled an authentic one already. But all things considered I could do a great job of 'nearly new' version.

Or is this very bad karma?

[MyDcAreMarvel]

Nothing stays in its shoebox anyway, everything goes into huge pile in sorting centres. If the toys look new they will probably be ok.

[AnneGrommit]

Yabu to fill a shoebox at all, unless you're cool with children being proselytised to in exchange for toys by evangelical christians.

[Ladybirdbookworm]

ANNE are you kidding ?????

[ElfrideSwancourt]

No she isn’t I agree 100% with Anne

[AnneGrommit]

Not in the slightest. I thought people knew. Hang on and I'll find a link.

[AnneGrommit]

Here's some information:

humanistlife.org.uk/2015/10/14/why-parents-shouldnt-support-operation-christmas-child/

There are articles in the Guardian as well.

[manicinsomniac]

OP hasn't said this is Operation Christmas Child or indeed any organisation that sends the boxes overseas at all. It could be a local, secular organisation.

I do one organised through a facebook group every year. People send in names and addresses of children and elderly people in financial or emotional need and the organiser sends each volunteer an address or two to make up a box for. Nothing sinister involved and no strings attached at all.

Shoebox doesn't have to equal religious brainwashing.

[AnneGrommit]

Ok cool let's hope so.

But it's getting to that time of year so hopefully the link will be useful to someone.

[HappenedForAReisling]

It's useful to me. I had no idea.

[IamSerena]

Anne is absolutely right. It's shocking how they get away with this still

[Cantseethewoods]

Re. The OP, I tend to mix it up. I do a sweep of the kids' rooms for stuff in perfect condition that is basically ignored ( plus party bag tat- last year I gathered up 14 small bouncy balls) and use those as fillers around the new stuff. Also if they get duplicates for birthdays and Christmases I save that up and use it for the Christmas shoeboxes.

How they do the boxes varies by organisation. I help sort for my company. The issue is that the boxes are so unequal that you basically have to do some reallocation. However, we don't tip them all out- we just even up ( so take some bits out of the amazing ones and add them to the substandard ones). We also quite often get given bulk stuff from suppliers with surplus/obsolete stock so we add all that in as well.

[Needadvicetoleave]

To be honest I wouldn't. I've handed these boxes out (UK, secular organisation) and whilst the kids are great and love what they get, they never get anything new. I buy loads of stuff second hand for my kid but brand new, in pack stuff is a real treat for kids with very little. Especially when they're used to cast-offs and hand me downs.

[Needadvicetoleave]

To be honest I wouldn't. I've handed these boxes out (UK, secular organisation) and whilst the kids are great and love what they get, they never get anything new. I buy loads of stuff second hand for my kid but brand new, in pack stuff is a real treat for kids with very little. Especially when they're used to cast-offs and hand me downs.

[QuilliamCakespeare]

MyDC that's not actually true, at least for Operation Christmas Child. The boxes are kept intact but checked and bits added to them from a central pile of 'extras' if something is missing e.g. A toiletry or a game. All boxes have 'core' contents as I remember. I worked for OCC one Christmas before I realised the full extent of what they do. I still think shoeboxes are quite a neat idea, but think there are other companies doing it without the religious brainwashing element.

[midgetgem2211]

I agree - someone has been putting Operation Christmas Child posters on our official notice board at work. I have been taking them back down just as quickly, the whole thing makes me so cross.

[londonrach]

I filled the box with good as new toys when i did it thought everyone did. Dont do them now as didnt like them emptying it. Yes to check no guns etc but wanted my whole box to go as it was.

[Mrstrumpalot]

Midget.* I actually wrote to the HR department of the company I contract to when they promoted Operation Christmas Child and I linked a few articles. They said they had had no idea of Occ”s hidden agenda and withdrew from promoting the scheme immediately.*

I did the same with my local Tesco Extra.* They agreed with me completely, said they hadn’t done their research and had thought “ it was just a nice thing to do”. They also withdrew.*

I know there are so many kind people who just want to do their bit for charity but please read up first so you can make an informed choice.**

[Mrstrumpalot]

And have just realised I have done my whole thread in bold.

[smerlin]

Met police Christmas tree appeal is a good way of giving to children in need if anyone is looking for a substitute

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

My local social services do a thing where you buy a gift for a local child in need. They tell you age and sex.

[LovelyPrep]

I had no idea about OCC. Thank you for the link Anne

[Greenleaf54321]

Nothing stays in its shoebox anyway, everything goes into huge pile in sorting centres. If the toys look new they will probably be ok.

depends on the organisation. in OCC they stay in the boxes people put them in, after a quick check through, to remove unsuitable gifts, such as condoms, etc, which always seem to be finding their way in.....

[ZooeyAndFranny]

There are other collections not connected to Christian organizations. We participate through school and the boxes are distributed locally and with not Christian evangelical dimension.

[Badbadtromance]

Thanks for the link I had no idea. Wow I've done boxes for years

[Greenleaf54321]

Yabu to fill a shoebox at all, unless you're cool with children being proselytised to in exchange for toys by evangelical christians.

OCC is an evangelist Christian organisation. They evangelise. However, not in exchange for toys. They distribute boxes through local organisations such as mosques, churches, soup kitchens etc.

In cases where a local church has contacted them and asked for their input, they will both distribute shoe boxes, and offer support with evangelism. This is in cases where local children are coming into their church for their shoe boxes anyway.

In Muslim areas, there is not evangelism, and in Christian areas where the point of distribution itself is not part of a Christian organisation, this also does not happen. How could it, unless the local people on the ground wanted it and asked for it? They are the people in touch with the children! and who are in charge of the premises!

Operation Christian Child is not able to guarantee a shoe box will not be delivered through a church, with the the invitation to return to learn more about Christianity, because the decision about where shoe boxes are going is not made until later.

If you are uncomfortable with that, then there are many other shoe box organisations you can use, including some that give gifts to the elderly, which I like doing.

However, please be assured that your shoe box is never going to be used to bribe a child or family in a non Christian culture to attend church. They would already be in touch with the church to be using it as a distribution point anyway.

I speak having 8 shoe boxes downstairs, ready to deliver to church this morning!

These days you can see where your shoe box goes, if you pay the admin costs online. The last few years, mine have gone to a Muslim part of Eastern Europe, and there has been no evangelistic follow up in these areas at all.

OCC estimate that in Christin areas, around 10% of children my return to church after.

its fine, if you are not Christian, to prefer not to support this particular charity, but please be clear about what they are doing! A lot of children in the world have had no gifts in the last few years, because of wrong ideas and information about OCC. It shame, when it brings so much pleasure .to the sender and the reciever