What can i put in a shoe box appeal box for teenagers?

[NogginOfRum]

Most years i try to do one or two shoe boxes and always end up filling them for babie/toddler age because it's easy.

This year i would like to do some for an older age, teenager, but what on earth should i put in them?

Any suggestions for boys and girls would be appreciated

Yes, they do an appeal
In the run up to Christmas. Meant to say we also put sweets etc in!

Ooh I’ll keep my eyes peeled. We’re hoping to do an advent food bank box this year too

The works had some small gifts you can add to a shoe box. Fidget spinners for example, a small diary, teenage boys aren’t all grown up and love little toys!

My operation Christmas child boxes have always gone to Romania. I do one for boys and girls of every age and almost finished mine. I find it a huge task so start early. I suppose it depends on if you are doing one to go overseas or not as the contents are different. One thing I remember reading about operation Christmas child was that the teenage boys are't the same as they are here - they are much less grown up and therefore will be pleased with different things.

Things I have included are soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, flannel, deodorant, pens, pencils, colouring pens, Oxford maths set, wind up torch, tennis ball, bouncy ball, pencil case, paper notepads, a cuddly toy, a football and pump, haribos and a few other things I can't remember.

Operation Christmas Child have an amazing website which is full of guidance and suggestions. There's lots of things that are not permitted so best to look it up.

There are threads every year about Operation Christmas Child and how they aren’t all they appear to be!
It is this organisation’s lack of clarity about its evangelical nature which has prompted many complaints from parents who have been asked to participate.
Many schools and companies have decided to support different shoebox schemes after having researched The Samaritans Purse, which runs operation Christmas Child.

It is well documented that the boxes are are used to sign up children to the organisation’s “ Greatest Journey” curriculum with little respect for the children’s religious or cultural affiliations. It is headed by Franklin Graham ( son of the evangelist Billy Graham) who is openly intolerant of other religions and who is also homophobic.

I don’t know how to link unfortunately but there is a good article on humanistlife.org.uk.

I have taken part myself in the past until I found out about their intolerant views. My local Tesco also started to promote this scheme last year until I asked them to research it and they dropped it immediately.

There are many other charities who run shoebox schemes without hidden agendas.

I guess I really should have started a separate thread but just wanted people to be fully informed before deciding to support Occ.

I was planning on doing one. Thinking for boys;
Warm socks
Hat/gloves/scarf set
Deodorant
Shower gel
Flannel
Small toy -Lego kit/paydo etc
Pocket hand warmer
Cheap stationary pen/book/crayons.
Sweets.

Figure most items can be bought for £1 ish with the exception of the toy and the hat and gloves. So probably going to spend about £20 ish depending on the size of the shoe box.

Quite hard to do when you don’t know what country it’s going to, i.e. climate etc.

www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/what-goes-in-my-shoebox/

Without wishing to be all bah humbug, I think it would be wise to consider your charity wisely. However well intentioned, sending Christmas gifts to children who probably don't celebrate Christmas and who really need clean water and education is not helpful. And if the scheme is run by Samaritans purse then you will participate in a cynical right wing homophobic agenda designed to disrespect local beliefs.

To genuinely help then supporting Oxfam or one of the charities with genuine aid programmes is much more effective. If you really want to do a shoe box then a uk based charity is a much better bet as there is no air transport and unlikely to be an agenda. I would also suggest contacting local refuges or other charities. My DS's school do gift bags for children in our local domestic abuse refuges.

Sorry if this sounds preachy- I don't mean it too I just get so frustrated that people's good intentions are manipulated by so called charities to spread their evil messages.

I used to do a shoebox for OCC but stopped when I learned more about the organisation. I'd like to do one for an organisation that distributes the boxes in the UK this year, as I think it would be lovely to do this with my 12yo dd for a girl her age, but I'd prefer to give money to overseas causes as I think that's more effective. Will definitely check out the women's aid appeal, thanks for mentioning it.

The Salvation Army run a Christmas present appeal. According to their website presents are distributed to local families through their own network, local groups and social services

Thanks Join. I'm not religious but the Salvation Army do an amazing job. I will look into that.

www.marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/the-backpack-project

A nice alternative?