Princess and I spent some time this past week getting our boxes ready to go. We had such a fun time doing it–she was even more into this year than last year–and we had enough stuff to complete 12 boxes. (A little short of our goal of 15, but still 2 more than last year!)
It was definitely a multi-day project to fill this many boxes. We collected items all year, but still also made a few OCC-specific trips to Target to shop the clearance & dollar sections. It would have been much easier to shop while she was at school, but I wanted her to understand the importance of going to the store to shop for others and not herself. I was so proud to see her start thinking about other kids and what they have and don’t have.
The coloring pages are fun but they also took a while–her attention span could make it through about 3 at a time. The printable available from OCC is 2 pages, but we just did the first page for each box.
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One of the very coolest things about using coupons (besides saving crazy amounts of money on groceries) is being able to give back and donate to charity. I’m sure those of you who have an abundant stockpile built up probably already donate a lot to local food banks and shelters, and hopefully those of you who are just learning to use coupons will continue that trend.
One of my favorite organizations is Operation Christmas Child (OCC), which I’m sure lots of you have heard of. OCC sends shoeboxes filled with toys, candy, & toiletries to kids in need around the world. Although it may seem like just a small thing, he impact these boxes have on so many children who literally have nothing is life-changing.
Last year Princess and I filled 10 boxes, and this year, with a little help from Trouble too, our goal is to do 15. We truly hope you will join us! It is a great project to do with your kids–you can even track your boxes to see where they end up–and it is also a fun personal challenge to see how many boxes you can fill using coupons.
National collection week is November 14-21. There are drop-off locations all over the country, so click this link to find one near you. Many of these locations also provide free boxes that you can use to fill!
Here are some ideas for things to fill your box:
Small toys, puzzles, & games (look for clearance deals or save McDonalds Happy Meal toys)
Candy (no chocolate–Halloween is a great time to find super candy deals!)
Clothing (look for post-summer clearance deals on t-shirts & tank tops right now!)
Stuffed animals
Toothpaste & toothbrushes (free almost every week with coupons)
Deodorant (often free with coupons)
Bar soap
Gum (often free with coupons)
Crayons, markers, pens & pencils
And in case you still aren’t convinced, check out this video of my next husband super cutie pie Scotty McCreery filling an OCC box. (I love him so much that I couldn’t resist.)
The holiday season will be here before we know it, and sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of it all that we forget about what’s really important. I want to encourage you all to give some thought now, before it all gets so crazy, to ways you can make a difference this year.
I hope you will commit to doing at least one box, or, if OCC isn’t for you, then commit to giving back in some other way, big or small this year. Leave a comment below to share your commitment to do something & on November 21st I will pick to lucky winners to each receive $50 of FREE product coupons, including:
Again, all you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling me how you plan to give this year! OCC veterans, it would be awesome to hear your shoebox packing tips too!
Affiliate links may be used in this post. Printing a coupon or ordering a product through this link may result in a commission, which helps pay for the cost of running this site and keeps the content free. Read my full disclosure policy here.
Yesterday Princess and I finished up our boxes for Operation Christmas Child. This week is National Collection Week and from now through the 22nd, drop-off stations around the country are accepting box donations. It is such an amazing charity, and I feel so lucky to be able to participate this year. It was especially neat [...]
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