It’s been almost 15 years since I started making shoeboxes. I started the Christmas of 1998. I didn’t have my own children yet, now they help me make boxes each year, but back then I chose an age (usually the little ones) and made shoeboxes.

This has been a Christmas tradition for my children since they can probably remember. We usually pick a girl or boy close to their own age group. This year, we are doing one of each, boy and girl, for all three age groups 2-4, 5-9, and 10-14.  Since the beginning of the year, we’ve been putting our 10% away so we can do our shoeboxes. I have a small container that I put all my change in to save the money for the shipping.

What this teaches my children is unmeasurable. It teaches compassion, gratitude, kindness, unselfishness, and so much more. Each item that goes in the box is hand picked by  my children. They each go through the store with their checklist; choosing the items that will go to a child they don’t even know. They are excited to pack their boxes and we wait, with anticipation for the email that tells us where our box has ended up.

This year we are going to write a letter to each child. Along with our letter, we will include a self-addressed stamped envelope, pen, crayons and paper for the children to write back. What if they can’t write? They can send a picture!

Samaratian’s Purse is hoping to reach 100,000,000 boxes this year. I sure hope you will join us in helping them reach their goal!

Ligia