Removing barriers to education at a rural, one-room school
Because and Zetu Africa partnered to outfit children in a rural Maasai community with pairs of The Shoe That Grows and SeatPacks.
How to pack high-quality Christmas shoeboxes at a lower price
August 15, 2024
At Because International, we believe two things about packing a Christmas shoebox.
- Always prioritize quality over quantity.
- You don’t have to spend a lot of money to pack a higher-quality box.
Before diving into these, let’s talk about what a Christmas shoebox is and why it’s an important cause.
What is a Christmas shoebox?
Nonprofit Samaritan’s Purse has a program called Operation Christmas Child that offers a hands-on way to support children worldwide by filling shoeboxes with essential and fun items. These Christmas shoeboxes generally include an item for school, personal care, crafting, a toy, clothing and a WOW item of your choice. It’s a great program that provides millions of children with a gift over the holidays that supports their health and education.
How to pack a Christmas shoebox
Packing a Christmas shoebox is rewarding, and walking down store aisles and selecting everything you want to include is also fun! Many people visit their local dollar store to fill boxes at an affordable price—allowing them to pack more boxes overall. However, the downside is that dollar store items often lack durability, diminishing their value and longevity for the children who receive them.
Why you should prioritize quality over quantity
Focusing on high-quality items will make a more significant and lasting impact on the child who receives your shoebox, providing joy and dignity for longer. For example, consider packing a water filtration device rather than a plastic water bottle or a pair of The Shoe That Grows (a shoe that expands five sizes) rather than a pair of flip-flops. Both options will protect the child for years rather than a few months, supporting them for as long as possible.
How to pack a Christmas shoebox with both quality and affordability in mind
While high-quality items may be more expensive than others, you can find ways to make them more affordable. Shopping sales year-round, fundraising throughout the year, or bulk purchasing for yourself or as a group can lower your total cost per box without compromising quality.
We visited Costco to see what it would be like to fill 20 boxes with items found in the store, knowing we’d also want to include The Shoe That Grows in each box. Here’s what we found.
School supply item: A 22-pack of pens ($12.49)
Activity item: Two 10-pack book sets ($33.57)
Clothing item: 20-pack of socks ($19.99)
Personal care item: A 20-pack of bar soap* ($12.99)
Total per box: $3.95
Costco total: $79.04
Total cost with The Shoe That Grows: $23.95 per box
In addition to these items, we saw plenty of other options like bulk containers of toothbrushes, sticker sets, notepads, and menstrual pads—all of which you can easily purchase in bulk at stores or online. Any extras (like from the 22-pack of pens) can be saved for the following year to lower costs.
More recently, we sourced items through Amazon to pack 10 high-quality, budget conscious boxes. Here are those results:
School supply item: 24-pack of colorful blank notebooks ($17.99)
Crafting/Activity item: 24-pack of multicolor ballpoint pens ($9.99)
Clothing item: 2 5-packs of wool blend socks ($11.22)
Personal care item: 12-pack of muslin washcloths ($9.99)
Hygiene item: 12-pack of toothbrushes ($7.25)
Toy/fun item: 12-pack of stringy fidget balls ($14.99)
Total per box: $4.96
Amazon total: $71.76
Total cost with The Shoe That Grows: $24.96 per box
Our Amazon purchase filled 10 boxes with 6 items each for less than $5 per box with extras of several items for even more boxes or to contribute to your packing group. These items were simple, higher-quality and affordable leaving plenty of budget for a WOW item like The Shoe That Grows, which is useful, lasting and fun!
The bottom line: Packing a high-quality box doesn’t need to be expensive
We are so grateful for anyone who packs a Christmas shoebox for a child impacted by poverty but whenever possible, we encourage you to include high-quality items. By researching, planning ahead and buying in bulk, you can easily create a wonderful Christmas shoebox that lasts for around $25.
If you’d like to fundraise for The Shoe That Grows or talk to us about ordering enough pairs to receive free shipping, please reach out to us at info@becauseinternational.org.Or, if you're ready, you can place your order below!
*Note that OCC recently disqualified soap as an eligible item for Christmas shoeboxes.
THE SHOE THAT GROWS
$20.00
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It’s estimated that over 300 million children around the world don’t have shoes. By including The Shoe That Grows in your Christmas shoebox, you can help change that!
The Shoe That Grows expands five sizes and lasts for years, making it a practical choice for your “wow” item. The adjustable shoe grows five sizes, lasts for years and is easy to clean. It has a compressed rubber sole, antibacterial synthetic upper, high grade velcro, and no mechanical parts or gears to break—perfect for sending to kids in your box.
Select the age range for the Christmas shoeboxes you’re sending and we’ll send you The Shoe That Grows in the best size for that age—the size that will allow for the most growth.
Not ready to order? Create a peer-to-peer fundraising page using our free platform and raise support for your order of The Shoe That Grows.
Order a sample shoe to make sure The Shoe That Grows is the right fit for your shoebox.
Not packing boxes yourself? Donate to send shoes through our partners who are packing shoeboxes this season.
