Reclaiming Wonders

Every year, churches across the US display piles of those red and green Christmas Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes from Operation Christmas Child. And if you’re like so many of us, you take home one of the Operation Christmas Child boxes, wonder if it’s really doing any good, and question what to pack in this Christmas shoebox (aka how much money it’s going to take).

I admit, I was skeptical of Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Despite a couple of years of packing boxes with the family and having a OCC shoebox packing party with other homeschool mom friends, I just went along with the trend. The impact of the OCC shoeboxes didn’t really mean anything to me until I saw an actual Operation Christmas Child video and learned how they boxes were used for Christian outreach. I think that’s the part a lot of us miss. 

Affiliate disclosure: When you click and purchase a link in my post, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I promise to only recommend products or places that I have personally want, used, or researched. Thanks in advance for the gallon of gas. 😉

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What’s the Purpose of a Christmas Shoebox?

These Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes aren’t just a gift or supplies going to a third world country. They are an opportunity for a partnership with a local church to host an outreach event, bringing kids and families into their churches. Each box means an opportunity for an unchurched child to meet Jesus. Each shoebox means twelve discipleship lessons for a kid to get to know their Creator and be empowered to tell their friends. These really are life changing shoeboxes if you look at it that way!

For Christian families – especially homeschoolers like us – getting your kids involved in real-world geography is the best way to care about the world. Don’t just let them hear about Mali, find it on a map, and take them to pack shoeboxes that are going to Mali – as ours were when we were there!

~~~> Looking to add more geography to your homeschool or family learning? Check out “How to Make Your Own Geography Curriculum”. It’s one of Reclaiming Wonders’ most popular posts and shows just how much of a homeschool rebel I am!

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Where Does My Christmas Shoebox Go After I Pack It?

1. After you drop your Samaritan’s Purse shoebox off at church, it goes to the closest distribution center.
2. It will be sorted by volunteers to make sure it doesn’t have any prohibited items or needs extra gifts.
3. After scanning, it will be sorted into a larger box of the same gender and age group. This larger box is also scanned. (This is how they know exactly where all boxes end up, and you can track their final destination!)
4. The magic of the Samaritan’s Purse organizing and distribution works here! This is how your box goes international on a plane or giant crate on a shipping barge. I can’t claim to know how this all works!
5. The boxes are ultimately end up at local churches who host outreach events to distribute the boxes.
6. As the boxes are given out, they also hear the Gospel message through volunteers and through a book they are given, The Greatest Gift. Most of these kids then will progress into a 12-lesson discipleship program called The Greatest Journey.

My friends were able to travel to Honduras with the mission group Louder than Words, hike to a remote village on a five day journey, and participate in handing out the shoeboxes to the kids! They opened boxes with them, helped translate any letters, and shared the Gospel with them. So cool! I would love to participate in this part of the Operation Christmas Child project and participate in this experience with Louder than Words; contact them if this interests you as well!

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What is Samaritan’s Purse?

Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian humanitarian organization with Franklin Graham as its founder, the son of the late Billy Graham. Although the Christmas season often makes Mr. Graham the face of asking for these Christmas shoeboxes, Samaritan’s Purse also is very involved in meeting the physical and spiritual needs of people in times of crisis.

Through disaster relief, medical missions, community development, and outreach programs like Operation Christmas Child, they are serving others. During Hurricane Helene in 2024, they had Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief employees and volunteers on the ground for several months working to rebuild North Carolina communities. Samaritan’s Purse hurricane relief also recently (October 2025) traveled to Jamaica for clean up in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa.

Whether responding to natural disasters, supporting long-term recovery projects, or delivering gift-filled Christmas shoeboxes to children in need, Samaritan’s Purse works to show God’s love in tangible, life-changing ways.

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How Can I Work or Volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse?

For the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, pack a shoebox (or twenty!) and send it to your closest processing center. If you’re located close to one of the eight Operation Christmas Child processing centers in the US. The month of December is the time to sign up for a rotation processing and filling shoeboxes, helping lead other volunteers, or many other jobs. While some of us are unpaid day volunteers, there is also paid leaders on the floor processing the boxes with the volunteers in addition to managerial staff who hire and manage all the volunteers.

In addition to the Operation Christmas Child jobs, there are additional training and job opportunities with the disaster relief side. You can be paid for training and be on the list to be sent out in case of a disaster need. It’s more than just packing shoeboxes in bigger cartons. Head to the Samaritan’s Purse job website to see current employment opportunities.

Did you know there are also opportunities to join a group to deliver these boxes to the kids? Even though these are called “Christmas shoeboxes”, they are not delivered perhaps for months down the road. You can trek up into the mountains of Honduras – as my friends did! – to help give the boxes to the kids. How’s that for a full experience from start to finish?

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Operation Christmas Child Processing Centers

Who can volunteer to sort Christmas Shoeboxes?

Anyone can volunteer as long as you are over the age of 13. Take a group from church or family. If your church or school doesn’t already have groups volunteering, plan ahead and sign up on the volunteer list. Although the shifts I’ve done are only a half day, there are groups of retired people who come for the whole week like a mission trip! They show up on their church bus with their matching shirts and have the best time. You’re never too old.

What should I take for my volunteer shift?

Time will fly during your shift as you stay busy the whole time! These processing centers are often big warehouses, so you will be standing for hours on a concrete floor. If mobility or standing is an issue, there are some seated areas – just ask. I’ve also seen people come in with foldable cane-stools for sitting at the stations. Wear good supportive shoes and dress in layers as you warm up.

Feel free to bring a drink or water in a sealed bottle or a snack. Personal belongings and food will be stored a tub under the table. The Atlanta processing center often has a Chick-Fil-A on site to purchase hot sandwiches and chips. There are also picnic tables and vending machines to take a break.

Do not take in any knives or pepper spray or the like. Your bag will be checked when you enter.

What happens at the OCC Processing Centers?

When you volunteer to sort shoeboxes, you usually will end up in the processing center with a team. Come with friends; you get to work on those teambuilding skills. You will be assigned a team leader who gives you instructions and makes sure everything is flowing. This person is also a great person to ask if something needs to be kicked out of the box for safety concerns.

During your shift, you will check boxes for contraband items, add extra filler items if they’re too empty, tape the boxes, and everyone’s favorite – use the scanner to track which box each shoebox ends up in. I would love to see the behind the scenes organization because this is down to an art. 

~~~> Now that your teen has seen first-hand mission impact, let them go on that next summer mission trip. Read “World Mission Trips: How to Let Your Teen Go” and ask any further questions. You know how to find me!

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What Operation Christmas Child Age Group is Most Needed?

When packing your shoebox, we commonly choose to pack a Christmas shoebox in the age range of our own kids. Let the kids take part in the process and pack what they think someone their age would like. As good as that is, let me tell you why it might not be the best.

Kids age out of the Operation Christmas Child at age fourteen. After that, their younger siblings can participate but not them. That means, if they don’t get a box by the age of 14, they never will. With that in mind, aim to buy for older children if possible.

For my Classical Conversations group and our Christmas shoebox packing parties, we pack for the oldest boys – ages 10 to 14 – for this reason. From what I’ve seen while sorting boxes, OCC receives fewer boxes for boys than girls. Maybe it’s just easier to buy bows and dolls, but big boys need some supplies too. The OCC Facebook page itself says the fewest Christmas shoeboxes come in for boys ages 10-14 and 2-4.

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Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Ideas

Please understand that the kids will be receiving their Samaritan’s Shoeboxes as a group during an outreach event. Imagine being the child who gets a box half-filled with “junk” right next to a kid whose box is filled with amazing, much-needed goodies. Consider packing fewer boxes but filling them with good stuff or pack Christmas shoeboxes with a group to save money with bulk purchases.

See below. One is a properly packed shoebox. The other is mostly empty. Don’t be that guy on the right.

Operation Christmas Child Packing List

While there is an official packing list and you will find tons of ideas online, there’s still more to know. The only “wrong” way to do it is to pack prohibited items, send a half-empty box, or fill it with useless junk. (You really wouldn’t believe the stuff that gets pulled out at the processing center.)

Save money buying in bulk on Amazon and hosting a packing party! You can also save money by stocking on the back-to-school sales. Get a little bit all throughout the year.

• Clothes: socks, t-shirt, beanie, scarf, baseball camp, gloves, socks. (Lists say underwear, but my first-hand box delivery friends say it embarrasses them!)
• Essentials: Fishing supplies or sewing kits, flashlights with batteries, drawstring bags Did I mention extra batteries?
• School supplies: rulers, colored pencils, erasers, pencil pouches, kid scissors
• Haircare: bandanas, headbands, plastic combs, hairbrushes
• Hygiene: toothbrushes with caps (no toothpaste!), washcloths, wet wipes
• Eating and drinking: plastic cups, utensil set, water filter straw, waterbottle
• Craft supplies: embroidery thread, pre-cut fabric squares, glue sticks, stickers, beaded bracelet making kits (create your own!)
• Sports: deflated soccer balls with pumps, foldable cloth discs, jump ropes

Bonus Tips for Packing a Shoebox

• WOW them. Start with a WOW ITEM like a soccer ball with pump or doll.
• Variety! Don’t just pack toys; add school supplies with hygiene items.
• Use space. Use any containers to hold other items like a rolled t-shirt in the water bottle. (Take out any filler paper.)
• Keep clean. Pack items like toothbrushes, eating utensils, and school supplies in bags to keep them together and clean.
• Plan ahead. Tape long items like a rule to the underside of the lid. This makes repacking at the center much easier.
• Be purposeful. Don’t pack in ziplocks if you can; use something reusable like a small plasticware container or pencil zip bag.
• Personalize it! Include a note or picture telling about yourself. Some boxes even include the address of the sender, so they can write to them later if they desire. Spread your love by making it personal.

What Type of Shoebox Can I Use?

Although most Christmas shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child come in the official, sturdy cardboard boxes often picked up at local churches, you can pack in any type of boxes. If it’s in the budget, you can ship in a plastic-lidded shoebox or latching shoebox. I even saw a tackle box – genius!

Of note, if you wish to wrap your box (as in Christmas paper – although they won’t be getting them at Christmas), make sure you wrap the lid and bottom separately. And that you can still clasp them together. No matter what type of box you use, it’s a good idea to attach the top to the bottom with several large rubberbands.

Can I Pack Homemade Items in an OCC Shoebox?

Homemade gifts are perfect for a shoebox and a great way to share some love. However, please make every effort to include good-quality homemade gifts in your box; gifts that will last. Ideas include knitted winter hats, drawstring backpacks, zipper bags, easy drawstring skirts, or homemade tote bags.

Don’t hesitate to also create some homemade games gathered in a little ziploc or reusable bag. Colorful dice and playing cards with some printed directions are cheap and easy. How easy to combine dice, score directions, and a little spiral for homemade Yahtzee!

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How to Pack the Christmas Shoeboxes

When your box is packed – whether it is an official OCC box or not – each one needs to have a label indicating the age groups and whether it is for boys or girls. If you want to wrap your box, you need to do the lid and the box separately. Any tape will be removed. If it needs to be kept together, rubber bands on the outside are easy, and they can make great additions inside the box for the kids to use later.

Make sure you put your label at either the top or the bottom of the box. If you put it in the middle, it will be covered with the packing tape and need to have a new one affixed. But don’t worry. If you lost your tag, you can print a Shoebox label online or just leave it blank – that’s easily figured out at the Operation Christmas Child center.

Drop your shoebox off at a participating church, at the processing center, or find a friend who is going. There are many options.

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Ideas for a Shoebox Packing Party

Our homeschool mom packing party is one of our favorite events. We announce pick what type of kid we are buying for (as I said, we aim for the big boys), and people bring their donations during the month. This also saves money because we can buy items in bulk. Instead of buying individual items that fit, we can go to Amazon, buy 25 of the same item, and they will be distributed to the boxes at our packing party. 

After collecting items from all the homeschool group, we meet together for an evening of food, fellowships, and packing. With all the items organized on a big table, moms grab a box, take one of each item, and pack away. After this is done, we have the opportunity to pray over the boxes before helping carry them all out to the car.

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What to Not Pack in the Boxes

There are some things that are not allowed in the Samaritan’s Purse boxes. Know that, despite your good intentions with what you think kids need, the volunteers will remove them.

Quick forbidden list: liquids, gels, breakable, scary, war-related, food

Even though they may be a needed supply (like toothpaste and deodorant), these will be taken out and donated to local shelters. Some of items are not allowed due to the risk of expansion in the plane (like gel deodorants and toothpastes), and others can affect the quality of the other items in the shoebox (like fragranced soaps). Also, these boxes will go through a lot of transportation before arriving at the destination like plane, boat, or even riding on animals. Breakable things (like mirrors) put the child at risk if they open to find shards.

Remember that the shoeboxes are going to a variety of countries and home situations. For this reason, scary or war-related items (like camouflage or toy soldiers) are not allowed. The ultimate goal is to share Jesus. For this reason, any items that promote lifestyles or beliefs contrary to the Christian goals of Samaritan’s Purse should not be packed. Be sensitive to the languages and cultures of people different than you.

Also remember that, even though these are called “Christmas boxes”, they will not be there at Christmas. Feel free to put in a little Santa or Christmas-themed gift, but the recipient might not understand why they’re getting holly and a Santa figure in May. (Not to mention, they might not have seen either before as related to Christmas). 

Specifically not allowed items that will be removed from the boxes include:

• Soap, toothpaste, lotions, sunscreens, or any other liquids or gels
• Candy or food
• Any used or dirty items. All items should be new.
• Antibiotics creams or other medicated items (like lip balms or wipes)
• Guns, toy soldiers, camoflage, or scary – water-guns are allowed if they are bright colors and very distinctly toys
• Items promoting non-Christian beliefs, homosexuality, drug-symbols… you get it

When in doubt, pick something else. While you definitely don’t have to belong to church or be Christian to participate, the items need to fit the goal of the program.

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