It’s shoebox season again, and Jordan and I nearly missed it this year. If you haven’t gotten in on the Samaritan’s Purse action, you should, because it’s loads of fun, especially if you have charitably-minded children at home. Nor is it too late: Collection week is Nov. 15-22. We like to pool our resources with some other couples and usually end up filling at least one overflow box that way. Jordan and I have packed a dozen or so boxes over the last few years and we’ve developed strategies, so here I present my instructions on how to properly pack a shoebox.
- Set a price range. Jordan and I cram about $50 of stuff into each box, but you can decide for yourself how much you’re willing to spend. Find a balance between price and quality: Don’t just send the kids junk to save money, but there’s no need to avoid the dollar store if it has what you want, either. In a departure from the official rules, I think it’s okay to send used items as long as they’re in like-new condition.
- Pick your stores. There’s a teacher-supply store near us that is a gold mine for this sort of thing. We also visit a toy store, and art/craft supply store, a dollar store, and a department store.
- Cover a variety of categories. Don’t fill your box entirely with frivolities; on the other hand, don’t make it completely practical, either. Include most or all of: Toys, school supplies, art supplies, hygiene items, clothing, and candy.
- Use space efficiently. This never turns out to be as big of a problem as I expect, but you should still bear it in mind. If you want to include, say, a stuffed animal, make sure that you want the stuffed animal more than its volume in other stuff. Pack carefully, largest items first. Candy makes a great space filler.
- Focus on longevity. Most of these kids will never receive another shoebox, so make this one last. Don’t include too many consumables. I don’t recommend toys that require batteries (though I sometimes send small flashlights), but if you do, send plenty of extras. Bonus: Try to include things with sturdy, reusable packaging. Remove any useless shrink wrap and bags.
- Plan for catastrophic failure. Consider the worst thing that could happen while it is abused during shipping: Will something melt? Break? Explode? You don’t want your box to be ruined because a bottle of white glue broke open on the way.
- Be useful. Knickknacks that just look cute should be avoided; things with multiple uses are best. Assume the child has nothing to start with: pompoms aren’t much use without glue, Popsicle sticks, and the rest.
- Go for broad appeal. All you know about the recipient is age and gender. Make the contents equally appropriate for a 5-year-old girlie girl or an 8-year-old tomboy. If you send clothing, it must be suitable for all possible sizes and climates. At the least, make sure that something in the box will appeal to the broadest fringes of the demographic. Also, don’t include Christmas-themed stuff: It won’t always be Christmas.
- Avoid English. The child won’t speak it, so don’t fill the box with irrelevant activity books. I don’t include anything with words on it, including pencils, stickers, and so on.
- Make the contents intuitive. Because of the above, anything with instructions is useless, so don’t include complicated games or toys that need assembly. Be aware of cultural differences: A chess set may seem self-explanatory, but your box may end up in a location where xiangqi or markuk is the game of choice.
- Strive for cultural relevance. Play money might be a useful learning tool, but not in other countries. I recommend avoiding things with American cartoon characters or other culture-specific signifiers*.
- Consider appearance. When the kid opens the box, it should be like winning a prize. Get things that are a variety of bright colors. Include tactile objects and at least one thing that makes noise, such as a whistle or harmonica. Pack candy and things with immediate appeal on top. Wrap or decorate your box. I also recommend clear boxes, which provide a tantalizing glimpse of the contents.
- Bonus tip: Pick the older kids. Everyone wants to get the cute stuff for the adorable little kids, but gifts for older children will be more meaningful, useful, and appreciated. I never do the 2-4s, myself.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled bad novel.
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*My biggest reservation with the project, aside from its awkward name, is its potential for spreading Western hegemony. Sending American stuff all over the world will make the rest of the world a little bit more like America, a process that hardly needs to be encouraged. Thus, I don’t send any Western cultural symbols: Kids in other countries don’t need exposure to Transformers or Dora the Explorer.
But Christmas presents themselves are a problem. I remember promotional materials last year saying “Many of the children in these countries have never celebrated Christmas,” with the obvious undertone of “How terrible! Just imagine, growing up without ever knowing the joy of Christmas!”, as if these countries didn’t have their own customs and their own holidays.
My other reservation is a simple logistical one: Stuff in America is expensive. Overseas shipping is expensive. However fun, this can’t be a logistically and fiscally efficient project.
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