Hi there,

It is Operation Christmas time! Every year before we buy gifts for the kids we take them shopping for other children. We have been doing this since the 90’s, and it never gets old. Franklin Graham started this project with the idea to bring joy to impoverished children mostly in war torn countries. The boxes these children receive are most likely the only toys they will ever get. They are many stories of children receiving exactly what they needed.

For the past three years we have been doing packing party  with our American Heritage Girls Troop. Everybody brings a lot of small items (such as hair ties, tooth paste, etc), one larger toy such as stuffed animal, doll, etc. In addition to that people may bring a couple medium size toys. We all come together on one night and have a packing party. It is like Christmas in November.

Here is my Ella with her medium sized toy that she would have very much liked to keep.

All the toys are organized on tables. The girls can go through and fill their boxes.

After we pack and wrap our boxes we load them up in our van and take them to the drop off center. This is the part my kids look forward to all year. Calvary Church of Albuquerque collects the boxes, puts them in larger boxes, stacked up in large rows high to the ceiling,  and then takes them to a processing center. They collect about 15,000 boxes.

Their staff must be required to take a “super friendly 101” class. You are greeted with smiles, stickers, cookies, hot chocolate, and friendly grandma type ladies. By the time we are done these ladies will know every detail of our family. Here is Ella filling up on cookies.

Somebody offered to take a picture of us; I couldn’t say no. Do you see what I mean, nice doesn’t even describe it.

Here is Luci outside getting that last drop of hot chocolate out.

I paid for the shipping online so I can track the box and find out where it’s final destination will be. Collection week ends this Sunday. So it’s not too late to do yours.

How about you, have you done this before? Do you have other traditions you do as a family before Christmas?

Have a great day,

Sofija