Pro Tips for Packing Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Every OCC packing guide covers the basics. This one doesn't. These are the tips experienced packers mention in passing — buried in comments, dropped as asides, shared at packing parties, reported by field missionaries — but never featured in their own post.

If you've packed before, some of these will change how you do it. If you're new, these will make your first box better than most veterans' tenth.

What Field Workers Actually Say Kids Love Most

This is the most important section in this post. A church member returned from a mission trip where OCC boxes were distributed and reported what actually happened on the ground:

• Toys first, always. The children don't have any. The toys that landed best: jacks, balls, cars, playing cards, marbles — simple and universal.
• LEGO and puzzles often missed. Kids didn't always know what to do with them. Simple toys that require no instructions perform best.
• Avoid toy soldiers. Many OCC recipients live in or near conflict areas. A toy soldier is not a toy to a child who has seen real ones.
• Soccer balls are gold. A missionary in Honduras said: "You wouldn't believe how excited they'd get over a soccer ball." The ball doesn't stay with one child — it gets the whole community playing.
• School supplies matter enormously. One child in the Philippines shared that one pencil had to last her entire family the whole school year, broken in half to share. Pack 8–10 pencils, not 2.
• Paper is scarce. In many recipient countries, loose paper is a genuine commodity. Pack extra notebook paper and sticker sheets.
• Washcloths confused recipients. Field workers reported that children in some regions don't use washcloths or towels — they had to be shown how. If you pack one, include a small note or picture showing how to use it.
• Feminine hygiene kits for girls 10–14 were called out by field workers as among the most impactful items in any box. Reusable pad kits specifically — disposable options aren't practical in regions without easy access to replacements.
• Letters and photos get pinned to walls. Field workers consistently report that children treasure handwritten notes and family photos more than almost any physical item. One girl's note became a story that spread through her entire village.

Write on the Lid

The inside lid of your shoebox is prime real estate and OCC allows you to decorate it. Experienced packers use it intentionally.

• Write a Bible verse in large letters — "For God so loved the world" (John 3:16), "I know the plans I have for you" (Jeremiah 29:11), or simply "Jesus loves you"
• Draw a picture or let your kids color directly on the lid
• Attach stickers, postcards, or calendar art — the child may remove the lid and hang it on the wall
• Address it personally: "To: My Friend" or "To: God's Beloved"
• Print a Bible verse in the language of the destination region — OCC's website shows recent distribution countries
• Use bright markers — make it beautiful before they even see what's inside

The lid is the first thing the child sees. Use it.

Write a Real Note — Not a Generic One

Most notes are generic. Field workers say a personal note is sometimes more treasured than anything physical in the box. Be specific.

• Your name and city: "My name is Sarah and I live in Nashville, Tennessee, USA"
• Your age, your family, your pets — things a child relates to
• Tell them you prayed for them specifically before you packed
• Tell them Jesus loves them and so do you
• Include your email — some children write back through missionaries or translators
• Write in short, simple sentences — easier to translate
• Print in large font if typing — easier to read for non-native English readers
• Tell them the box was packed just for them — not a generic donation, a personal gift

One packer reported: "One little boy received a box with only 3 small items. He closed it quietly and sat there dejected." A full box matters. A personal note makes a child feel seen.

Include a Family Photo

Field workers report that children pin family photos to their walls. They study the faces. They talk about "their family" in America or Germany or Australia. A photo weighs nothing and may be the most treasured thing in the box.

• Print a 4x6 — wallet size works too
• Label the back with your names and city
• A smiling family communicates warmth across any language
• Kids especially connect with photos of other kids — let your children be in it

Include Drawings by Your Kids

A child's drawing of their house, dog, family, or a rainbow communicates joy across every language barrier. Let your kids draw something specifically for the child receiving the box. Sign it with their name and age. One crayon drawing from a 6-year-old in Tennessee to a 6-year-old in Honduras crosses every distance.

Include Valentine's Day Classroom Cards

Kids in OCC recipient countries don't know Valentine's Day — but they love the images, the colors, and the novelty. Buy classroom card packs after February 14th at 75–90% off. They fit perfectly, add color to the box, and give the child something to look at and practice English with. Same works for Easter cards and sticker sheets.

Pack Two of Everything You Can

Field reports consistently show that many recipients share their box with siblings, friends, or other children. Two of the small things costs almost nothing and doubles the reach.

• 2 toothbrushes — they wear out in 6 months; the second one extends the gift
• Extra pencils — children break them in half to share with friends
• Extra sheets of paper — scarce in many recipient countries
• Extra stickers — they trade them at school
• Extra hair ties (for girls) — they share everything

Remove All Packaging

The single best space-saving tip from experienced packers: strip everything out of retail packaging before it goes in the box.

• Remove fashion dolls from plastic clamshells
• Take puzzle pieces out of the box — put in a zip-top bag with a photo of the completed puzzle taped outside
• Pull pencils out of cardboard sleeves
• Collapse or remove cardboard backing from packaged toys
• Flatten anything that can be flattened

Retail packaging is 30–50% air and cardboard. Removing it can fit 20–30% more actual gifts in the same space. The child also has less trash to throw away.

Pack Items Inside Other Items

Every container is also a carrier. Use it.

• Stuff socks inside a cup
• Fill a pencil case with school supplies
• Pack cotton swabs and a comb inside a washcloth, rolled tight
• Put small toys inside a drawstring bag
• Fill a bowl with hair accessories
• Tuck a jump rope around the inside perimeter of the box

Use Zip-Top Bags to Organize

Pack school supplies in one bag, hygiene in another. Keeps things organized if the box is inspected at the processing center — and in many recipient countries, reusable zip-top bags are genuinely useful and valued long after the box is unpacked.

Use Clothing and Soft Items as Packing Material

Hard items first, soft items last to fill every gap.

• Roll T-shirts tightly and tuck into corners
• Wrap a washcloth around a toothbrush set
• Use a stuffed animal to fill the last open space on top
• A folded bandana fills any odd-shaped gap

Clothing Size Guide for OCC Shoeboxes

Always buy for the oldest age in the range — a 2-year-old can grow into a 4T, but a 4-year-old can't wear a 2T. Size up, never down.

👕 T-Shirts, Shorts & Dresses (Boys & Girls)

Do not go smaller than 3T or larger than size 14. No Youth XL.

🧦 Socks (Boys & Girls)

🩲 Underwear (Boys & Girls)

🩴 Flip Flops (Boys & Girls)

Do not include flip flops larger than Adult Small in the shoebox.

👙 Training Bras (Girls)

⚽ What Size Soccer Ball for an OCC Shoebox?

Soccer balls are one of the most universally loved WOW gifts — field missionaries call them "gold." But size matters both for fit in the box and for the age of the child receiving it. Here's the breakdown:

OCC recommendation: Size 1 or Size 2 are the safest bets — they deflate completely flat, leave room for other items, and work for any age group. Size 3 fits when fully deflated but leaves little room. Always include a hand pump so the child can inflate it after opening.

Deflate Soccer Balls the Right Way

A deflated soccer ball with a pump is a universally beloved WOW item — but pack it right. Deflate completely, wrap the pump inside the ball, compress with rubber bands or string. This saves significant space. Buy balls that come deflated rather than deflating pre-inflated ones — faster and gets flatter.

To deflate a pre-inflated ball: detach the needle from the pump, moisten it, insert slowly into the valve until you hear air releasing, gently squeeze flat, pull needle out carefully.

Avoid English-Only Instructions

Any toy or game with instructions printed only in English is a barrier. Kids and families in recipient countries often don't read English. Choose toys that are self-evident — jacks, marbles, yo-yos, balls — or include instruction sheets with images rather than words. Lion Wholesale offers free game instructions in multiple languages at lionwholesale.com.

Skip White Stuffed Animals

White plush toys get filthy fast in environments without easy laundry access. Choose colorful stuffed animals that hide dirt and stay looking loved longer.

Use the OCC Item Search Tool Before You Buy

Not sure if an item is allowed? Don't guess. OCC has an item search tool at samaritanspurse.org/occ — type in any item and get an instant GO or STOP. Use it while you're shopping, not after.

Carry a Cardboard Template When Shopping

Cut a piece of cardboard to 12 x 7 x 4.38 inches (standard cardboard box size) and bring it shopping. Hold it up against items before you buy them. Many experienced packers do this to avoid the frustration of getting home and finding a "perfect" WOW gift that doesn't fit.

Where to Get Free Boxes

• Samaritan's Purse: Order free preprinted cardboard or plastic boxes at samaritanspurse.org/occ
• Your church: Most OCC-participating churches stock boxes starting in October
• Hobby Lobby: Carries official OCC boxes and display bins seasonally
• Any shoebox from your closet: Standard shoebox works fine — download the free label at samaritanspurse.org
• Photo storage boxes from Michaels or craft stores — colorful, sturdy, right size

Where to Get Free Packing Resources

• Lion Wholesale — free lid printouts, coloring book pages, game instructions in multiple languages, sewing patterns, packing guides at lionwholesale.com
• Samaritan's Purse — full Project Leader kit including PowerPoint presentations, social media graphics, and packing party guides at samaritanspurse.org/occ/project-leader
• OCC Item Search: samaritanspurse.org/occ

Shop Clearance Year-Round

The best OCC packers shop all year and store items in a dedicated tote bin. The math is dramatically different from November shopping.

• January: Post-Christmas clearance — 50–90% off toys, seasonal items, stickers. Kids in recipient countries don't know Christmas timing — it doesn't matter.
• February–March: Post-Valentine's and Easter clearance — classroom card sets, small toys, sticker sheets at 75–90% off
• July–September: Back-to-school sales — best prices of the year on pencils, notebooks, colored pencils, calculators, rulers
• Any time: Dollar Tree, Five Below, Target Dollar Spot — shop whenever you're there, year-round

Many experienced packers fill 20–50 boxes a year for $5–8 per box total using this strategy.

Build a Theme Box

Instead of a generic assortment, pack around a theme. Makes the box more intentional and more cohesive for the child.

• Sports: Soccer ball, watch, athletic socks, sunglasses, jump rope
• Artist: Sketch pad, colored pencils, oil pastels, markers, eraser, ink stampers
• Explorer: Compass, flashlight, paracord, magnifying glass, binoculars, carabiner
• School Champion: Backpack stuffed with every supply imaginable
• Craft: Friendship bracelet kit, embroidery kit, beads, thread, lacing cards
• Color Theme: Pick one color and go all in — every item in that color
• Future Chef: Measuring cups, spatula, apron, chef's hat, baking pan, plastic utensils

Host a Packing Party Assembly Line

The most space and time-efficient way to pack multiple boxes is an assembly line. Set up stations around the perimeter of a room, each with one category of items. Participants move their box from station to station.

• Station 1: WOW gift (Jesus doll + one other)
• Station 2: School supplies
• Station 3: Hygiene items
• Station 4: Toys and fun items
• Station 5: Clothing and accessories
• Station 6: Note writing table — dedicated space with paper, pens, stickers
• Station 7: Sealing and labeling

Keep tables low enough for children to participate. Have a greeter at the entrance and a prayer station at the end.

Pray Over Every Box Before You Seal It

Before you close the box, stop and pray. Specifically. By age group. By region if you know the destination. Ask God to use what's inside to introduce that child to His Son.

Field workers say they can tell when a box was prayed over. Experienced packers take this more seriously than any packing tip on this list.

If you're at a packing party, gather around the completed boxes before they leave and pray over them as a group. The child who opens that box felt something before they ever saw it.

Follow Your Box

Register your box at samaritanspurse.org/occ with the $10 shipping label to get a tracking update showing which country or region your box reached. It closes the loop — and for many packers, learning their box went to Ecuador or Uganda or the Philippines deepens their commitment to pack again next year.

Join the OCC Community

• Facebook Group: Deals/Items for OCC/Operation Christmas Child — active community sharing real-time deals, Alibaba sourcing tips, and bulk buying strategies year-round
• Simply Shoeboxes — dedicated OCC packing blog with deep reviews of specific products, space-saving techniques, and community tips
• OCC on Instagram: @operationchristmaschild — tag your packing photos with #ipackedashoebox

The Most Important Item in the Box

Every tip above makes a better box. But the single most important decision is what goes in first.

The Shoebox Jesus Doll is a 10-inch plush Jesus designed specifically for OCC — fits any box, works for any age or gender, no batteries, no language barrier. Franklin Graham said: "These are great and the children will love them." from $9 at jesusdoll.com.

Put Jesus in first. Every other tip builds around Him.

Get the Shoebox Jesus Doll →

Last updated: August 2026