Boxing clever for children at Christmas

IT only takes a few quid and a couple of hours to fill and pack shoeboxes with gadgets — but it could mean the world to underprivileged children.

Is it worth the effort? Oh, yes.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” the much-loved festive hit goes, but the reality is that for many Christmas is quite the opposite.

In truth, we’re far, far away from the original meaning of Christmas.

It used to be a family holiday, but now feels a bit forced, as though buying and spending more, more and more has taken over the festive period.

Messages about family, love and compassion have been lost somewhere — but there is hope.

Through Operation Christmas Child, tens — maybe hundreds — of thousands of children worldwide will have something “under the tree” this year.

Maybe even more importantly, these families will know they are not alone.

I joined a group of volunteers in Parkgate last Friday to check around 100 boxes full of toys, little gadgets, and school supplies packed by good samaritans to send some love and joy overseas.  

The charity’s shoeboxes, all 50,000-plus of them, will be sent to children and families in need.

The Christmas spirit at Operation Christmas Child was immense.

Music was playing, we were checking and re-packing boxes, the process was smooth while everyone had one goal: to help those families who cannot enjoy Christmas for one reason or another.

Some of the beneficiaries live in terrible conditions, some are in the midst of a war and some have just lost everything.

Some people turn their heads away from those at their lowest, so it was fantastic to see volunteers wanting to change this narrative.

One helper had been packing these boxes, while I met many who just “wanted to do something to help”.

It only took two hours of my life and I now feel richer because of this experience.

The power of volunteering is often underestimated — it doesn’t pay in actual currency but it gives you so much more.

I can be a bit grumpy going up to Christmas but packing those boxes did have an impact on me.

We cannot see the children’s faces when unpacking the boxes in war-torn Ukraine, Chile or Peru — but I hope they will realise that they are not alone, and that there are some good people out there who won’t forget about them, come what may.

* If you want to help, Samaritan’s Purse is collecting and packing shoeboxes until December 17 at Parkgate Shopping, two shops down from TK Maxx. You can also volunteer by dropping in or visiting https://tinyurl.com/OpCChildRotherham.