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 — 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.

Write on the Lid

The inside lid of your shoebox is prime real estate. OCC allows you to decorate it — and 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 "Jesus loves me" are simple and powerful
• Draw a picture or let your kids color one directly on the lid
• Attach stickers, postcards, or calendar art pages — the child may hang the lid on the wall
• Write the child's "name" even though you don't know it: "To: My Friend" or "To: God's Beloved"
• Print and tape a Bible verse in the language of the destination region if you know it — OCC's website shows recent distribution countries

The lid is the first thing the child sees before they even look inside. Use it.

Write a Real Note — Not a Generic One

A handwritten note is the most powerful item in the box — field workers say children treasure letters and photos more than almost anything else. But most notes are generic. Be specific.

• Tell them your name and city — "My name is Sarah and I live in Nashville, Tennessee, USA"
• Tell them your age, your family, your pets — things a child relates to
• Tell them you prayed for them specifically before you packed the box
• Tell them Jesus loves them and so do you
• Include your email address — some children are able to write back through missionaries or translators
• Write in simple, short sentences — easier to translate
• Print the note in large font if you type it — easier to read for non-native English readers

One experienced packer puts it this way: "One little boy received a box with only 3 small items. He closed it quietly and sat there dejected." A full box matters. But a personal note is what 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 Australia or Germany. A photo is free, weighs nothing, and may be one of the most treasured things in the box.

• Print a 4x6 photo — wallet size is fine too
• Label the back with your names and city
• A smiling family around a table or Christmas tree communicates warmth across any language
• If you have kids, include a photo of them specifically — children connect with other children

Include Drawings by Your Kids

A child's drawing of their house, their dog, their family, or just a rainbow communicates joy and connection across every language barrier. Let your kids draw a picture specifically for the child receiving the box. Sign it with their name and age.

Pack Two of Everything You Can

Field reports consistently show that many OCC recipients share their box with siblings, friends, or other children. Two toothbrushes instead of one. Two washcloths. Two bars of soap. An extra pack of pencils. It costs almost nothing and multiplies the impact significantly.

• 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; pack 8–10 not 2
• Extra stickers — they trade them at school
• Extra sheets of paper — paper is a surprisingly scarce commodity in many recipient countries

Remove Packaging to Fit More

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

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

Most retail packaging is 30–50% air and cardboard. Removing it can let you fit 20–30% more actual gifts in the same box.

Use Clothing and Soft Items as Packing Material

Rolled clothing, washcloths, and stuffed animals fill gaps, protect fragile items, and add gifts simultaneously. Pack hard items first, then use soft items to fill every empty corner.

• Roll T-shirts tightly and tuck them into corners
• Wrap a washcloth around a toothbrush and comb
• Stuff socks inside a cup or bowl
• Use a stuffed animal to fill the last open space on top

Pack Items Inside Cups and Bowls

A plastic cup takes up space. A plastic cup stuffed with pencils, cotton swabs, and hair ties takes up the same space and gives three times the gifts. Same with bowls, drawstring bags, and pencil cases — fill every container with smaller items.

Use Zip-Top Bags to Organize

Pack school supplies in one zip-top bag, hygiene items in another. The child gets to reuse the bags — in many recipient countries, reusable plastic bags are genuinely useful and valued. It also keeps things organized if the box is opened and re-inspected at the processing center.

Deflate Soccer Balls Completely

A deflated soccer ball with a hand pump is one of the best WOW gifts in any box — but pack it right. Deflate completely, wrap the pump inside the ball, compress with rubber bands or string. Buys you significant space. Note: buy deflated balls rather than deflating pre-inflated ones — it's faster and you can deflate them more completely.

Where to Get Free OCC Shoeboxes

• Samaritan's Purse website — order free preprinted cardboard or plastic boxes at samaritanspurse.org/occ
• Your church — most participating churches stock boxes starting in October
• Hobby Lobby — carries official OCC boxes and display bins seasonally
• Any shoebox from your closet — a standard shoebox works perfectly; just download the free label at samaritanspurse.org
• Photo storage boxes (Michaels, craft stores) — colorful, sturdy, and the right size

Where to Get Free Packing Labels

Download and print free shipping labels at samaritanspurse.org/label-options. The label specifies the age group and gender, and includes the $10 shipping payment and Follow Your Box tracking code. Print it, attach it to the lid, done.

Where to Get Free Packing Resources

• Lion Wholesale offers free lid printouts, coloring book pages, game instructions in multiple languages, sewing patterns, and packing guides — all free at lionwholesale.com
• Samaritan's Purse has a full Project Leader resource kit including PowerPoint presentations, social media graphics, and packing party guides at samaritanspurse.org/occ/project-leader
• OCC item search tool — type in any item and get an instant GO or STOP at samaritanspurse.org/occ

Shop Clearance Year-Round

The best OCC packers don't shop in November. They shop all year and store items in a tote bin.

• January: Post-Christmas clearance — 50–90% off toys, seasonal items, stickers
• February–March: Post-Valentine's and Easter clearance — classroom card sets, small toys, candy-free fillers at 75% off
• July–September: Back-to-school sales — best prices of the year on school supplies
• Any time: Dollar Tree, Five Below, Target Dollar Spot — shop whenever you're there

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

Consider a Theme Box

Instead of a generic assortment, build around a theme. Makes packing more intentional and the box more cohesive for the child receiving it.

• Sports theme — soccer ball, watch, athletic socks, sunglasses, jump rope
• Artist theme — sketch pad, colored pencils, oil pastels, markers, eraser
• School theme — backpack stuffed with every supply imaginable
• Craft theme — friendship bracelet kit, embroidery kit, beads, thread
• Explorer theme — compass, flashlight, paracord, magnifying glass, binoculars
• Color theme — everything in the child's favorite color (pick one, go all in)

Pray Before You Seal It

Before you close the box, pray over it. Specifically. Name the child by age group and region if you know the destination. Ask God to use what's inside — including the Jesus doll — to introduce that child to His Son.

Field workers say they can tell when a box was prayed over. They can't always explain why. But experienced packers take this seriously.

⭐The Most Important Item in the Box

Every tip above makes a better box. But the single most important decision is what you put 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." $15 at jesusdoll.com.

Put Jesus in first. Let every other tip build around Him.

Get the Shoebox Jesus Doll →

Last updated: July 2026