A shoebox Christmas

Churches collect gifts for Native American kids in need

 

A truckload of Christmas left Brandon early Monday morning.

And it was contained in a shoebox – or in 500-plus shoeboxes.

For the ninth year, Celebration United Methodist Church in Brandon served as the collection hub for Shoebox Christmas, a program spearheaded by the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church that provides Christmas gifts – in a shoebox – to Native American children who live on reservations in North and South Dakota. 

Ruth Howard, who oversees the goodwill endeavor at Celebration, said more than 800 shoeboxes were collected and delivered last year, and because of the overwhelming need, she hopes to meet or surpass that number this year. Last week, Howard estimated 500-plus shoeboxes would be wrapped and ready to be shipped. 

Howard said an assortment of Shoebox Christmas packages from congregations in Canton, Watertown and Brookings started showing up at the Brandon church last week, anticipating even more were on their way from a handful of United Methodist-affiliated congregations in Sioux Falls.

Howard describes Shoebox Christmas as a simple gesture of Christianity, noting reasons behind the repeat endeavor.

“First, our church is committed to reaching outside our doors. When people think of missions, they think of people who are down and out, and we know there are many people that are in need,” she said. “We can’t solve all of their problems, but we hope to make an impact in our neighborhood.”

Howard said families are encouraged to shop for shoebox gifts together. 

“We encourage families to take their kids along and ask their kids what they’d like to see in the shoebox,” she said.

While many of the items are necessities – toothbrushes and paste, shampoo and cream rinse, school supplies – the boxes also contain a toy or a game, “something kids would like to play,” Howard said. “We always try to include a treat and a copy of The Christmas Story is placed in every box, too.”

The filled shoeboxes are brought to the church already wrapped, with tags identifying whether it’s for a boy or a girl, and appropriate age.

“We ask that they don’t put clothes in there because it’s so hard to dictate sizes,” Howard said. “A lot of the boxes will have hats and gloves in them though.”

For Howard, Shoebox Christmas is her first step into the holiday season.

“It’s one Christmas item that I can cross off of my list before Thanksgiving,” she said. “And it really gets you in the mood to think about shopping for Christmas.”