This Christmas we are again taking part in the shoebox appeal. Every year we send a shoebox full to the brim of treats to a group of children in India. Our ethos at McKenna and Co is to always give back wherever we can and this is the perfect way to do just that. Christmas time can be an especially difficult time for a lot of families in poorer parts of the world, even this small gesture of a box full of treats can make a huge difference to their Christmas experience.
So, where do we send them? We send our shoeboxes to the Bulbulir Basa orphanage in Calcutta, which Lisa visited in 2017. While there, she taught and lived alongside 10 boys between the ages of 8 and 14. The Bulbulir Basa Orphanage is one of the smaller ones in Calcutta and so is often one which is overlooked. By focusing on this smaller orphanage, it allows us to make our shoeboxes more personable as we get to know more about the child we are gifting to and we are also sent a lovely picture of them all with their presents which is always an emotional one to receive.
It is while doing these shoeboxes, you really think about how someone else’s Christmas experience is so different to you own, and gives an opportunity to reflect on what is really important.