From Humble Beginnings to a National Movement

This heartwarming campaign has surprisingly international roots. The tradition dates back to an English grandmother who, deeply moved by the conditions children faced after the World Wars, decided to pack gifts into a simple shoebox and send it to a child in need. She couldn't have known that her thoughtful gesture would inspire millions to follow suit decades later.

The Cipősdoboz Akció officially began here in Hungary in 2003, initially in collaboration with HBAid, with gifts arriving from Western Europe. However, starting in 2004, HBAid took the reins, launching the first fully Hungarian-driven Operation Shoebox.

Since then, the charity campaign has grown exponentially. It’s now strongly supported by a wide range of Hungarian workplaces, schools, and local communities. Today, HBAid successfully coordinates the distribution of over 50,000 parcels of Christmas gifts to children in need across the country, making it one of the most recognizable holiday charities for those living in Hungary.

How to do it? 

1. Find an empty shoe box in good condition.

2. Decide whether you want to give it to a girl or a boy, and their age.

3. Fill the shoe box with gifts (toys, stationery, hygiene items, sweets, books) - pls see suggested items below.

4. Wrap the finished gift package with colored wrapping paper (separate the top and the bottom) and then tape it with transparent tape or tie it with string.

5. Write clearly on the box the age, and girl or boy you want the gift for. (Eg “boy 12” or “girl 8”).

6. Take the finished gift package to one of the shoe box collection points by December 19 at the latest.

Suggested Items for Your Shoebox Gift

Books and Reading Material: Storybooks, young adult novels, and colouring books.

Toys and Games: Board games, cards, dice, building blocks/construction toys, educational and skill-developing games, dolls, cars, balls, skipping ropes, and other small sports equipment.

Hygiene Supplies: Deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, and hand cream. (Important Note: Please carefully wrap these in a sealable bag to prevent damage or leakage that could ruin the entire gift package).

Sweets and Treats: Candies, lollipops, chocolate, and biscuits/cookies.

School and Stationery Supplies: Notebooks, pens, markers, crayons, coloured pencils, watercolours, tempera paint, erasers, and pencil sharpeners.

A Personal Touch: A nice addition is a postcard or a family photo with a few lines of greeting and well wishes. (It is not advisable to include your postal or email address.)

Please Do Not Include These Items

Organisers kindly ask everyone not to place the following items in your gift boxes:

Items that promote aggression or violence: This includes toy guns, knives, or PC games.

Perishable food: Canned goods, food that spoils quickly, or fresh fruit.

Fragile items: Objects that can easily break, such as mirrors or porcelain dolls.

Medicines.

Broken or unusable toys.

For more information contact them via e-mail.

List of places where you can drop your shoebox until 19 December: ciposdoboz.hu

If you want to sent it by post please us the following address:
Baptista Szeretetszolgálat Alapítvány
1143 Budapest, Hungária körút 69.