This year I've packed a bag for a local woman in need to make her feel special at Christmas time. And I picked a nice big bag so I had room for a few extra pieces for her.
What's In My #ItsInTheBag Donation For 2021:
The past couple of years I've done a mums and bubs bag to help out a new mum in need. This year, I decided to go back to basics and just fill up a similar bag to what I did the first time I donated in 2018. This bag will be given to a local lady in need at Christmas time. Maybe she's homeless, maybe she's fleeing violence, maybe she's just having a hard time making ends meet and has reached out to a charity for help. Whoever she is I hope that this bag helps her see she's loved and worthy, and brings her a little joy at Christmas time.
This bag has all the basic essential hygiene items and a few extras. Things like tissues, a face mask, wipes, hand sanitiser, hand cream, a necklace, a journal and some pens. And I hope whoever receives this likes coconut, as you can see I ended up with a bit of a coconut theme going on! Almost everything was on sale. I stock up in advance, and don't shop all at once. Half price sales at Woolworths on beauty products are good for this, to add a little extra to the grocery shop, and the bag itself was a $8 bargain at Kmart with lots of room for everything.
What To Put In Your Bag:
Other Ways You Can Participate:
If you're in Australia:
- Don't have time to shop, or ideas for what to put in a bag? (It kicks off this weekend!) You can sponsor a bag on the Share the Dignity website.
- If you can't make it to Bunnings between the 19th and 28th November, why not see if any local charities near you are collecting anything similar? A thoughtful bag of essential hygiene items is likely to be well received. Maybe your local library is already collecting such items, or your local food bank would appreciate some donations.
- Maybe you just can't stretch to something like this at Christmas time - there's always the sanitary items donation drive later in the year.
If you're outside Australia:
I've seen this idea by other names in other countries too - blessing bags, kindness bags, etc. You can research and see if there is anything similar where you live.
More Ideas For What To Put In Your Bag:
I'm not sure how many times you need to do something each year before it becomes tradition - but I'm glad I can do this for the fourth year in a row and that I have the avenue on this blog to share the donation drive with a wider audience. It makes me so happy when friends or family want to include things in the bag or have even put their own bag together to donate. My mum helped me with this bag, the little pouch was a great addition!
I plan to do this next year as well - are there any little extras you think I should include that I haven't this year? Or anything you considered a must-have when you donated something similar?
