Smile in a Box
Eid al-Adha Project “Smile in a box”
The whole school is participating in our Eid al-Adha project "Smile in a box". Every day, lovely boxes are brought to school and we are expecting a lot more to come.
More information
In the beginning of November Muslims in Jordan and all over the world will be celebrating Eid al-Adha, one of the most important holidays in Islam. Eid al-Adha or "Festival of Sacrifice" commemorates the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael(Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a ram to sacrifice instead. On this occasion, it is customary for Muslim children to receive new clothes, toys and sometimes money.
The spirit of giving
In the spirit of sacrifice and giving, the PSA is inviting the entire ICS community to help less fortunate families enjoy a happy celebration by participating in our “Smile in a Box” project. With your help, their children will receive specially decorated shoeboxes filled with gifts.
Donation of boxes by ICS students
On the 3rd of November, the last day of school before the Eid al-Adha holiday break, a group of ICS students will donate the boxes to the "Turki al Assasieh" and "Al Imshaqar" schools in Naour. These schools have been suggested to us by the Ministry of Social Development because of the high poverty rate among their pupils.
How to make your “Smile in a Box”
To make your “Smile in a Box” please follow these 5 easy steps:
- Find a box
Find an empty shoebox. Please note the maximum measurements. We would like for every child to receive an equally sized gift. If you can’t find an appropriate box you can get one from Nelly at the ICS reception (limited stock). - Wrap and decorate the box
Wrap the shoebox but please wrap the lid separately so that it can be lifted off, before going on to insert your gifts. You can use conventional gift-wrapping paper, or better yet, decorate the box with drawings, paint, cut outs and stickers. Let your child be creative! - For a boy or a girl?
The children who will receive the boxes are aged 6, 7 and 8.
Decide if your gift is for a boy or a girl, cut out the label at the end of this letter and glue or tape it to the lid of the box. - Fill your box with gifts
Remember that these should be new and age-appropriate items.
Please start with the basic content that we would like every child to receive:
- Toothpaste and tooth brush
- Bar of soap and wash cloth
- A piece of clothing, such as a scarf, gloves, socks, or a sweater
- School supplies, such as coloured pencils, markers, rubber erasers, notebooks
- A toy; turn page for suggestions
You can go on to fill up the box with additional items; please choose from every category:
- Toys: Bear, soft toy, tennis ball, finger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, building blocks, small musical instrument, marbles; for boys: trucks and cars, for girls: small doll, Barbie, etc.
- Educational Supplies: Felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book, notepad, picture or puzzle book, chalk, pencil case, stickers, etc.
- Hygiene Items: Hairbrush, comb, hair clips, flannel, etc.
- Other Items: Socks, gloves, scarf, sunglasses, cap, hat, bangles, necklaces, clip on earrings etc.
But please do not include any of the following items:
- Food: Chocolate, crisps, tinned food, cakes, perishable food
- Medicine: Medicines or vitamins of any kind
- War related items: Toy guns, soldiers or knives
- Fragile items: Glass containers, mirrors
- Liquids: Of any kind, including blow bubbles, shampoo, bubble bath or aerosols
- Dangerous items: Such as marbles, toy snake or sharp objects
- Electronics: Cell phones or battery operated toys
- Lastly: Anything of a political or racial nature; avoid pig character toys
- Bring the box to school by the 27th of October
Put the lid on the box and secure with a rubber band but do not seal the box.
Please let your child bring their shoebox to ICS by the 27th of October and give it to his or her homeroom teacher.
Thank you for making a needy child very happy with your “Smile in a Box”!