The time of year for giving is here and the National Honor Society’s juniors and seniors have already packed shoe boxes full of items for Operation Christmas Child to be delivered on Christmas day. These boxes include things like toys, hygiene products, accessories or even kind notes for kids in need aged 2-14 around the world.

“It’s only available for the National Honor Society to participate,’’ National Honor Society Senior Class Sponsor Angie Mason said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to participate. And so again, children in need around the world have something to open up on Christmas Day.”

For the past 10 years, NHS has been participating in Operation Christmas Child and they plan on continuing in the future. Students can participate through the school only if they are in NHS. 

“Operation Christmas Child is a fun experience,” senior in NHS Ian Pierce said. “You get to bring joy and happiness to a kid you may never even meet. Or you could even make a friend with that kid and leave something of your own like a nice note and nice letter. That shows that it was you that did it and that there’s more of a personal connection between you and the random person that may not get an actual Christmas.”

The majority of participants in NHS pay out of pocket, rather than fundraising. They pay for the items in the shoe box and an extra $10 of shipping fees for the boxes to be delivered. 

“It can be very pricey, but you do get a lot of NHS points,” Pierce said. “And it’s fun because you’re giving a child a Christmas gift, and it always makes you feel good and makes you feel like you’re doing a good deed.”

This year, NHS sent 100 boxes from Nov. 14-21. Donations for Operation Christmas Child are not limited to students in NHS.

“I don’t participate through NHS, I participate through my church,” NHS senior and member of Waypoint Church Jonah Sevier said. “I’ve participated with Operation Christmas Child for the last two to three years through my church and it’s been a really unique experience.”

The Christmas spirit is spread through many ways, such as through donating. This is how many students choose to spread the joy of this time of year.

 “It’s really nice to get the opportunity to personally write a note down and send that across the world,” Sevier said. “And to know that I’m going to make somebody’s Christmas a little bit better, just through two toys, some hygiene and some school supplies.”