“I’m Literally Crying”: Santa Shoebox Project Brings Smiles to Kids’ Faces Before December
- The Santa Shoebox project shared a video showing children receiving shoeboxes filled with gifts
- A woman who participated in the project with her family said the excitement on the kids' faces when they opened their boxes was priceless
- South Africans were moved to tears watching the children's genuine reactions to receiving simple items like rulers and stationery
Source: Facebook
The Santa Shoebox project is a non-profit organisation that collects and distributes personalised gifts to children in need in shoeboxes. The organisation posted a heartwarming video on 20 November 2025 showing children receiving their shoeboxes on their Facebook page. The video captured the pure joy on the kids' faces who were sitting together in a group as they received their shoeboxes. Inside each box were snacks, books, colouring pencils, toys, and clothing items.
The organisation shared:
"Children are the heartbeat of our communities, and their smiles light up the world. 💛 November 20th reminds us of the joy, curiosity, and endless potential in every little heart. Every act of kindness, every bit of care, helps a child feel seen, loved, and inspired to dream bigger. 🎁"
A woman named Soraya Leeuw shared in the comments that she and her sister Rashieda participated in the project this year. They delivered their boxes with Soraya's grandchild, Zaveah, who is 18 months old, and Rashieda's granddaughter Johari, who is 5 years old. Soraya wrote:
"It's never too early to teach them about kindness and be mindful of those less fortunate... The excitement and the smiles on the kids' faces when they opened their boxes are priceless... Something as simple as a ruler received with surprise and enthusiasm made it so worthwhile to be part of the project."
Source: Facebook
Mzansi gets emotional watching the video
Social media users were moved by the children's reactions and shared their feelings in the comments:
@Davina van Wyk wrote:
"I kept swallowing my tears because I didn't want to miss anything in this video. I love the work they do. But this kid's excitement was over the moon!"
@Najwa Adamson said:
"I'm in tears. The joy on their faces."
@Marika Hanekom shared:
"We did the project for the first time with our 3 and 8-year-old girls, and they loved it! After dropping the boxes, my 3-year-old was inconsolable because she didn't see the boys they were meant to give them to 🙏🏼🤗🩷"
@Sheila Nanna Martin added:
"This just has me in tears, how a box of goodies brings about so much joy and excitement!!"
@Dee McCrindle wrote:
"Wow. So special - thank you for sharing. Keep up the amazing work! ❤️❤️❤️"
@Godfrey Van Der Moni said:
"A memory the kids will never forget, bless the hearts of the givers."
@Josephine Josephus gushed:
"I am literally crying to see the excitement and joy."
How the Santa Shoebox project works
According to the Santa Shoebox project, the project started in Cape Town in 2006 with just 180 shoeboxes. Today, it has grown to more than 1.3 million boxes delivered to underprivileged children at over 1,000 educational and care facilities across South Africa and Namibia. It’s run by the Joy of Giving Trust.
To take part, you simply find an empty shoebox, decorate it, and fill it with new, age-appropriate essentials like toothpaste, a toothbrush, soap, a washcloth, clothing, school supplies, sweets and a toy.
Watch the Facebook video below:
More acts of kindness helping communities
- Briefly News recently reported on a Western Cape woman who thanked South Africans for helping her feed 133 hungry people.
- An Eastern Cape woman was caught on video handing out food to young children who depended on the soup kitchen for meals.
- Big Man KG surprised a shopper with a 30-second trolley dash challenge, giving them a chance to grab as much as they could in half a minute.
Source: Briefly News
