Shooglebox is the perfect gift for the world’s first Covid Christmas – a way to spread some joy at a time when the news and social media seem filled with doom and gloom.
It helps you create a digital box of happy treasures and memories for a loved one – filling it with photos, videos, songs, web links, mementoes – for them to open on Christmas Day.
At a time when many people are feeling particularly isolated from family and friends, a thoughtful and personal present like this can have a hugely positive effect.
It's not just the contents of the box that make the recipient so happy – it's the fact you've put time, effort, thought and care into making something just for them.
And we've found that the act of making a box for someone else is just as beneficial for your own mental wellbeing. The time you spend hunting for those favourite things you know they'll love – your shared passions and memories, the things that make them laugh and cry – transports you to a much happier place than your Twitter newsfeed!
An example: if you’re not able to see your mum this Christmas a box of memories of favourite Christmases gone by could be just the thing she needs with the promise of next Christmas getting back on track.
Photos of you as children opening presents with your notes on the back, links to YouTube videos of some of the TV programmes you watched all those years ago, songs you listened to, carols you remember singing, photos of festive mementoes you’ve got in the loft. Anything that evokes wonderful memories could really make your mum’s Christmas this year. And will no doubt spark long phone, FaceTime or Zoom conversations!
And you'll find you spend lots of happy hours yourself as you sit with a smile on your face listening to the music or watching videos that take you back to your childhood.
We've pulled together some examples of the boxes other people have created for their friends and relatives including memories of years that mean a lot to them; a shared passion for a favourite movie; photos, videos and mementoes from a special holiday together, memories of a much-loved pet,
One particularly powerful use of Shooglebox we've discovered is creating a box of personal memories for an elderly relative who's struggling with their own memory through dementia.
We love Kathryn's story of the box she's created for her Auntie Elsie and hope it inspires you to have a go at making one for your own relatives or friends.
We've made Shooglebox free to use for creating and sending as many gift boxes as you want to help spread as much Christmas cheer as you can.
Click here to get started and create your own box of cards for free.
