Decorating Lunch Bags For Christmas Joy

Decorate Lunch Bags for Meals on Wheels

Crafty, Kid-Led Kindness

Think how fun it would be to receive your meal in a brightly decorated lunch bag! This fun, inexpensive project is great for all ages.

Possible recipients

Anyone receiving a nutritious meal from Meals on Wheels (MOW) would enjoy your family's art skills. Contact your nearest Meals on Wheels program (call or email), say you want to decorate lunch bags, and find out where to drop them off.

What you'll need

Plain brown or white paper lunch bags
Decorating materials: markers, stickers, paint, magazine/catalog cutouts, stamps, etc.

Instructions

Use your art supplies to decorate the bags. Be creative!
Take your kids along when you deliver your creations to your local Meals on Wheels office.

Reflections

Why do you think some people need to have meals delivered to them? Why do you think people volunteer to deliver them?
Do you think it's important to get a nutritious meal each day? Why?
When a homebound person receives the bag you made, how do you think he or she will feel? How do you feel when you receive a handmade gift?
When you think of older people, what comes to mind? Why do you think you have those images?
What can we learn from older people [like Grandma and Grandpa]? What has been fun about spending time with them?
What are other ways we can make elders feel loved and respected?

Resources

This growing book list is full of heart-warming books about seniors and aging.

Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
A young boy who lives next to a nursing home befriends the residents. This tale shows the beauty of relationships between young and old. Ages 4-8.
Miss Tizzy by Libba Moore Gray
Children in the neighborhood love Miss Tizzy, and when she becomes ill, they devise ways to show her how much they care. Ages 4-8.
Linnea in Monet's Garden by Christina Bjork
Linnea and her elderly neighbor, Mr. Bloom, visit Paris and Monet's garden at Giverny. A delightful story about the interactions between a child and her elderly friend. Ages 9-12.
A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
This acclaimed book and its sequel follow Joey and Mary Alice and their adventures with Grandma Dowel. Ages 9-12.

Take it further

Deliver Meals! Kids can be a great help when making deliveries. Just contact your local Meals on Wheels program (call or email).
Have a bag-decorating party with family and friends. You could also collect donations for your local Meals on Wheels program while you're at it.
Decorated placemats are often welcome, too. (Think collage!) If possible, seal your placemats with a laminating machine or clear contact paper so your donations have a longer life.
Discover more creative ways to support Meals on Wheels here.
Ask your local MOW what other items they might need. Perhaps they'd appreciate small holiday gifts (sun catchers, candles), emergency kits, or even oven mitts for their volunteers.

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