Blessing Bag Tips
Helpful Blessing Bag tips:
- Avoid gifts that are black or dark colors.
- Consider using complementing colors for your gifts and ribbon. The cohesive look can make the gift look more thoughtful and special.
- A good rule of thumb is: If you would feel honored to receive this as a gift, then she will too.
- If you are ordering any of your items online, order at least 2-4 weeks in advance to ensure delivery before your “put together” date.
- If you have extra items after you have made your Blessing Bags, feel free to donate them for future bags when you drop off your bags, or you might even be able to take them back to the store for a refund.
Please DO NOT:
- Include homemade food and some gifts (homemade baked goods, chapstick, or other items like that). If someone gets sick, you might get sued.
- Include items that would get easily crushed, squished, broken, or smashed (glassware, cookies, chips, etc)- fingernail polish would probably be ok though since it is in thick glass. The Blessing Bags will be transported a minimum of 3 times and will be stacked in boxes for traveling & storage. In the warmer months, the bags will sometimes be in the sun and really hot weather while they are being handed out, and in the colder months, the bags might be in below freezing conditions. . All items chosen need to hold up well in all these different weather conditions.
- Include chocolate in the bags. Originally we tried this, but eventually determined that it was best to just leave chocolate out altogether.
- Put any other literature in the bags besides what we provide unless you ask us about it first.
- Include used items or holiday themed items
Different ways to fund blessing bags:
- Ask other prolife advocates if they would be willing to donate items or money to help make the Blessing Bags.
- Buy items in bulk or by the case if possible. Ordering items in bulk online is also worth looking into.
- Check out after-holiday sales for items that DO NOT have holiday themes printed on them.
- If you know anyone who does craft work on the side or as a business, ask if they can make you something small for a discount price or as a donation. Example: maybe someone in a community makes special headbands that are decorated nicely. You could put one in each bag.
Note- The Blessing Bag idea was originally seen on the Sidewalk Advocates for Life (SAFL) website. SAFL is an organization that promotes peaceful, prayerful, and law-abiding sidewalk counseling. We have used the basic Blessing Bag ideas from their website and adapted them to fit our local needs. We appreciate them allowing us to use their information.