Auckland Packing Day 2025
COMMUNITY PACKING DAY
This year, our amazing volunteers across 14 cities and towns in New Zealand — including the Cook Islands — will come together to pack a total of 35,250 Christmas Boxes. Each box brings hope and essential food to thousands of families, especially at a time when budgets are stretched the most.
Packing Day is a fun, high-energy event, and a fantastic way to support those in need across our communities. Many of our volunteers come back year after year because of the rewarding experience it offers.
Date: Saturday, 29 November
Time: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM (packing ends)
Packdown: We’d really appreciate it if some volunteers could stay a bit longer after packing to help with packdown until about 2:00 PM. Your extra hands make a huge difference in tidying up and fully packing down the warehouse.
Location: Auckland (address will be shared with registered volunteers)
Save the date! Registrations will open closer to the day.
Want to get involved or have any questions?
Just email us at info@christmmasbox.co.nz — We’d love to hear from you!
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE DAY
Teams rotate through different roles to keep things dynamic and fun, including:
• Packing: Carefully filling each box with essentials and treats
• Product-to-Table: Moving items from pallets to the packing line
• Recycling Eco-Warriors: Sorting and breaking down cardboard and plastics
• Damaged Goods: Managing any items that don’t meet quality standards
• Box Making: Folding and taping boxes ready for packing
We want everyone to feel welcome — if you or someone in your team has any mobility needs, just let us know. We’ll do our best to accommodate and make sure everyone can contribute.
Parking: Please follow the directions of our parking wardens on arrival — they’ll help you find a spot quickly and safely.
What to bring: Please avoid bringing handbags or large valuables, as there’s no secure storage onsite for personal items.
What to Wear: Comfortable, active clothes you can move in and closed-toe shoes (sneakers are ideal). We encourage teams to wear their company shirts to show their spirit!
Thank you to all our amazing volunteers — your support makes this possible!
CORPORATE & BUSINESS TEAMS
Auckland Corporate Team Volunteering — Friday, 28th November 2025
Join us for a rewarding team-building experience that truly makes a difference. This year, corporate teams are invited to help pack thousands of Christmas Boxes for families across Aotearoa.
In 2025, we’re packing 35,250 Christmas Boxes across New Zealand — including 1,000 boxes for the Cook Islands — delivering hope, dignity, and essential support to families in need.
Event Details
Date: Friday, 28th November 2025
Location: Auckland Warehouse (exact location to be confirmed)
Participation Fee: $40 per person — covering the cost to pack and deliver one Christmas Box to a family this Christmas
Registrations Open: 8:00 AM
Finish Time: Around 12:30 PM — we’d love some teams to stay a little longer to help reset for the next packing session
Please note: Corporate team volunteering is available in Auckland only.
How to Register
Registrations will open soon, but spaces are limited and spots always fill fast — we usually have a waitlist! To get ahead, just email michelle.noma@lifenz.org to secure your team’s place.
Why a Participation Fee?
For the first time in 25 years, we’ve introduced a small participation fee. Like many charities, rising food, freight, and supply chain costs — alongside increasing demand — mean we need to be strategic to keep making the biggest impact possible. Each $40 fee covers packing and delivering one Christmas Box — but the retail value of each box is around $75, filled with essential food and festive treats.
By combining your team’s time and effort with this contribution, your impact stretches further, helping us keep Christmas Box sustainable, efficient, and growing for years to come.
If your employees are covering their participation fee, you might also consider matching their donation or contributing extra as an organisation to multiply your impact.
What’s Included?
✔️ Your $40 participation covers the full cost to pack and deliver a Christmas Box valued at $75 — every dollar goes straight to feeding a family.
✔️ Water and brunch provided onsite.
✔️ Professional photographer to capture your team in action — photos available to download and share.
✔️ A rewarding, hands-on team-building experience — pack, move, and prepare boxes that bring hope and practical support to whānau at Christmas.
Quote from previous year’s volunteer
“Packing day was honestly one of the best team-building days we’ve ever done. It felt amazing to give back and see exactly where our time and effort were going — we left feeling proud and connected, knowing we’d made a real difference together.”
— Corporate Volunteer, 2024
Thank you for helping us make Christmas truly special for families across Aotearoa — one box at a time.
