Letting kids revel in all the delicious fun of the holidays, yet also teaching them the season's deeper meanings — what mom does not hope she can do both?

Enter three holiday charity events in Honolulu — Operation Christmas Child, a drive to collect shoeboxes filled with gifts for needy children; the 21st Annual Breakfast with Santa, a benefit for Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii; and the Gingerbread Festivals, a benefit for Easter Seals Hawaii and Kama'aina Kids.

Each happening promises big fun or learning for the kiddies while also aiding a worthy cause.

But note: Each has a fast-approaching deadline.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Helping hurting and needy children around the world can be as easy as packing a shoebox.

Local organizers of Operation Christmas Child are once again collecting shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items and other gifts for distribution through Samaritan's Purse, an international relief and evangelism organization.

Last year, 7,000 shoeboxes were collected in Hawai'i. They were among 7.6 million shoebox gifts Samaritan's Purse distributed last year to kids in nearly 100 countries. Local organizer Rebecca Woodland says she's received thank-you notes from kids in places as far-flung as the Philippines, El Salvador, Africa and Russia.

Shoebox gifts may be turned in at the Matson container at Central Union Church, 1660 S. Beretania St., 1 to 6 p.m. today or 3 to 6 p.m. tomorrow.

While Samaritan's Purse is a Christian organization, people of every faith have joined the effort, says Woodland, who has helped coordinate it locally since 1999. One of the main ideas is to make it easy for kids to help kids. She recalls a 2-year-old boy who wobbled up to her last year with his shoebox. "He said, 'This is for a little boy who has no toys.' He was just about in tears. He just couldn't believe there could be a child who didn't have toys," she says.

Here's how to participate:

1. Decide if your shoebox gift is to be for a boy or girl, and choose an age group: 2 to 4, 5 to 9 or 10 to 14. Then print a label from www.samaritanspurse.org and mark your preferences.

2. Wrapping is not required, but if you do wrap, the lid must be wrapped separately, as the box's contents must be inspected before it leaves the United States. Tape the label to the lid.

3. Fill the box with items that you think a child would appreciate — but remember that no liquids and no perishable food items are allowed. Suggestions from Samaritan's Purse: