Christmas Santa Sack Drive 2026

Help us make Christmas a little more special this year ❤️

This Christmas, Sew It is proud to be supporting Christchurch City Mission with a special community project.

City Mission is hoping to collect around 500 handmade Christmas Santa Sacks to fill with presents for tamariki in need this Christmas.

We're inviting our Sew It community, and anyone who enjoys sewing, to get involved.

Whether you make one bag, two or ten, every single donation will help bring a little extra Christmas magic to a child in our community.

✂️ What materials can I use?

City Mission is encouraging creativity, so there are lots of possibilities!

Fabric ideas include:

• Recycled fabrics and materials

• Christmas-themed cotton fabrics

• Patchwork and leftover fabric pieces

• Hessian

• Traditional Christmas colours – red, green, gold and white

• Old Christmas tablecloths, sheets or curtains

Want to make it extra festive?

Feel free to decorate your bag with:  Embroidery, Appliqué, Sequins, Tinsel, Christmas motifs and embellishments

There is no limit to how festive they can be!

You don't need to purchase expensive materials. A combination of recycled fabrics and a little imagination can make a beautiful Christmas bag.

📏 What size should I make?

City Mission would like the bags to be approximately pillowcase size. Minimum size: 750mm x 500mm

Please make sure your finished bag is no smaller than this. The bags should be open at the top, ready to be filled with Christmas goodies.

No need to add ribbon or a drawstring. City Mission will tie the bags with ribbon once they have been filled.

🎄 Never made a Santa Sack before?

Don't worry! Our friend Laura from The Kiwi Country Girl has kindly given us permission to share her DIY Santa Sack tutorial.  Laura takes you through the process step by step, with helpful photographs and a video to follow along with.

It's a great starting point if you're new to making fabric bags or just need a little guidance.

 

WATCH LAURA'S DIY SANTA SACK TUTORIAL

Thank you to Laura for generously allowing us to share her tutorial with our Sew It community!

Remember, for this project you can leave out the ribbon and drawstring. City Mission will add ribbon when the bags are filled.

❤️ Where can I drop off my finished bag?

Please bring your finished Santa sacks into Sew It in Hornby.  Alternatively you are able to courier them to us:  

Sew It, Unit J/375 Main South Road, Hornby, Christchurch, 8042

Please drop them off by Wednesday 9 December 2026.

We'll make sure they are passed on to City Mission in time.

🎅 Let’s make Christmas a little more special!

Whether you're an experienced sewer, a patchwork enthusiast or someone who simply has some spare fabric waiting to be used, we'd love you to be part of this project.

Make one, make a few, or get together with friends and make a little sewing afternoon of it!

Every bag is a little gift of kindness, and together we can help make Christmas special for around 500 tamariki in our Christchurch community.

Thank you for helping Sew It and Christchurch City Mission spread some Christmas cheer.

Happy sewing! ❤️