Written by the team behind Puzzlify. Puzzlify is our product, so weigh what follows with that in mind. We've tried to make this useful even if you never use it. We're not affiliated with any church, denomination, diocese, food bank, school, retailer, charity or community organisation.
A reverse Advent calendar turns the usual idea around. Instead of opening a door and taking a chocolate, you add something to a box every day of December: a tin of soup, a packet of pasta, tea bags, a tube of toothpaste. In some churches a few people organise it for the whole congregation. They hand out lists and empty boxes in late November, keep a collection crate by the door, count and sort what comes in, and drive it all to the local food bank before Christmas. This short guide is about thanking them.
Below are a few ideas, plus an honest view of when a photo puzzle fits and when it doesn't.
What the collectors usually do
Every church and food bank works differently, and the food bank's own shopping list always comes first, but the work often includes:
- checking with the food bank what they actually need this year
- printing a simple list of one item per day for households to follow
- finding sturdy boxes or bags, and a crate by the church door
- reminding people in the notices without making anyone feel pressured
- checking best-before dates and setting aside anything that can't be used
- sorting tins, dry goods and toiletries into the food bank's categories
- weighing or counting the boxes so the congregation can hear the total
- loading the car and making the delivery before the Christmas rush
Why a thank-you matters
Most people see a full crate by the door and a total in the January notices. They don't see the evenings spent sorting, the trips to the car or the careful note to the food bank. A short, specific thank-you tells the collectors that their December was noticed.
When to say it
Early January is a natural moment, once the delivery is done and the total is known. A line in the notices or parish magazine, a card at the next church council meeting, or a word over coffee is often enough.
Photos that work well
Please never photograph people collecting from the food bank, and respect the food bank's own rules on photos at their premises. Photos of the collection itself work beautifully:
- the crate by the church door, half full in the second week of December
- a row of filled boxes lined up along a pew before delivery
- tins and packets sorted into neat piles on a hall table
- the printed day-by-day list pinned to the noticeboard
- the car boot packed to the roof on delivery day
- the empty crate back by the door, with a thank-you sign beside it
If you'd like a photo of the collectors, take it while they're sorting, ask everyone first, and keep it to the people who said yes.
Choosing a piece count
| Pieces | Good for |
|---|---|
| 24 | a quick puzzle on a phone |
| 48 | a few minutes with a cup of tea |
| 80 | someone who likes a gentle challenge |
| 130 | a wide shot of all the boxes together |
| 252 | a long evening, best on a tablet |
A close-up of the crate suits 24 or 48. Rows of similar tins make a harder puzzle than you might expect, so 80 is usually plenty; 130 is for someone who enjoys a challenge.
Note examples
- "Thank you for turning December into twenty-four small gifts."
- "Every tin, every box, every trip to the car. Thank you."
- "You made it easy for all of us to give. Thank you."
- "The crate was never empty for long. Thank you."
- "Same crate, same list, next December? Thank you."
What it costs, plainly
The preview is free, so you can see how it looks before deciding anything. Publishing the link costs one credit (€3.99), or less per puzzle with a bundle. It's a digital puzzle, not a printed or cardboard one. The recipient doesn't need an account or an app; they open the link and your note appears when the last piece goes in. Some people would rather add an extra box to the collection, and that's a good thank-you too. If a card is enough, it is.
Ideas that are not a puzzle
- a named thank-you in the notices or parish magazine
- a card signed by the clergy and the church council
- an extra box for the food bank, given in the collectors' name
- a printed photo of the boxes for the church noticeboard
- offering to drive the delivery next year
- asking the collectors what would make next December easier
Where Puzzlify fits
Puzzlify turns a personal photo into a private digital jigsaw that you send as a link. It isn't a printed puzzle, and it isn't a public puzzle board: only the people you send it to can open it. It's one option among many, and it works best when the photo means something to the person receiving it. Please don't confuse it with puzzlify.io, Puzzlit, Puzzly or Puzzify, which are different things.
If a photo puzzle feels right as well, choose the crate by the door, the row of boxes or the packed car on delivery day, pick a piece count that suits them, and write the note in your own words. You can make one here.
Written by the small team behind Puzzlify (info@puzzlify.app). Not legal, religious, food safety, charity law, safeguarding, privacy, photography permission or gift policy advice.