What do you get your deployed loved ones for Christmas?

[dpswift]

I have noticed that many of the posters on this board have spouses and children in the military. DS 25 is on his first deployment. He has been in the Navy 3 years but this is the first deployment.

We have asked him what he wants for Christmas and all he has told us is coffee. We also have "adopted" 2 Marines that are on the ship with him. We do not have any military experience and have no idea what to send him.

I thank you in advance for any help because I am completely clueless.

 

[Poohbear5]

We put high end coffee in ziplocs (so it doesn't smell up the other items!), coffee filters, a good variety of candy, crackers, seasonal christmas treats, a football, cards and games that are small, toothpaste shaving cream toothpaste. A few decorations for the tent. Hickory Farms and other hardy snacks. Plastic airtight boxes so little critters are not drawn into the snack areas. If he has access to a tv, lots of dvds. We got a ton at Black Friday sales. We wrapped all the items individually and stuffed a stocking with the little things.
We tried homeade cookies and such, but it takes too long to get there.
You can send larger items from Amazon directly so you do not need to package and ship yourself.

 

[Gracie09]

We sent my bil candy, beef jerky, baby wipes, hand warmer things iTunes cards.Most we got at Costco.

 

[Chelley00]

hand warmer things

We sent these to my son's friend in a care package and his whole room requested we send more

Along with the other things mentioned, we've sent individual Gatorade/Crystal light packages, jerky, boot socks, batteries, gum.

 

[Lynne G]

When my DH was deployed, our care packages included pictures of our family, big bags of candy, gum, and snacks to share. Current magazines, beef sticks, and bath items, soap, deoderant, bath wash.

We thank him for his service. It is hard over the holidays. We have been apart for more than one.

 

[Cristy]

Last year we created a Holiday Party for all in the platoon - 20 troops. We sent decorations, Christmas paper plates, napkins and cups- food stuffs (Hickory Farms shipped to APO's for free) including MIOs and Crystal Light singles (they got all the water they needed in the desert) popcorn (they had microwave), pretzels, corn puffs for the party and for their Holiday Stocking. We also sent gum, mints, candy canes, limited holiday chocolate; we sent games from the dollar store and family dollar ie. mazes, puzzles, paddle balls, yoyo's, race cars and bedazzle; Lip balm, hand warmers, feet warmers, card games, Pocket games (from Target); also sent some of the other items mentioned above and more. My grandchildren (ages 8, 7, and 5 at the time) each had their classrooms write letters and drew pictures for the servicemen and women. I sent them over in the boxes for them. I think there were about 60 letters. Shipping gets expensive. I sent about 8 big boxes. I could not have been happier that I knew I helped make someone elses holiday better.

Last year at Thanksgiving in Afghanistan they had tents to go to eat, but the lines were too long and we apparently were feeding the locals there which made the lines longer. After working extra long shifts our guys gave up and went back to their tents and did not get to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Once we heard that, we made sure they had a memorable, happier Christmas.

 

[dpswift]

Last year we created a Holiday Party for all in the platoon - 20 troops. We sent decorations, Christmas paper plates, napkins and cups- food stuffs (Hickory Farms shipped to APO's for free) including MIOs and Crystal Light singles (they got all the water they needed in the desert) popcorn (they had microwave), pretzels, corn puffs for the party and for their Holiday Stocking. We also sent gum, mints, candy canes, limited holiday chocolate; we sent games from the dollar store and family dollar ie. mazes, puzzles, paddle balls, yoyo's, race cars and bedazzle; Lip balm, hand warmers, feet warmers, card games, Pocket games (from Target); also sent some of the other items mentioned above and more. My grandchildren (ages 8, 7, and 5 at the time) each had their classrooms write letters and drew pictures for the servicemen and women. I sent them over in the boxes for them. I think there were about 60 letters. Shipping gets expensive. I sent about 8 big boxes. I could not have been happier that I knew I helped make someone elses holiday better.

Last year at Thanksgiving in Afghanistan they had tents to go to eat, but the lines were too long and we apparently were feeding the locals there which made the lines longer. After working extra long shifts our guys gave up and went back to their tents and did not get to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Once we heard that, we made sure they had a memorable, happier Christmas.

It is so sad that after all they had done they missed their Thanksgiving dinner. It was so nice of you to send them all such a nice party.

 

[dpswift]

I love reading about all your ideas. Between my father and us we must have sent him ten pounds of coffee and i have four more ready to go. I never once thought about the filters.

I like many of the other ideas. The puzzle books, handwarmers and magazines will be good for all of them. DH and DS 11 have been picking out comic books that he can pass around after he reads them.

They are going to be away until April so keep the ideas coming.

Thank you

 

[Pooh2]

Hickory Farms ships free to APO addresses. We also used Amazon with free shipping (not all items will ship to APO address). Letters from family, church members, school kids, are great to tuck into your packages.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I love reading about all your ideas. Between my father and us we must have sent him ten pounds of coffee and i have four more ready to go. I never once thought about the filters.

I like many of the other ideas. The puzzle books, handwarmers and magazines will be good for all of them. DH and DS 11 have been picking out comic books that he can pass around after he reads them.

They are going to be away until April so keep the ideas coming.

Thank you

If you are going to send some coffee, you can put together a coffee box with biscotti, gourmet hot chocolates, some good tea bags, couple stainless steel travel mugs, and some flavored creamers. I also bake up some breads or muffins or crisp cookies to go with the coffee.

For Christmas, I'll be sending out coffees, new soft wool socks, two new books, couple movies, hickory farms, jar fav peanut butter, mini nutella, new nerf footballs and dart guns and whatever else gets thrown in the boxes.

 

[abolanwoski]

It depends on the size of his ship

When I was on small boys (frigate esp.) DH sent me lucky charms, crunchy peanut butter (they only had smooth) and my favorite strawberry jelly. The food on the ship was terrible, so those were often my dinner! Crystal lite singles, k-cups (someone always has a Keurig), non-chocolate candy (chocolate always melts) like twizzlers, starbursts and jolly ranchers. Ramen noodles or other instant meals, tuna in pouches and mayo.

I loved my travel scrabble, uno and suduko. Best Seller paperbacks, people magazine and other "junk" reading were great too.

The bigger the ship is, the more stuff they will have in the galley and for sale in the shops, but still nice not to have to stand in line for it.

 

[chris31997]

When DH was deployed over Christmas, we would send him all the usually goodies but package it in a stocking or two. Often, I would try to find some extra special goodies that Santa would bring for the kiddos and pack that in for DH. I would have the kiddos go pick out something extra special for Dad to send also, secret Santa The kiddos got a kick out of that.

Lots of Pictures

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

When my husband was deployed, I sent him a tiny Christmas tree, already decorated (I got it at Michael's craft store) along with presents to put under it. I sent him some DVDs, including A Christmas Story (it's not Christmas until you watch it!) and whatever was newly released. I sent CDs, a photo album, small games. At other times, I sent him beef jerky, Little Debbie snack cakes, nuts. He liked to do small magic tricks for the Iraqis, so I sent him some trick cards and stuff like that. Books, magazines. I always saved up the Sunday comics and sent to him.

One big box I sent before Christmas had small boxes for all the guys on his team (9 in all), with little trinkets for each.

 

[mlynn]

when my cousin was in Afghanistan. I sent fun stuff.(his wife and mom sent him the stuff he needed) I got a small Christmas tree and trimmed it with non chocolate candies. Remote control hummer and helicopter with a lot of batteries. A santa hat and made him send me a picture wearing it. Fun stuff like that.

I sent a child in my daughters class's mom(she was a nurse in Afghanistan) Frizbee's, coloring books.(adults love to color)lol and the other parents in the class sent in all kinds of foods. pop tarts, cookies, flavored tea's and coffees. Magazines and stuff like that.

 

[gardengalB4]

My SIL just informed my daughter that this year instead of gifts he would like money to put towards a gun that his unit is having made & engraved to commemorate the current deployment.

 

[dpswift]

Thank you for the ideas they are helpful. I had not thought of the decoration idea. I bought him a video game and coffee so far. I know that I need to finish and get it out soon to be sure that it gets there in time.

Once his holiday box is out we will have to start working on the next one.


I appreciate the tip about not sending chocolate I had not thought about it melting and I am not sure that DS would tell me.

 

[Pooh2]

Thank you for the ideas they are helpful. I had not thought of the decoration idea. I bought him a video game and coffee so far. I know that I need to finish and get it out soon to be sure that it gets there in time.

Once his holiday box is out we will have to start working on the next one.


I appreciate the tip about not sending chocolate I had not thought about it melting and I am not sure that DS would tell me.

M and Ms hold up fine!

 

[lovemygoofy]

Thank you for the ideas they are helpful. I had not thought of the decoration idea. I bought him a video game and coffee so far. I know that I need to finish and get it out soon to be sure that it gets there in time.

Once his holiday box is out we will have to start working on the next one.


I appreciate the tip about not sending chocolate I had not thought about it melting and I am not sure that DS would tell me.

You can send chocolate from about Nov- March give or take a month. Also I would send things in individual Ziploc bags even if it's prepackaged. It's amazing the number of things I have had explode or melt on the way over to include coffee bags and hand sanitizer. The Ziploc bags can come in handy for storage also to attempt to keep sand out of things.(If loved one is boots on the ground)

Don't forget to use the flat rate APO shipping boxes from the post office. There's no huge discount but little bit helps.

 

[Megkel]

Magazines!! My DH swears up and down theses were a lifesaver and everyone was always asking if I had sent him any in mail drop. If your son is the joking kind, with a sense of humor, and not easily offended there is an adult card game called "Cards Against Humanity". The guys on the boat LOVED that game. It's a light hearted game but the topics can be more adult. If you have ever played Apples to Apples it's very similar. Little notes from everyone in the family with well wishes and encouragement. At 5 and Below they sell cheap cheesy gags I did those one time.