Care Packages

matcha

I bet you ladies have some AMAZING ideas about things to put into care packages.  I usually make some cookies, throw in a CD with new music, a letter, and some of his favorite crackers.  His birthday is coming up, so I want to make a super special care package! Any ideas?

firsttimersluck

Think of all your inside jokes and go with that.
I send all kinds of silly little "travel games"
random toys that we have inside jokes with
sudoku/puzzle books
his favorite magazines (like espn and popular science, Time, etc)
cake in a jar
extra of whatever he may need (regarding just hygiene stuffs)
I bought a reeeeally nice pillow case and got the pain puff pens to draw on (I wrote I miss my Hero and drew a couples on it that have meaning to us)
I sent a couple things that were related to this time of the year (since they are missing the beautiful fall season, for example, I sent him a silly mask, halloween candies, etc)
I sent him a really nice birthday candle that had darth vadar on it (hehehehe.. we're dorks ) )
uuh... to be continued... lol

crownsuperstar

The first package I sent had a couple of mag all about the SEC and NFL, a jersey for his favorite team (not that he can wear it but he does put in his chair) HAA, all of his favorite snack food, cookies, MIO or MOI (some drink mix for water), snoic care toothbrush (yeah I know boring), a giant jar of peanut butter and a really cute card that I also had the pups sign (ok I signed for them). 

I am working on ideas for the one this month. 

To be continued...

amh04

FI wasn't gone for his birthday - but for holidays like easter and 4th of july I just went with that theme. and for st. pattys day everything was beer themed. I'd send tons of funny things to get his mood up, nerf guns, noisey silly puddy, games, movies, favorite snack food, microwaveable food (because ship food sucks) cookies, brownies, powdered drink mix, energy drinks, cards with pictures in them. Anything else he needed to be sent to him. Magazines of course. I'm drawing a mind blank on the rest of it. I loved sending care packages.

ShawnaM83

Any kind of baked goodie that will survive the trip will not only make him happy, but everyone he works/lives with will also love you. Also, favorite snacks that you might not realize he's missing - the last time guys from my unit were in the sandbox I sent gardettos (sp?), banana chips, flavored almonds, sunflower seeds and lots of Halloween candy. If he's a big coffee drinker, the favored coffee creamers (powdered variety) come in yummy fall flavors.

I am also known for sending silly children's toys - I sent some matchbox cars for the guys who got stuck in an office to race around. A nerf style dart board (the kind that doesn't have sharp points but sticks into pegs on the board) is also a fun, dorky little toy they liked.

Basically, depending on where they are and how much down time they have, anything that could break up the monotony will be appreciated. If it isn't a very developed base, a football and air pump might be a good idea.

And for the pillowcases, I've seen places where you can actually have your picture put on the pillowcase. Personally, it scares me cause the person's head was freakishly large and then it would be right there staring at you when you wake up, but some people might like it. If he has the space where he's at, a blanket from home would be nice around this time of year (if he's somewhere that will be getting cold soon). Clean, but with that "from home" smell in it - that's an amazing thing to find in a care package.

For birthdays, my friends are somewhere with a brand new APO that takes too long to send baked goodies, so I took a picture of a cake with candles and sent that with a rain check for a fresh baked dessert of their choice on return home. Something to look forward to at least. And a new picture of you in a little frame is a sweet gesture. Other than that stuff, books and mags and useful toiletries, I can't really think of much else. Sorry for my ramblings if they weren't helpful.

aor9487

I was gone from October-May and so I missed the holidays and my birthday (in April). My FI sent me homebaked cookies, with pictures of he and our 3 year old putting them on the pan, etc. Then he sent me some coffee mugs (since I'm a total coffee addict) but they were personalized from Personalization Mall. One mug had a picture of the three of us and said "We love Mom" and "Happy Birthday, We Love You". Also, he send big bags of my favorite candy. 

I'd say go with something personal like that with a picture or something of you two. If you go to Personalization Mall or something of that nature, you can get all types of knick knacks that you may be able to attach your photo to. 

For valentines day, since I was still deployed, I sent him little "homemade" love coupons and sent them with a nice card("Good for one massage" or whatever you want). Maybe you can try something like that? Sounds cheesy I guess, but it was sweet to get in the mail when you've been so far apart for so long!