Personalized gifts help soldiers stay grounded.
Sending thoughtful gifts overseas can help you feel more connected and help your spouse stay strong by remembering loved ones at home. To send a gift that he really appreciates, pay attention to his letters. The most thoughtful gifts include the most missed comforts of home, especially mementos and reminders of the people he cares about the most.
A Note or Thought a Day
Send a plastic bottle or container containing 365 notes, thoughts or messages -- one for every day of the year. If you have kids, get them involved in the project, too. They can help by decorating the outside of the container with pasted-on pictures of memorable family times, construction paper shapes and glitter. Children can also write some of the messages. Kids who aren't old enough to write sentences can make Mom or Dad smile with pictures and doodles.
Personalized Items
Send items plastered with pictures of you and the kids. Make your own by printing pictures on iron-on transfer paper and putting your image on a pillowcase that she can look at every night before hitting the hay. If you're crafty, a scrapbook is a keepsake he can flip through when he's feeling a bit blue. Websites such as Snapfish allow you to put pictures on other items that your sweetie will find useful, such as water bottles and travel cups.
Fun and Games
Keep his brain active by sending him things to do with his buddies. Board games, playing cards and poker chips make for great times together. Magazines can help him keep up with what's going on in the world beyond the military base, even if you can't send the most recent issues. Puzzle books and brain teasers offer a way to fill time and keep him feeling sharp and focused.
Tasty Treats
Nothing says love like tasty treats that aren't boring military-issue food. Beef jerky is a longstanding favorite. As the website MilSpouse.com points out, you can even get discounts if you order through certain retailers. Big John's Beef Jerky is one company that caters to deployed servicemen and women. If you want to send chocolate, send M&Ms. The candy shell makes them less susceptible to meltdowns, and you can buy personalized packages of this candy for an added sentimental touch. Nuts, Pringles, spices, dried soup mixes, hot chocolate mix and juice boxes are other ideas.
Tags: thoughtful gifts, with pictures