While the holidays are a precious time shared among families, many military families often face the reality of being apart during this special time of year. One of the best ways of celebrating the holidays during these difficult times is sending a Christmas care package. They are a great way of connecting while keeping the holiday spark alive.
A sweet and thoughtful Christmas care package is a reminder to your deployed soldier that despite the distance, your family is holding them close during the holiday season.
Sending a Christmas care package should be more special than your normal care packages. Consider this an opportunity to be creative! It’s also very therapeutic, especially if you have kids!
Most importantly, gifting your loved one a holiday care package will hopefully bring some normalcy and brighten their holidays. Gifting them a little bit of home will help them feel less homesick and make them feel loved.
How to Create the Perfect Christmas Care Package
Think of this as an opportunity to be creative; it definitely puts you in the Christmas Spirit!
There are so many ways to decorate a care package for Christmas. You can get quite elaborate. I have never had time to make the most beautiful and elaborate Christmas care packages, yet I still found an opportunity to Christmas it up.
For those who have little kids, simplicity can be your friend. I was a working mom with a baby, and most nights, I was either too tired or didn’t have time to eat dinner. Creating the most beautiful, crafty Christmas care package was not in the cards for that phase of life.
I enjoyed decorating my military care packages with wrapping paper or using decorated construction paper. Simple yet festive!
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What to include in your Christmas Care Package
Practical items
Be sure to include any practical items your deployed soldier may need. This can consist of toiletries, clothes, etc.
Here are some of my recommended practicals items
Favorite Treats
My husband has a sweet tooth, so I always send him treats! Get festive! Try to send holiday-themed snacks.
Tips for baked goods: I would make cookies and brownies the day of sending out my care packages. I would seal them in the vacuum bags and hope for the best! Most times, my husband said that they were still good.
There are some really nice vacuum sealers, and I will invest in one one day. But for now, I use this little handheld vacuum sealer.
I did have an epic fail! I attempted the cake in a jar…it did not keep. It apparently tasted horrible! So, best of luck to those who try it!
Christmas gifts
- 12 days of Christmas
A military spouse had mentioned this idea, and I thought it was so sweet! Individually wrap 12 small gifts. This can be such a sweet gesture if you have young kids! Make a shopping day, and let them pick out the gifts. If you can coordinate when they open presents to watch on video, that would be perfect!
- Christmas socks
My husband missed our sons first Christmas, so I sent him a Daddy’s first Christmas shirt
Personalized items
If you have kids, this is the perfect opportunity to put them in the Christmas spirit. Deployments are really hard for children, and this should help boost morale.
Letting them make things to send overseas will be therapeutic. They will also be waiting in great anticipation for that phone call letting the family know their Christmas care package has arrived!
Here are some cute and easy festive ideas for your little kids.
- Decorate a frame to send with a photo
- Make a Christmas Card
- Decorate two count-down calendars the kids can do with their deployed soldier.
- Handmade ornaments
- Other holiday artwork and drawings
Include items for Christmas Cheer
Make your care package filled with Christmas cheer! If your deployed soldier loves Christmas, then help them celebrate there.
I sent my husband a tiny Charlie Brown Christmas Tree; it was so adorable!
Let your kids make some handmade ornaments and decorate a stocking.
Consider sending some group Christmas Packages
The last time my husband was deployed over Christmas, I sent several seasonal care packages. It was a rough deployment, and let’s just say the Christmas spirit moved me.
Making these care packages was very therapeutic for me!
Almost four years later, I met one of the soldiers deployed with my husband, and he thanked me personally for the gifts. Apparently, it meant so much to the team. Being deployed for the holidays is hard; not every soldier has a strong support network.
For these Christmas care packages, I included the following:
- Stockings. I love stuffing stockings! These stockings were nothing special, mainly because I bought them in bulk. They come in both sets of 10 and 4.
- Christmas Candy
- Little games
- A tin of Shortbread Cookies
- Candied nuts
- Group Games that build and boost morale. The Escape from Alcatraz and Exit Games were a hit.
Tip: Target has amazing Christmas goodies that are perfect for sharing. Additionally, I also purchased the small games at the dollar store.
Timing your Christmas Package
I was so nervous about my husband’s unit receiving all the Christmas care packages. Timing is tricky; even then, there is no guarantee your loved one will receive them in time.
If you’re sending a Christmas care package with countdown items or decorations, I suggest you send them around the third week of November. Hopefully, they will arrive in two weeks for the first of December!
If you’re feeling extra festive, send more than one! This way, the hope is that they will receive their first care package at the beginning of December and their second right around Christmas!
Sending Your Box of Cheer
Deployment Christmases are so hard on families. The traditions and memories missed can feel like a heavy lump settling in your stomach. Seeing other families celebrate together can make you feel so lonely.
There is no getting around it. Deployment holidays are hard when you can’t celebrate with your loved ones in person.
Sending a Christmas military care package is one of the sweetest things you can do for your deployed soldier. Sending them something special, sweet treats, or something to share with their comrades is a great way to spread Christmas cheer.
I would love to hear from you! If there is anything else your significant other has loved, I would love to hear about it!
Related Posts
A Complete Guide for Sending a Military Care Package
Tips for Overcoming the Loneliness during a Deployment
17 Easy Ways to Support a Military Spouse during Deployments
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