Christmas Gift Box for Marine in Iraq

From talking to troops on airplanes they say they miss simple things like gum and candy. Also they love phone cards so they can call home. I have also heard they like things they can share with the kids in Iraq while they are making there rounds in the towns.

My little bro is in the Air Force and he said the things they want are like you said. Beef jerky, tuna in the bag, baby wipes, phone cards, etc. It's hard to send any "real food" because you never know how long it will really take to get there. Also, if you have a video camera record him a message from everyone in the family. It's always good to see a familiar face. Good Luck!

I have a family member serving in Afganistan and he loves to recieve baby wipes in his care packages. He also enjoys the flavored water packets that you pour into water bottles. Other things that we have sent are shaving gel, razors, deoderant, powder, lots of packaged foods that are easy to prepare, hard candy, gum, Readers Digest magazines(they fit in their camo pants pockets), crackers and cookies. He also requested a couple of pairs of athletic bike shorts to wear under his uniform. If you're able, it's always nice to send enough for him to share with his buddies.

my husband has been deployed twice since the war began and one thing i liked to send him at christmas as a stocking. i would get one and wrap little gifts to put in it just so he has something to unwrap and then he has the stocking to make it more homey and feel as normal as possible. baked goods are great. just seal them air tight in a ziploc and then put the ziploc in a glad container. helps preserve them a lil longer. if u make a crunchy cookie then they cant get spoiled, but i was even able to get banana bread to him before it went bad. good luck and may God be with your brother and family.

Don't forget to send a home video...soccer games, b-day party, school play, the new skill of a younger relative like riding a bike etc...dallas cowboys, a short message from his best friends and family. That is the best!

Fyi
i heard gum and minutes..like the prepaid cards are great too

I little ipod with his favorite music.

How sweet, I always want to thank any one in our military who fight for my right to have freedom, so tell him Thank you!

I would try to get your whole family together and send him a picture of everyone. Maybe even do a crazy funny pose as well as just a happy family one. Maybe have the little ones make cards too, or make a booklet up of pictures (taken or drawn), poems, word of encouragement.

Now to food items, I would want chocolate; maybe some candy bars, if not with chocolate, paydays. Beef jerky would be great... if he likes smores...marshmallows or the jar kind, gram crackers and chocolate... you have to put a couple candy canes in, maybe pudding if he likes it

Put stuff in that will make him laugh, he's going to be missing everyone, so if you could make a funny video, or audio tape, keep his spirits up. Remember something from your childhood that would make him laugh...

Wish I could have been more help, but I'm not sure what you can and can't send... I'm sure you'll do fine

God Bless your family

Hello L.,
how about his favorite breakfast cereal,
cookies, crackers, tang, coolaid, music, movies, chips, calling cards, pictures of the family, etc. playing cards, uno cards. a basketball? a soccer ball, etc. Good luck!
~C.~

I know this sounds crazy but another person whose son is over there also that they want maxi-pads for their shoes. It helps absorb the wetness from being in the sun all day. No wings just the pads. I also have heard that things for the kids they meet are good too. Helps them get in with the locals and be a bit safer.

I am grateful for his willingness to go and make sure that we are all safe here at home. I'll be praying for your family.

Socks are always a good bet. I have several family members and friends in Iraq. I've always sent something for the Soldier, Marine, etc.. as well as his/her buddies. When my cousin was in Iraq for his first tour, he had internet access and I sent him a dozen e-mails asking what he needed and wanted. Finally he sent me an e-mail back giving me a list of things. Does your brother have a self cleaning electric razor? That is always a big request that I've received from several family and friends. I also baked some goodies and put them in vacuum sealed bags. I made enough that my Soldier, Marine, etc.. could share with his/her buddies. I always do that because sometimes, unfortunately, others may not get anything. I hope this helps and your brother and family will be added to my prayer list for his safe return.

My nephew did his tour when this thing first started but he was on the ship that took in the first batch of marines. So being on a ship would be different. I have cousin on his ND or RD tour over there and these are some things that he always asks for: hard candy, paperback books (no religious insignia or wording),cookies(make sure they are hearty enough for the journey),lip balm, sun screen, phone cards,by all means include his tuna in the bag (LOL).

D.
SAHM of three: 19,18, and 5
Home baker and crafter. Married to the same wonderful man for almost 12 yrs.

I have a grandson over seas and this is the list I was given the church is gathering stuff to fix boxes.Beef Jerky Silm Jims Chewing Gum Granola Bars Salsa Dip & Canned chips Tuna in Pouches Individally Wrapped Hand Candy Sweetened Kool-aid Gatorade,Etc Store Bought Cookies the food items -small package -no homemade please
Tolletries-small containers-travel size-small Hand Held Games
foot Powder Hand Sanitizer Wet Wipes Q-tips Lip Balm Sunscreen Shaving Gel toothpaste.
ANYTHING WITH TEXAS ON IT... POSTCARDS.NAIL CLIPPERS ,BUMPER STICKERS.ETC.
Hope this will help you some ALSO I know PHONE CARDS are good where they can call home.
God Bless
J. G

First of all, THANK YOU to your brother.

Secondly, my brother was in the Gulf War, Desert Storm. You are correct on the beef jerky, we sent a lot of it. We sent anything that would remind him of his home ( I am a plane ticket away so I was guessing). Any food that is not perishable. The tuna packs sound great for that. Also some sweet treats....gum, hard candy.

Another thing I did is when we in the USA heard that they went in was to record newscasts about the war from various news channels. I kept magazines and newpapers with the big headlines. I had 2 banker boxes full of stuff like that.

He cried when he went through that stuff. He said that we were hearing different stories and it was interesting for him to sit down and go through the things WE were hearing and reading and remembering what HE was doing exactly, and what the press did and did not report in truth.

Again, Best wishes to your family and Thank you to your brother.

My mom sends my cousin (Army) Costco-sized boxes of beef jerky which he then barters with other guys for things they may have received (Pop-Tarts, granola bars, etc.) When my husband was deployed, my mom sent him a huge box of See's lollipops. They were a smashing success, and made him a very popular dude. On that deployment, my husband was gone over the holidays, and I sent him a holiday package with Christmas decorations (maybe not a good idea if your brother isn't in a hardened facility) - a small tree and itty-bitty ornaments, a string of lights, some tiny stockings. I also sent a Santa hat and a headband with reindeer antlers, and a list with my own "12 days of Christmas" which had twelve different challenges (like decorate the tree, hang the lights, get a picture of you in the hat and one of your friends in the antlers). He took pictures of each "task" he completed and mailed them home. While it may seem lame, he said that it gave him something to think about other than what they were in the middle of, and his friends enjoyed the little bit of festivity it brought their encampment. I also sent videos - Indiana Jones, X-Men, box sets of Hogan's Heroes and Dr. Who. Just remember that whatever you send will either have to be consumed, carried home at the end of the deployment (space is VERY limited) or abandoned. (My little Christmas tree and it's ornaments never did make it back, nor the antlers, but the Santa hat did.)

Whatever you decide to send, please know that the Post Office has special boxes and discounted rates for packages for our troops. The Post Office can only guarantee second day or priority mail to the APO office on the West Coast or East Coast. After that, the packages are palletized and will go over as soon as possible. However, since all the mail goes over on military aircraft, the mail pallet may be bumped for extra food or ammunition or something else deemed more critical than care packages, and may take longer. I've had stuff get there in less than a week, and stuff get there in 6 weeks. If you send your holiday packages by mid-November, they should get there before Christmas.

I would say anything that reminds them of home. Their favorite snack/drink. I know there is a website that you go to that has prepackaged gifts for the troops, some of them where loaded with personal hygene products. Other packages where loaded with food.(of course I can't remember the name of the website, probably just google it)
Tell your brother Thank You from all of us at Mamasource. We appreciate every moment he has to spend over there and we pray for his safe and quick return.

When my son was in Iraq and I sent boxes he especially enjoyed the Crystal Lite on-the-go Raspberry Lemonade drink mixes. Makes the water taste better. He also enjoyed the breakfast bars for snacks - any candy items I sent (be aware that chocolate might melt during the hotter months) but I sent salt-water taffy, tootsie rolls, etc as they were small and great for filling in some of the small places in the boxes. SOme of the prepackaged cookies, ccrackers, poptarts, - just go down the snack aisles and pick out what might ship well and he might eat. I avoided anything that required a microwave - most dont' have them unless they buy them. Also remember personal hygiene items. And you might want to send extras for some of his buddies. DOn't forget phone cards. Most soldiers have access to the exchange - but my son said it was hard as the lines were always extremely long. I also sent some puzzle books and kids toys that could be left behind - a basketball goal for the door, darts, or the balls with the velcro on it, water guns, etc.
J.

We have sent beef jerky, hard candy, peanuts, magazines, ....

Everything that I have heard in general and from my cousin who spent time over there is just simple things. Candy, that won't melt, chapstick, handy wipes, maybe nice journal and pen, envelopes to mail letters home, pictures of family, keep it simple, They can't really take things with them and magazines and things may get confiscated. Quick meals would be good. Cup of soup, etc. Not sure what things they have access too but there are those new pasta things that you add water too and then microwave? cookies, Ben always wanted cookies.
Good luck!

You have got good suggestions as to what to send. Also include with your hygiene products some Aleve and foot powder as their feet sweat. Since it is winter, you might want to get some handwarmers for them to use. Any clothing socks and such should be cotton not polyester. During Desert Shield/Storm, I used to send my husband extra flip flops, dried fruit, cookies, videos, packages of gatorade, Tang, baby wipes, liquid body soap (so they can do laundry as well). Now many soldiers want and need, razors, playing cards, tweezers, dental floss, plastic bags to keep the sand out of things. Oh those little compact mirrors are great for both men and women. The other S.

A marine I knew that was in Iraq received playing cards (Uno, etc) and board games. This can help to pass the time, and when they go home, they can pass them on to the other marines still there. Probably small versions of some (like pocket connect-four, etc) so they can easily pack them if they wish.

Hello L. H,

All these ladies have great ideas! One of my co-worker's brother was in Iraq. All of us got together at work and sent different things - $5 movies, local newspapers (even though they will be dated it will give them something to read and know what is going on in the states), dental floss, tooth brushes, magazines, books, and puzzle games. Lots of Double Bubble gum, the soliders and the kids love that stuff! Non-perisable foods - vienna sausage, beef jerkey, granola bars, etc. Hope this helps! Many blessings to you and your brother!