Deployment Care Packages

Care packages are one of the best ways to make it through a deployment.  They're of course great for your loved one, but they are also fun for you, the person putting them together.  I always enjoy having a fun project to work on, and often spend two or three weeks collecting items, brainstorming, and putting together a good care package.  I find that assembling a care package is a great way for me to pass the time, work on something I'm excited about, and be creative.  With a deployment, I need to have something in the near future to look forward to.  Once a care package is in the mail, I get excited every day waiting for it to arrive.  I can't wait for that excited phone call or email from J letting me know he received my latest package.  I love how happy the care packages make J, and I know my care packages make the deployment a little bit better.  

So with all that in mind, the issue becomes, what to put in a care package?  I must say, 10.5 months into this deployment, and I am running out of ideas.  I've been wracking my brain for weeks and finally just thought of a good one.   I will keep that idea a secret for now (I would hate for J to hear about it before I send it), but here are some of my past care-package ideas:

1. TREATS

I sent treats a couple of times.  I love making cookies, and J loves rice krispies treats, so I have sent both of those.  I've sent his favorite candies and beef jerky as well.  Whatever your loved one particularly enjoys will certainly be appreciated.  Here is a picture of the latest cookies I sent:

J is a pilot so they are helicopter USA cookies for the Fourth of July.

2. STUFFED ANIMAL

I sent a stuffed animal I found at a dollar store.  I sent J a card naming the stuffed animal.  I expected J to throw him away, but he has kept him and even took him on a flight once.  It was just something fun.  I gave the stuffed animal a hug before I sent him over.  It made me feel like I was sending J a hug.

3. REAONS I LOVE YOU

For Valentine's Day I sent a book of all the things I love about J.  It's been a great deployment present.  I bought a small, light-weight journal.  I cut out hearts from fun paper and wrote page numbers on each heart and glued one on each page.  Then on every page I wrote down another thing I love about J.  J is still reading the book.  He reads a couple things every few days.  I love the gift because he tells me every time he reads a page.  It gives us something fun to talk about and I know we both look forward to him reading another page.  It's a fun gift to last throughout the deployment.  

4. EASTER EGG HUNT

For Easter I sent a deployment Easter egg hunt.  Here's a picture of the pieces:

I put a clue in each of the eggs, along with a lot of jelly beans.  The clues then created a word.  In one of the eggs I had a code where each letter of the alphabet equaled a number.  (a=2, b=3, etc).  The number then opened the padlock on the "treasure chest" I created.  In the treasure chest I had treats, fake pirate gold, pictures from home, some pewter x's and o's I found on Amazon, and some coupons for silly things when he gets home, like, "I'll watch an episode of The Walking Dead with you."  J likes to open gifts very slowly and savor them, so he opened about one egg a day, which drove me nuts.  It was a fun gift though.  My clues weren't nearly hard enough and he guessed the code right away, but it was still a fun way to send some holiday celebrations overseas.

5. BOOK

For our anniversary I sent him a book I wrote and published with Bookemon online.  It's a fiction story of an adventure we took together.  This has been another fun gift in that J reads a chapter every week or so.  I had two copies of the book printed and sent one copy to him and kept one copy at home. When he reads a chapter, I reread it from my book, and I feel like we're reading the book together.  It's another fun thing to talk about and I always look forward to him reading another chapter.  

6. STACK OF LETTERS

I found an idea on Pinterest, which I loved.  I sent a stack of cards and on each envelope I wrote "Open when" ... then added something like "you're having a bad day," "you're missing me," etc.  You won't always know when you're loved one is having a bad day and really needs some love from home, so this is a nice way to make sure something is on hand if they need it.  

7. RANDOM FUN ITEMS

I'm always looking for little things to add to care packages, though some of my ideas have been better than others.  I bought some packets of Kool Aid, etc., to add to water bottles, which I think he liked.  I found a random balloon animal making kit for about $2, so I sent it over, figuring it could be fun.  I sent some water balloons, but he told me his base doesn't have faucets so he can't fill them.  I would have never thought about THAT.  I've also sent deodorant, upon request, and a sudoku book.  Online blogs are full of good ideas on what to add to care packages.  I'm sure your loved one will appreciate the effort and that you're thinking about him or her, even if they don't particularly need a certain item you send.  

8. CARDS

I try to send cards often as well, though I forget, and as I'm writing this I realize I haven't sent one in a few weeks.  Remember that you can just put a normal stamp on a card and send it from your mailbox.  It's so easy and convenient, and everyone loves getting a snail mail card that's handwritten.  I bought some boxes of greeting cards on Amazon that work great.  They have fun paintings on the front and are blank inside.  It's so easy to write a little note, and it always makes J's day when he receives the card in the mail.  Here's a picture of a couple of the cards:

Well that is everything I have sent so far.  I hope these ideas help you as you put together your package.  Think of whatever your loved one enjoys, fun memories you have had together, and things you'll enjoy doing when he or she comes home.  Have fun!