Care packages, good things to add??

[sparkles1991]

Today my husband and I adopted a soldier who doesn't receive care packages or anything from family! Does anyone know what the best things are to put in care packages? We have to write him once a week and send a care package once a month! It will be a challenge but will be fun! Any ideas??

 

[Pearls18]

Aww that's nice. In the UK there's a website of what is restricted, but I know what goes down well are mini toiletries and condiments like hot sauce to add to their food, having said that that I know the Americans are much better kitted out over there so they may seem really basic lol! Games are always quite popular like cards, small travel board games, puzzle books. And sweets, lots of sweets!

 

[Abigailly]

Find out some of his favorite things. Games, sweets, magazines, toiletries, puzzle books, jigsaws etc. I know some small things like fresh socks are also really appreciated. Ones that aren't military grade were always a blessing to my cousin.

He also loved photos of home. Not necessarily photos of anything in particular. He'd never been to our new house but we sent him photos of the local park, our garden, our street. Just visuals of something he knew.

I think the best thing we sent him was a 3d jigsaw of a boat, it took him a while and got others involved.

I think what you're doing is great!

 

[Jes.shortcake]

We used to send my uncle his fav snacks, powder drink mixes, instant coffee, toiletries, games, phone cards, movies, books, CDs......

 

[Mummy May]

That's such a lovely idea! Xx

 

[Pirate]

I think this is a wonderful thing you've chose to do!

Maybe you could ask him in the first letter what types of things he would like to have. I know that stuff like candy, toiletries, socks, and homemade baked goods are all hits.

 

[Jade--x]

My ex when he was out there, and a lot of my friends who've been out, I included things like these in their care packages I sent:

- sweets/chocolate
- Protein powder or protein bars are a massive thing that they always wanted, though the protein powder is a big tub so I always chose to send bars,
- Big bags of crisps (sensations, doritos etc.)
- Cereal bars (nutrigrain was his favourite )
- He couldn't live without BBQ sauce so I sent quite a bit of it
- Chewing gum, I would buy the multipacks of 3/4
- Beef jerky
- Lip balm (I sent him an SPF one)
- Toileteries our troops have to buy out there they aren't provided with them and they were expensive so I sent those, though with him being my partner I knew the brands he used, I would maybe make sure to ask in the letter if there's any particular brands they like to use incase they have sensitive skin/allergies before sending them anything like that.
- Sun cream and insect repellants
- I even sent him a (very girly) foot pack with him being on his feet on patrol to pamper his feet with a cooling and heat pack, some lotions, and some gel cushions to put inside his boots that he really appreciated and said was one of the best things he had out there that he wouldn't have thought of.
- Paracetamol/Ibuprofen/Antacids
- ITunes gift card
- DVDs and CDs
- Travel board games (though I think you could send the normal fullsized ones too)
- He loved Sudoku so I often sent the puzzle books of them but there's always others (wordsearch/crossword etc.)
- My ex was there over Christmas so in a Christmas package we sent a few Christmas decorations for him to put around his tent.
- Fleece blankets
- Hats/Gloves/Hand warmers/Socks
- Energy sweets (lucozade ones)
- Paper pads/pens/pencils
- Boot laces
- BLANK cards and envelopes for them to write back
- Packets of cuppa soup and instant noodles
- Mints
- Baby wipes

There's probably a lot more I included in them but I thought this was maybe long enough for a fair few packages for you

 

[sparkles1991]

Thank you for the responses! I am going to write him a letter tonight so I can get it sent out and so I can start buying!!