Care Packages

The holidays are very difficult for Army families of deployed soldiers.  It's probably even harder for the soldiers overseas fighting for our freedom.  The one thing that helps to build the soldiers' morale is care packages.  If you have a deployed soldier, try to send them a care package at least once a month to give them something to look forward to.  If you don't have your own soldier, consider adopting a soldier.  Below is a Christmas care package that I am sending my hubby.  I had a difficult time thinking of what to send him.  He does not need anything, and anything sent to him he will end up sending back home soon anyway.  I still wanted him to have something to open for Christmas and still feel like he is being apart of our family traditions.

So I'm not that perfect Army Wife that make the perfect care packages with homemade goodies and decorated boxes.  Well guess what this Army Wife have to say to that, "Ain't nobody got time for that"!  I did try to get some items to cheer hubby up and remind him of our own Christmas traditions.

1.  A Christmas Story PJ's: Target $5 each-This year I am starting the tradition of letting the kids open a present on Christmas Eve.  That present will be new Christmas pajamas.  So now hubby has his own pair of one of his favorite Christmas movies.

2.  Lego sets (super hero and lord of the rings):  PX $13 each-I wanted to send Hubby a toy just for the fun of it.  Last year he bought our then 3 year old a lego set and I told him then that our son was too young for it.  I watched Hubby enjoy himself putting the set together and decided to get him two of his own to put together in Afghanistan.

3.  Catching Fire book: Target $7-Yes black men do read!  Hubby and I have been reading books together since we first met.  We love to read the books of movies coming out.  Right now we are debating on if we will start the 2nd Fifty Shades of Grey book or the 2nd Hunger Games book Catching Fire.  So I got him the book so that he already have it for us to get started on.

4.  Candy Canes: Walgreens $1.50-Every year Hubby feels that we just have to have candy canes.  I always do an eye roll because I try to avoid extra candy around my already hyper children at any costs!  This year I gave in, only to him, and sent him a box that he can have for himself and share with his soldiers.  I will think about getting a box for the kids closer to Christmas.

I did add a few other goodies not worth showing (shaving creame, multi vitamin gummies, lotion, itunes gift cards, etc).  I found a box of reeses peanut butter cup chips ahoy cookies and wrote a note "cookies for Santa".  Every year Hubby and the kids make a big deal about sitting out cookies and milk for Santa.  Hubby then makes sure to take bites off the cookies to show the kids that Santa came.  Ooops sorry to spoil Santa for those that still believe.

If you need other ideas and info on care packages, check out my you tube video all about care packages.