Cetawin
Rest in Peace 1963-2021
Socks, stationary, envelopes, dry cereal, cookies, phone cards etc etc
What to send an "adopted" soldier for Christmas?
- Thread starter gritsar
- Start date
Letters from all of the BYCers on here wishing them well for the holidays, & for protecting our freedom!
My son always requests his favorite gum (5 Cobalt) and Spike energy drinks. He also like Japanese rice crackers so I send those. I also send him jerky, books and magazines.
What a soldier needs is going to totally depend on where he or she is located. Camp Taji Iraq has very few items available in the px. Other bases have excellent shops and can get almost anything we get here. It all depends on location.
What a soldier needs is going to totally depend on where he or she is located. Camp Taji Iraq has very few items available in the px. Other bases have excellent shops and can get almost anything we get here. It all depends on location.
- Thread starter
- #14
Thanks all.
How did you "adopt" a serviceman? It sounds like a great idea but where do you get the info on someone in need of adopting?
OK I hate to admit this.
Before Bill passed away we got 2 boxes to send off. I came in here for ideas and Bill made up a list also, so between BYCers and the two of us we had a good list.
I didn't get back to those boxes until last month and I wanted to send a letter, but not have it be the crying widow type thing. Just want them to know why they are so late and what a great man Bill was, but also something a little up.
I couldn't do that, so just asked someone who has been there and is resently widowed to help me. He is an author and I can't wait to see what he does for me. I'll be able to send them out now this week. I feel so bad.
OK anyway I packed them up as good as I could and could now afford. Hard when Bill had the only income.
What I got them is identical. What I can remember
Shoe inserts
Disposable Camera
Deoderant
Shampoo
Conditioner
Lip Balm
Candy
Magazines (cars and for Bill Motorcyles)
Razors
Shave Gel
Toothpaste
Thoothbrush w/cover
Floss
Wet Ones (wipes)
Foot Powder
Tablet
Envelopes
Pens
Novel (Michael Connelly, Dragons)
Dominos
Dice
Cards
Canned Fruit
Plastic spoons and forks
CANDY!!!
Cookies
Quiz Books
Can't remember what else. Amazing what you can pack in this little box
Now to send them off.
Before Bill passed away we got 2 boxes to send off. I came in here for ideas and Bill made up a list also, so between BYCers and the two of us we had a good list.
I didn't get back to those boxes until last month and I wanted to send a letter, but not have it be the crying widow type thing. Just want them to know why they are so late and what a great man Bill was, but also something a little up.
I couldn't do that, so just asked someone who has been there and is resently widowed to help me. He is an author and I can't wait to see what he does for me. I'll be able to send them out now this week. I feel so bad.
OK anyway I packed them up as good as I could and could now afford. Hard when Bill had the only income.
What I got them is identical. What I can remember
Shoe inserts
Disposable Camera
Deoderant
Shampoo
Conditioner
Lip Balm
Candy
Magazines (cars and for Bill Motorcyles)
Razors
Shave Gel
Toothpaste
Thoothbrush w/cover
Floss
Wet Ones (wipes)
Foot Powder
Tablet
Envelopes
Pens
Novel (Michael Connelly, Dragons)
Dominos
Dice
Cards
Canned Fruit
Plastic spoons and forks
CANDY!!!
Cookies
Quiz Books
Can't remember what else. Amazing what you can pack in this little box
Now to send them off.
Baby wipes, beef jerkey, cake in a jar, no-bake cookies, sunblock, magazines, and tobacco (used to trade for stuff if they don't use it) are the most popular things I used to send over. This was a few years ago, though... Things may have changed... Whatever you send, send a lot- they share with their unit
Flat rate USPS boxes rock! Plus, they're free
You can even have them delivered to your house for free if you order them online
If you google Adopt a Soldier for Christmas you'll find tons of organizations you can go through. There may even be a group in your area. Try calling a Vet Center...Not the VA Office the Center
Centers are there to help the Vets and usually have lists of groups that are doing this.
More info I found
Christmas Stockings.
- Individual packets of hot chocolate, cider or hot soup mix
- Candy (bite sized, individually wrapped, all kinds)
- AT&T Phone Cards
- Hand held games (battery games with batteries, please)
- Small puzzle books
- Small, signed Holiday cards from you and your families (include your name and address!)
- Cigarettes (no lectures, please. I don't smoke, but most soldiers we know do)
- Cigars (good ones!)
- Books (current titles are greatly appreciated)
- Magazines (cars, trucks, men's health, exercise, business, computing...)
- Microwave food items (popcorn, all-in-one pan microwave deserts, heat & eat soups, etc.)
- Cereal bars
- Granola Bars
- Home baked goods (pack brownies and cakes in bread slices or package in tins and wrap in plastic wrap
- Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) Gift Cards
- Pre-paid gift cards or gift certificates from American Express, Visa, Amazon.com, or from specific stores - Best Buy, Staples, Barnes & Noble, Circuit City, etc.) These soldiers have a range of things they need or want over the course of their deployments...
Holiday decorations. Look around your homes and see your most cherished reminders of the holidays... and replicate those for our troops.
- Garland
- Shatterproof ornaments (Kohls, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Target all sell these)
- Tinsel
- Lights (small wattage)
- Small artificial trees
Cold weather items (it's cool there now -- Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Germany -- and getting colder).
- Stocking caps (black only)
- Long sleeve t-shirts -- (M, L or XL) but must be Army brown... Under Armour is preferred but also (less pricey) Dri-Release shirts (Soffee, Anvil, etc.) (but good luck finding them in brown). You can also order t-shirts and other deployment items at AAFES (click on the "Gift from the Homefront" icon in the right column!)
- Gloves (tactical gloves are preferred... which you can also find online or at gun stores or military or police supply stores)
- Lightweight fleece blankets.
DVDs, Music CDs... new releases are greatly coveted... and believe me, they pass them around and trade them so one DVD or one CD makes its way to a lot of soldiers...
Footballs, baseballs, baseball gloves, soccer balls, volleyballs...
Holiday Cards that they can send to friends and families back home (they do not need postage!) and ~K commented last year that she found sending boxes of Holiday Greeting Cards to be a huge success but also sent some All Occasion card boxes and they were just as appreciated.
Be sure to include your handwritten greetings... especially handwritten cards and notes from children!!
Use FLAT RATE BOXES from the US Postal Service. These cost $8.95 to mail no matter how heavy you make the boxes (don't use this if you're sending lightweight things -- if you use these Flat Rate boxes stuff 'em as heavy as you can and get your money's worth!!)!
Don't forget the Customs Forms (every package to Iraq or Afghanistan -- zip code 093xx) MUST have one... fill them out as best you can BEFORE you get to the P.O. but the postal clerk will attach it for you. These are multi-part (self-carbon) forms that are a pain in the butt -- but necessary. You do not have to fill in the weight... and in the lower right corner it asks for instructions on what to do if the package cannot be delivered as addressed... tell them to direct delivery to another... and fill in "First Sergeant" and then the rest of the unit address for your soldier or the name & address of another soldier if you have more than one you have adopted.
Mail Early!!
Be aware that soldiers have a limit on the amount of "stuff" they can bring back so hold off sending priceless heirlooms and bulky items if your soldier is redeploying soon.
Finally, be aware of the RESTRICTIONS ON CONTENTS:
If you are sending to Iraq or Afghanistan, DO NOT SEND ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
obscene articles such as prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes, etc.
pork or pork by-products
alcoholic beverages
any matter depicting nude or semi-nude persons, pornographic or sexual items
unauthorized political materials. I wanted to add to this. Be careful with even the magazines you send. I almost bought something like Lowrider. Bill stopped me.
If contraband is found in a package, the entire contents may not be delivered!
Centers are there to help the Vets and usually have lists of groups that are doing this.
More info I found
Christmas Stockings.
- Individual packets of hot chocolate, cider or hot soup mix
- Candy (bite sized, individually wrapped, all kinds)
- AT&T Phone Cards
- Hand held games (battery games with batteries, please)
- Small puzzle books
- Small, signed Holiday cards from you and your families (include your name and address!)
- Cigarettes (no lectures, please. I don't smoke, but most soldiers we know do)
- Cigars (good ones!)
- Books (current titles are greatly appreciated)
- Magazines (cars, trucks, men's health, exercise, business, computing...)
- Microwave food items (popcorn, all-in-one pan microwave deserts, heat & eat soups, etc.)
- Cereal bars
- Granola Bars
- Home baked goods (pack brownies and cakes in bread slices or package in tins and wrap in plastic wrap
- Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) Gift Cards
- Pre-paid gift cards or gift certificates from American Express, Visa, Amazon.com, or from specific stores - Best Buy, Staples, Barnes & Noble, Circuit City, etc.) These soldiers have a range of things they need or want over the course of their deployments...
Holiday decorations. Look around your homes and see your most cherished reminders of the holidays... and replicate those for our troops.
- Garland
- Shatterproof ornaments (Kohls, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Target all sell these)
- Tinsel
- Lights (small wattage)
- Small artificial trees
Cold weather items (it's cool there now -- Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Germany -- and getting colder).
- Stocking caps (black only)
- Long sleeve t-shirts -- (M, L or XL) but must be Army brown... Under Armour is preferred but also (less pricey) Dri-Release shirts (Soffee, Anvil, etc.) (but good luck finding them in brown). You can also order t-shirts and other deployment items at AAFES (click on the "Gift from the Homefront" icon in the right column!)
- Gloves (tactical gloves are preferred... which you can also find online or at gun stores or military or police supply stores)
- Lightweight fleece blankets.
DVDs, Music CDs... new releases are greatly coveted... and believe me, they pass them around and trade them so one DVD or one CD makes its way to a lot of soldiers...
Footballs, baseballs, baseball gloves, soccer balls, volleyballs...
Holiday Cards that they can send to friends and families back home (they do not need postage!) and ~K commented last year that she found sending boxes of Holiday Greeting Cards to be a huge success but also sent some All Occasion card boxes and they were just as appreciated.
Be sure to include your handwritten greetings... especially handwritten cards and notes from children!!
Use FLAT RATE BOXES from the US Postal Service. These cost $8.95 to mail no matter how heavy you make the boxes (don't use this if you're sending lightweight things -- if you use these Flat Rate boxes stuff 'em as heavy as you can and get your money's worth!!)!
Don't forget the Customs Forms (every package to Iraq or Afghanistan -- zip code 093xx) MUST have one... fill them out as best you can BEFORE you get to the P.O. but the postal clerk will attach it for you. These are multi-part (self-carbon) forms that are a pain in the butt -- but necessary. You do not have to fill in the weight... and in the lower right corner it asks for instructions on what to do if the package cannot be delivered as addressed... tell them to direct delivery to another... and fill in "First Sergeant" and then the rest of the unit address for your soldier or the name & address of another soldier if you have more than one you have adopted.
Mail Early!!
Be aware that soldiers have a limit on the amount of "stuff" they can bring back so hold off sending priceless heirlooms and bulky items if your soldier is redeploying soon.
Finally, be aware of the RESTRICTIONS ON CONTENTS:
If you are sending to Iraq or Afghanistan, DO NOT SEND ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
obscene articles such as prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes, etc.
pork or pork by-products
alcoholic beverages
any matter depicting nude or semi-nude persons, pornographic or sexual items
unauthorized political materials. I wanted to add to this. Be careful with even the magazines you send. I almost bought something like Lowrider. Bill stopped me.
If contraband is found in a package, the entire contents may not be delivered!
featherbaby I got my soldier through Adopt A US Soldier.
Any hygenie items you send must be unscented. Nothing like mouthwash with alcohol in it.
the biggest request I have gotten is for the single packages of drink mix. Not much to drink except for water. I get them on sale and send a large variety.
Any hygenie items you send must be unscented. Nothing like mouthwash with alcohol in it.
the biggest request I have gotten is for the single packages of drink mix. Not much to drink except for water. I get them on sale and send a large variety.
- Thread starter
- #20
Quote:
http://adoptaussoldier.org/
http://adoptaussoldier.org/
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
-
-
Ended Official BYC Poultry Caption Contest 05-09-25 Pic by Noraaaaa- Started by TwoCrows
- Replies: 78
-
-
-
