Christmas gifts for the deployed

[sharvs]

Can anyone give me some ideas of what I can send to DF for Christmas? I am limited to 2kgs at a time & mail is taking up to 4 weeks so I have to act fast. I cant send anything that has a christmas theme as its considered offensive to the locals. I have sent him some coloured fairy lights for his room. He doesnt eat fruit cake so that is out. So far all I can think of is DVD's but I send them to him all the time.

Thanks
Sharon

[littleboyblue]

what about just some other christmas foods shortbreads, pudding, mince pies that's what I sent for my fella last christmas. They were allowed to have christmas theme stuff which was easy so that makes yours very hard.

I also sent nuts you can by them now for christmas that come in beer cans. What about some sort of little games my husband always played cards over there you can get little pocker sets and stuff.

[sharvs]

Thanks for the ideas, munchkin's_mum.

It is really hard not being able to send anything with a christmas theme - he wanted me to send him a little christmas tree but i'm scared it will get confiscated (sp?) before it gets to him. I've seen heaps of funny santa things. The nuts in a beer can is a good idea. DF is more into computer games, he has a PS2, a PSP, a portable DVD player, an Ipod - i dont know how he gets the spare time to use any of it - war isnt what it used to be :D .

[here_we_go]

Hey sharon since hes into computing etc why not a few gaming magazines, I know my DH loves these as they have hints and previews of new games etc. Perhaps as well being that you are in Brissie you can take a trip to the confectionary wearhouse at Nudgee? I made up plenty of care packages for my DH from goodies there for when he was O/S. They have some great things there that you dont find in the shops as well. Just a thought.

Here is what I sent my DP whilst in Timor last time at Chrissy. I made up a disc of images of my DD and I, set them up as a slide show using Nero and added some Christmas tunes to accompany it. That way he viewed them on his laptop and he loved this one. Also depending on how game you are, lol, I also sent some rather private photos of myself over to him in a Christmas card too. (Not for the faint hearted but he loved that too)

Each time he is away I also get my daughters hands and feet and paint them, then press the paint onto paper to make images of her feet and hands, sometimes I sprinkle them with glitter when they are wet so it sticks when dry. You could do red and green being Christmas time with sprinkles, and then perhaps a little message happy christmas 2006. Just an idea, these are simple but so personable.

Also perhaps you could personalise a christmas cracker for him with a few inserts of things special lollies perhaps that he likes?

Not sure how good these are but just a few of the things I have done. It used to be much easier when the postage was 20kg per package.

Good luck and have fun.

[here_we_go]

PS just had to further add dont look past putting your DS in a red top, and popping a santa hat on him, taking some pics, and sending them over. I also did that with my DD and it made for a really personalised card too.:tree:

[sharvs]

Thanks for the ideas, here_we_go.

I went and checked out that Confectionary Warehouse - i think i have found heaven in Brisbane! I got some stuff for DF but alot for me too... lol

I tried to put DS in a santa hat but he kept taking it off before I had the chance to take the photo.

I managed to get him a few novelty items from a mens gift store at Chermside - a talking south park key chain & a talking dashboard figure of Stewie from Family Guy that is has a montion sensor - him and all the boys are right into Family Guy at the moment. I also got him a few DVDs. Hopefully he will be happy with that. I think anything else I send now probably wont get there until after Christmas but i like the idea of painting DS feet & hands - i just dont know if he will sit still long enough, it could end in disaster!

Thanks again for your help :yes:

[lavenderpegasus]

I sent my husband some pillow cases that I had written all over. My DH is in the Navy and when ever I see his room his pillow case just looked like everyone elses... So grabbed some white pillow cases from k-mart and some fabric markers, and pretty much went to town. You could write some of his fav lines from the family guy...
All of the guys (and girls) loved the idea. They are light, cheap and personal. Pictures on a disc of just crazy things. Our local woolies renovated, so i took photos and sent them on a disc to my DH. A magazine subscription, a cd full of songs that made me think of him... or a cd of song that you thought were silly and a dialogue that he can read.


Any who i have morning sickness and have been blabbed on for way tooo long:ecomcity:

[here_we_go]

Thanks for the ideas, here_we_go.

I went and checked out that Confectionary Warehouse - i think i have found heaven in Brisbane! I got some stuff for DF but alot for me too... lol

I tried to put DS in a santa hat but he kept taking it off before I had the chance to take the photo.

I managed to get him a few novelty items from a mens gift store at Chermside - a talking south park key chain & a talking dashboard figure of Stewie from Family Guy that is has a montion sensor - him and all the boys are right into Family Guy at the moment. I also got him a few DVDs. Hopefully he will be happy with that. I think anything else I send now probably wont get there until after Christmas but i like the idea of painting DS feet & hands - i just dont know if he will sit still long enough, it could end in disaster!

Thanks again for your help :yes:

Confectionary wearhouse is great lol! The key with painting hands and feet is having another set of hands to help you. Also we used to do our daughters handprints whilse she slept as she was a deep sleeper and wouldnt wake.

[emma2938]

hey Sharvs,

When my husband was deployed last chrissie it was hard, but i tried to think of things he could use to fill in time over there too, like travel size scrabble, a small bocce set, DVD's, books

As for food i sent: Lollies, Waffles (from thebread section in woolies), biscuits, coffee packets ( like cappuccino ones). Practically anything in a packet that wasnt chocolate

Pratical: deoderant, shampoo. I sent new pillowcases with some of my perfume he loves sprayed on them to remind him of me.

Other: I madeshort videos with my digital camera of me, just doing ordinary stuff life playing with our dogs, doing the laundry etc etc, so that he felt he was part of it. On Xmas day I made a video of all our friends and family saying hello to him.

Just a few ideas!!!!