I posted some ideas and links on this thread which should assist you with ideas:
http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/92197.15.html
Here are some ideas from a list I have been working on. The list is not finished; its just me doing a little brainstorming and still needs to be refined quite a lot, but it should give you a few ideas.
Which items you send will depend on how well you know said soldier(s), their age(s), interests, personalities, their line of work, allergies and other factors.
The number one item, is personal hand written letters.
Here is the mentioned, unfinished, list in progress:
Food Items
1. Beef Jerky / Pepperoni / Dried Meats http://www.longviewjerky.com/order_jerky.asp
2. Nuts / Seeds / Trail Mix
3. Cereal Bars / Granola Bars
4. Microwave Popcorn
5. Chips / Salsa / Pretzels / Nuts and Bolts / Cheezies / Cheese Puffs
6. Fruit Leather / Fruit Snacks / Dried Fruit / fruit cups (plastic spoons)
7. Sweets / M & M’s / Gum / Licorice
8. Cookies / Fruit Newton’s / Puff Wheat Squares / Rice Crispy Squares / Cakes / Tarts and Squares
9. Various Hot Sauces / Condiments / Seasonings
10. Coffee / Coffee Mate / Hot Chocolate / Tea
11. Individual Drink Packets (crystal light etc…)
12. Meat / Tuna Snack Kits (all prepared) / Plastic Cutlery
13. Instant add water meals (KD, Noodles, oatmeal etc…) / readymade microwave meals (individual soups etc…)
14. Peanut Butter / Honey / Jams / Crackers / Plastic Cutlery / Paper Plates / Napkins
15. Custom Sweet Packages w/ Labels Printed off from your Computer and a Prize Hidden inside Each Package.
16. Homemade baked fortune cookies w/ custom slips of paper inside which say… … …
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Personal Care Items
1. Deodorant
2. Shampoo / cream rise / soap
3. Shaving Cream / Disposable Razors
4. Tylenol
5. Bandages / Polysporin
6. Tums /Gaviscon
7. Tooth Brush / Tooth Paste
8. Heat Buster / www.becoolwraps.ca
9. Sunglasses / Sewing Kit / Tweezers / Nail Clippers / Eye glass Cleaner cloth
10. Anti-itch Bug Stick / Bug Repellent (all natural, no deet, nothing flammable)
11. Chap Stick
12. Lotion / Sun block / Cortisone / Vaseline
13. Wipes (for body cleaning)
14. Foot Powder / Epson Salts
15. Sheet Set / Fluffy Towel / shirts / socks / blanket
16. Eye drops / Ear Drops / cotton balls / eye rise cup / Nasal Spray / Cough Drops / NeoCitran (non-drowsy)
17. Individual Tissue Packs / Bathroom Tissue
18. Laundry Detergent (individuals if possible) / re-useable all natural dryer sheets / stain remover stick http://www.staticeliminator.ca/page/page/363949.htm
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Entertainment & Miscellaneous
1. Magazines / Books / Cross Word Books
2. Cards / Travel Games / Dice / Dominoes
3. Pens, paper, letter envelopes , various padded envelopes, white-out… to send hand written notes to family
4. Journal and a nice pet set to write down his thoughts, stories and experiences
5. DVD’s / CD’s / video tape their favourite programs to send
6. Tim Horton’s Gift Certificates / Phone Cards / Memory Sticks / blank CD’s
7. Handmade gift / photos / letters /
8. Stress Ball / Graphite (for gun cleaning)
9. Toys for some silly fun time – base ball’s and gloves / squirt guns / slinkies / silly putty / Nerf balls /Frisbees / dominoes / Marshmallow Shooters with bags of extra marshmallows /
10. Zip Locks / Mouse Traps / cloth bags / water proof pouches / containers / various kinds of tape (electrical, scotch, masking, binding, duct)
Other Ideas
1. Theme Care Packages (Christmas, Thinking of you, Favourites, Valentine’s, Family, Spiritual etc…)
2. Seal the letters w/ Sealing Wax; it is the little touches which can really mean a lot
3. Tie a piece of ribbon or thin and long piece of leather around the envelopes which have your letter... pieces of leather seem to come in handy or are able to be put to use.
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If the package(s) contain food items, then I would send them in a plastic tub and brown paper wrap and label the tub accordingly. Keeping in mind the size and weight limits for care packages. Also, the storage tubs which contain the care package items can be put to use once received and protects the items during shipping. You can pick up storage tubs and containers fairly cheap theses days from dollar stores, Superstore, Wal-mart etc... .
If you do a search on the Home Front board, there may be other similar threads with ideas for care packages.
Hope this helps.
