Christmas Care Packages

Whewww weeee it seems like I had just put up a post on Halloween care packages and Thanksgiving ones and now Christmas!

Well truth be told you hardly have as much time as you think. December 8th is the last day to send out packages to family members overseas in hopes of it getting there on time for Christmas. You have until December 15th if your willing to pay express shipping fees but (IMO) those fees tend to be alittle crazy.

In any event some wonderful ladies have given me the opportunity to show off their Christmas care packages. I put these pics up simply so that you can get a visual idea of what a care package (for Christmas) could possibly look like. I hope you enjoy and find these examples helpful.






Thank You Mare & Shasta for allowing me to share these. They look great!

Before I go I need to apologize for not putting up pics of my care package. I honestly forgot and was in a hurry to send them. My hubby mainly got tons and tons of extra snacks plus three of his favorite tv show series on dvd which I wrapped and requested he not open until Christmas.

I hope you ladies enjoy these and feel free to click here to learn more about sending packages overseas.

Hooah & Smooches

Thanksgiving Care Packages

Yes ladies believe it or not Halloween just passed and Turkey Day is rapidly clucking it's way around the corner.

For those of us with deployed spouses a good portion of us will probably be trying to concoct a package to put together for our soldiers. If your anything like me then you admit that your creatively challenged when it comes to making cute care packages.

Thanks to a sweet lady named Jess on one of the military spouse forums I visit, I have the pleasure of showing you her "Thanksgiving Care Package" which I absolutely thought was so adorable and creative. I am sure the lucky recipient will enjoy.








Thanks Jess for allowing me to share pictures of your care package!

So next I know your thinking well what the heck can I put in this Thanksgiving care package?

I found a cool article with some great tips. Check it out here.

I also came across this list of ideas:
Thanksgiving box

* turkey spam
* cans for veggies
* can of cranberry
* Paper Plates
* cups
* Thanksgiving decorations from the dollar stores
* cute paper pumpkins from Halloween
The idea listed below comes from Bella Online

"Thanksgiving: This is always the hardest holiday for me to send packages since it mainly revolves around food. One idea that I’ve heard of others doing that I love is celebrating Thanksgiving early and placing a video camera in the chair where he would sit if he was there. Record the dinner, send him the tape and he can play the tape while he eats his own Thanksgiving dinner. Last Thanksgiving, I sent my soldier substitutes for the traditional dinner. For turkey, he received jerky; for rice, rice cakes; for corn, candy corn; for potatoes, potato chips; the list goes on. It was definitely the most creative package I have put together."

Now that we got the care package ideas out of the way I wanted to put up a reminder about sending care packages overseas. I know I personally have had to give myself a little tutorial on how to fill out customs forms several times. If you need a reminder check out Filling Out Customs Form For Care Packages

Lastly I wanted to post the information to get your FREE Military Care Package Shipping Kit:

Military Care Package Mailing Kit
Since Priority Mail service supplies are the packaging of choice for families preparing care packages for service members overseas, the USPS has created a "Mili-kit" based on the items most frequently requested by the military.
The kit contains:

* Three (3) each of flat rate boxes O-FRB1 and O-FRB2
* Two (2) each of Cube boxes OBOX7
* Address labels - Label # 228: 8 each
* Address labels - Label # 106-A: 1 each
* Customs FORM 2976-A: 8 EA.
* Customs FORM Envelope 2976-E: 8 EA.
To order your kit and have it delivered straight to your door call 1-800-610-8734 (Packing Supply)

* Choose your language (“1” is English, “2” is Spanish).
* Choose option 1 (it states it is for Express Mail service, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed).
* When you reach a live agent, request “CAREKIT04.”
* Please allow 7-10 days for delivery.

Note: These are free supplies, postage must be affixed.
Also keep in mind FREE APO and FPO boxes can always be ordered by visiting the USPS site. The boxes will be delivered straight to your door.

I hope these Thanksgiving Care Package ideas are helpful to you and that you will share your ideas in the comments below.

Stay tuned for ideas on Christmas care packages which by the way need to be sent out soon to be received in time for Christmas.

Hooah & Smooches

Halloween Care Packages....What To Send In Them

The picture above is from a sweet lady on a military wives forum I visit who let me have the privilege of showing off her wonder creative care package.

I have no shame in saying that I am beyond creatively challenged. With that said while I enjoy making (attempting) creative and fun packages, I for the most part suck at doing that. I love sending my husband care packages when he is deployed though and making them special for him , while still sending him things he can use.

I have been on the hunt for great Halloween care package ideas that are practical and useful. We all have different taste but the one thing we have in common is that eventually our spouses will return home along with those items. Toys and items of that nature are fine, but I always try to make sure it is something my spouse can pass on to incoming soldiers when he leaves.

I would love to have a great list of Martha Stewart like tips for you but as I mentioned above that won't happen :)

I can't leave you all hanging so here are some great Halloween care packages tips I have come across.

1. Making Halloween Care Packages For Soldiers

2.Loving A Soldier...Halloween Tips

3.This site is a forum I go to that has a care package section. A member of the board posted some awesome pictures of a care package she made. See the care package by click here.

Below are some important mailing tips to keep in mind when sending any type of care package.

* Always remember that Flat Rate/Priority boxes are free and be even be ordered in bulk for free on the USPS

*Be sure to send packages out in time. In my experience the average time for a care package to reach my spouse was 2 weeks from the Southeast part of the US.

* If you send homemade baked goods be sure to wrap them securely in plastic wrap , then nestle securely in a tightly sealed plastic container.

* If baked good contain icing...send the icing in a separate container.

* Check out The USPS Mailing Restrictions for important tips you should know when mailing packages overseas.

If you have some cool Halloween care package tips please feel free to post them in the comments section.

I hope you find the info useful...Stay tuned for pictures of my Halloween care package.

Hooah & Smooches