Need Ideas on a Gift to Give My Husband Who Is Deploying...

I know this may sound kind of corny but I can't help thinking what we see from past wars that meant so much to deployed soldiers. They, as all men are very visual and what did they visualize? Just look on the side of bombers! So, for your husband, maybe doll up and have a photo taken of you that he can carry with him everywhere he goes! You know, the girl I can't wait to get home to! He was born to be a warrior-protector. You are what he fights for! Keep the romance going!!
Thank you and your family for the sacrifices you make on a daily basis so that we can enjoy the few freedoms we have left. May your family be blessed many times over!!!

K.

Sorry if I am repeating...

When my husband went on a deployment my mother got him a St. Christopher's medal that he could wear on his dogtags. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. I am sure there are patron saints for soldiers or some other thing that might be appropriate for your husband specifically (there is a patron saint for everything it seems). While my husband isn't catholic and my mom is lapsed, it still meant a lot to him to have some token that meant to keep him watched over and safe.

I'm sure you have lots of great care package ideas. I did a care package every month or so, and tried to always include fun things, and "trade-able" things too. I would sometimes buy a pillowcase and sleep on it for a week or so and send that along.

Thank you, your husband, and family so much for your sacrifices for our country!

I've had lots of family over there. He will need a 220/110 volt converter if he doesn't already have one. He will have limited space to carry things so you may want to get a small photo album rather than individual frames for photos. I got my stepdad a digital photo key ring he loved it. If it is in yur budget get him an eReader loaded with books or an iPod ( you can get a AA battery run charger for it for like 20 bucks at best buy). They get REALLY bored once they are there and the flight is super long and boring as well. If you can't afford or don't already have one of those devices get him a good book or two ( preferably paperback, limited space) or a favorite magazine or crossword puzzles or something like that that intrest him. Once he gets there and you want to send him stuff they all want baby wipes, favorite snacks, magazines, pictures, socks, deodorent, stuff like that. Another thing you may want to get him is a head and face scarf for the sandstorms. You can pick one up on base or at a surplus store. He will need that. My mom, and I when my husband goes, sneaks into my stepdads luggage and sticks little notes that say I love you into things like his socks and pockets and toothbrush holder and odd places so he will find them periodically. He loves that. Thank your husband for his service. I have had a brother, an uncle, and a stepdad there. My husband is enlisting as we speak and so one day soon I will have a husband there. I know it is hard on the families I see it with my mom every day. If you ever need to talk PM anytime :)

Can the kids make him a bracelet? You can get 3 colors - one for each kid and braid it together. I think an mp3 player loaded with songs would be nice. And does he have a smart phone that you can send pictures, videos, and emails too? He won't get service everywhere, but there are areas where he can. I'm a little racy, so, I would probably put something more intimate to remind my husband of our passion - maybe panties and a trial size bottle of my perfume. :)

I hear chapstick, socks, bug repellant, and sunscreen are critical needs. That's what the elementary school here sends in care packages.

You're a brave mommy and supportive wife. I honor your sacrifice. I want you to take a minute to take care of yourself too. Why don't you make yourself a box and fill it with little memories and pictures of places you want to go and things you want to do when he gets back. Put his letters in it as they come. Keep a bottle of his cologne in it. When my husbanmds gone, I miss his scent and find myself sleping with his tshirts just to smell him. There's an old folk tradition in the middle east. When men leave to go to war, they would give thier wives a little decorative glass bottle. It was meant to catch the tears the woman would cry while he was gone. She would present him this vial of tears on his return.

If you like the idea of the patron saint medal, I found a list on http://www.ourcatholicfaith.org/patronsaints.html. My husband and I are not Catholic, but we are Christians. A long time ago, a friend gave him a prayer card and a medallion of Saint Michael the Arch Angel who is the patron saint of police officers and soldiers. My husband has served in the Air Force and the Texas National Guard and is still a police officer. My husband carried the card around until it fell apart. Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel are some of the arch angels I have learned about and depending on which scriptures you are partial to. There are others listed in the texts of other faiths. It is reassuring to have a something he can touch to remind him of his faith. The item itself won't protect him, but it will remind him to pray and ask for comfort and protection for himself and for your family. It will also remind him of God's faithfullness and love when he is feeling alone and scared. If you are not "religious", I understand. I'm not trying to be preachy, just expanding on the other post about patron saints.

Please give him my gratitude for risking everything so that my family is safe. Thank you for loving and supporting him and for the major sacrifices you and your children are making. There thousands of families out here who are truly grateful and appreciative of all that military familes go through even though we aren't called on to give up what you do.

Sincerely heartfelt.... Thank you!

If you haven't picked up an mp3 player, yet, try to get one that has a flash drive and can record his voice. They don't necessarily cost more than ones that do not have this. Some can display pictures (that probably will cost more). This will allow your husband to record messages and upload them for you and for the children. It is a good idea to have him record some bedtime stories for the children before he leaves, as communication is difficult the first few weeks. They'll likely keep on with the bedtime stories for much longer than that, though. It's easier to protect an mp3 player from sand than a laptop (pack ziplock bags)- many go through a few laptops each deployment, depending on where they are stationed.

Although your husband is likely to be extremely busy before he leaves, it will send a very important message to your children (and to you) if you each get a 1:1 time with him before he goes. For the children, have him make a simple, small project that they can keep. It should be something they can finish within a hour (or it may not happen), and the child should have his FULL attention while making it. Take a picture of him with child and project, too. The experience of having his time will mean more than the object, but the project will still represent that memory for them. Include the photo in your husband's collection.

Best wishes to you.

I don't have any ideas that have not already been posted here. I just want to say thank you to you and your husband and family for serving me and my family and all other American families. My heart is with the wives husbands parents and children left home as much as with the brave men and women who serve us all. God bless!And thanks again!

My husband is gone now to a better place, but I know that one of the things that he most enjoyed was have some of his books, magazines etc, that he could read, have a subscription of some of these sent to him while he is gone, he may even share them with friends, Having any recording and pictures of you and family, you know the everyday activities, park, bath time for the little one, story time, those special times parties, sent or tapes ahead of time. Anything that will keep him updated as to the growth and activities of the family. He will be able to call and talk but that is only a few times because of the number of other's that want to do the same with their families.
Take care of each other. and good luck to all. God bless.

The first post is an excellent idea. Also, can you laminate a small picture of you and kids(wallet size) that he can carry with him at all times? Some guys tuck them in their pockets or hats or boots. Just so if he is out in the field or on a mission, he can pull it out and give himself a "hug from home".
How about some favorite snacks, a love letter or 2 from you, something small from home that is sentimental of your marriage etc.

I love my son's scent on his used shirt (of course is not a teenager yet, so it's a GOOD smell!), so depending on how old your children are it could be an idea (if it doesn't gross you out!). A shirt with YOUR favourite perfume is also an idea. Maybe thread bracelets braided by the chidren (each chooses diffrent colors so they are all different), a candle that smells like Christmas, or Thanksgiving (pumpkin pie kind) and that will remind him of home. Objects that the kids love and use daily...just some ideas!

Phone cards and candy. I hear that the troops like to give candy to the kids of the areas in which they are deployed (builds trust in the area). And maybe a little for him and his buddies as well :)
Maybe get one of those recording frames and record the kids saying something that he can play over and over again.
His favorite magazines or book series.

Good Luck and God Bless!

Be careful of what you put in this box. He'll likely not have a lot of space, and will have to pack it up and put it into his rucksack/duffel bags. Framed photos are great, but where and how will he pack them? If he has to hand carry them in his carry-on, are they heavy? Will glass break? Is the artwork in a sturdy folder?

Basically, just think of what he'd have at home during his day that he might not have ready access to there. Put little bits of home in that box.

I advise that you put the photos onto his laptop. He can set it so that the screensaver is a slideshow of all the photos. You can put them on a thumb-drive and put it into the box. You can even scan in copies of the kids' artwork and put those into the slideshow as well. Then there's no worry about ruining anything, or having to pack a breakable item.

If he doesn't already have an MP3 player (like an ipod or Zune), get him one and put all of his music on it. A several audiobooks too. If he does have one, get him a set of Bose earbuds. They drown out the noise of all the morons around you on the plane and in the barracks, are comfy, and the sound is AWESOME. They're about $80, but completely worth it to a deployed Soldier.

Is he a coffee drinker? REAL coffee is a godsend. Put in a nice, small-sized thermos and some of those new Starbucks Ready Brew packets. We usually have easy access to hot water or crappy coffee...he can use hot water to make good coffee. A few Splenda packets and a small container of creamer if he uses them, too. http://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-VIATM-Ready-Colombia-Coff...

I can think of a lot more, but those should get you started!

How bout some of his favorite snacks, a little reminder of home, or even something with your scent on it. You and kids can make a video for him to watch if hes takin a laptop with him.

How about a letter a day? Have the kids write or draw something and put in an envelope with "day 1", "day 2", etc. this way he can open one a day and have something from the kids and yourself of course. Just a quick note or such. This would at least help those first few days or weeks while waiting for the first letter in the mail.

I like the idea of hiding cute little quick notes in his socks, pockets, toothbrush holder, etc.

Get a Sharpie and write a note to him ON his toothbrush or write a scripture. Write on his brush, anything you can that you're allowed to write on w/o getting him into trouble.

I agree that a frame is quite bulky. I like the idea of laminating your family picture so he can fold it or put it in his pocket easily. I always like getting those flat magnetic frames. Not sure if there's anything magnetic to stick it to once he's there though. And magnets are NOT GOOD for electronic equipment, so don't do that one if he's packing computers/dvd/iPod.

I would pack a chapstick! (write on the outside or on the lid either a scripture, a note from you, or something about 'giving you a kiss when you put this to your lips')

My hubby loves SPICE. Not sure what the food's like there (MREs? They come w/ Tabasco sometimes, but I'd pack him his favorite hot sauce to add to his food. And of course, I'd write on the bottle something 'spicy' from me.

If they get bored on flight -- does he like Sudoku? Any book or magazine you give him, write on a few pages here and there as a nice suprise. Perhaps paste a photo here and there too.

Thank you and your family for y'alls service to our country.