Here are some themed care package ideas...N-Z to follow.
Action Hero's
- Power bars, squirt guns, Red Bull drinks, small Army figurines, comic books, Gatorade, Red Bull drinks, etc
"A Day At Home" Package
- There are several variations of this package. The idea is to replicate a day with you. First, you'll need a camera. Take pictures of each thing you do. Use your creativity here are a few ideas:
We woke up (take a picture in bed) and ate breakfast (take a picture eating cereal) and then took a shower (take picture in towel). We started the day off by doing some yard work and mowing the lawn (take picture mowing lawn). After our work, we had lunch (take picture with lunch). Then we colored pictures - or threw around a football etc. (take pictures doing activity). We all ate dinner together (take picture having dinner). We had a full day so we were tired when it was time to set down and watch our favorite TV programs (take picture watching TV). Later we snuggled up in our jammies (take picture in jammies) and had a nighttime snack (take picture snacking). We love you very much and miss you! (send picture of kiss goodnight)
Now take all of your pictures (referencing above) and send them with "treats"
Pillowcase with cologne/perfume sprayed or maybe a decorated one
Several small boxes of cereal or cereal bars
Shower Gel or Shampoo or even a towel
Grass Clippings in a baggie or dirt from backyard (strange but reminds them of home)
Color Books or Football
Lunch Snacks
New Pajamas
Popcorn
Recorded TV show or movie DVD
Hershey's Kisses
American A-Z
A- Individual Apple Pies
B- Baseball: baseball
C- Chocolate chip cookies
D- Dog: picture of his dog or a little stuffed one
E- Eagle
F- Family: picture of the family
G- Grapes: grape flavored anything
H- Home: be creative and send something to remind him of home
I- Ice cream: ice cream candy or freeze dried ice cream
J- Jump rope
K- Kite
L- Laughter: make a recording of you laughing at a funny show/joke/movie
M- Maple syrup?: send a little bottle of maple syrup
N- Naked...just kidding Nature: send him leaves or something from outside that they wouldn't have in all that sand!
O- Ouch!: Send band aids and antibiotic ointment
P- Popsicles: if he has access to a freezer send those freeze pops or Peaches: send little canned peaches
Q- Quiet: Send a peaceful book or earplugs
R- Rainbows
S- Sunshine: send sunglasses or sunscreen
T- Texas: send playing cards or something with the Texas flag or Tootsie rolls
U- United States
V- Vacation: send him brochures of places you'd like to go when he gets back for him to look at.
W- Wishing: if you have a wishbone send it or put some of your wishes down on paper for him to read or Water guns
X- XL: send him an XL hug or kiss
Y- Yo yo
Z- Zoo: send animal crackers
American Classics
- Pez with dispensers, Cracker Jacks, Lifesavers, Necco Wafers,
Pop Rocks, Nerds, Good & Plenty, Candy Necklaces, Candy cigarettes
And this little piggy went to the sandbox- (foot care kit)
- foot powder, Dr, Scholl's boot inserts, foot lotion, foot file, fresh, clean socks, toe nail clippers, scrub brush, odor eater balls for shoes/boots, foot soaks (either include a small bucket or large Ziploc bags to soak feet it)
Bathroom in a Box
- TOILET PAPER!!! (the soft stuff), razor refills, foot powder, bars of soap, fresh, clean, soft washcloth, travel size shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc
Big Cheese/Promotion Box
- Cheese curls, cheese balls, cheese flavored chips, cheese Doritos, cheese popcorn, cheese and crackers, cheese flavored crackers, tubs of cheese spread, cheesy instant mashed potatoes
Boredom Buster Care Package
- Hand-Held Yahtzee, Electronic Pocket Poker Hand-Held Game, Electronic Pocket Slot Hand-Held Game, Baseball Hand-Held Game, Rubik's Cube, Full Size Slinky, Twenty Questions Electronic Game.
Brain Teasers
- those little games you get at parties and you have to put those little balls in the holes, crossword puzzles, puzzles, those puzzles that are small and metal and you have to take them apart and then put back together, Rubik’s cube, travel size games of checkers and chess
Breakfast on the GO
- nutrigrain bars, instant oatmeal cups, small boxes of cereal, pop tarts, Hostess donuts: Otis Spunk Meyer muffins, cocoa, coffee, chex morning mix, donuts
Cold Season
- some cough drops, Kleenex, tea, instant noodle soup, hot chocolate, get well card phone card to call home
For the Fisherman
- Goldfish crackers, tuna pouches, canned smoked salmon,
cans of sardines, gummy worms, Go Fish card game, Field & Stream magazine,
electronic fishing rod game, Sponge Bob Square Pants stuffed toy, fishing
game toy (made by several different toy companies. Has a small fishing pole
with a magnet on the end. Fish have magnets on their mouths)
Hang in There!
- Stuffed animal monkey, Banana bread, Banana chips, Banana pudding (the kind that doesn't have to be refrigerated),Monkey's in a Barrel game, card with a monkey on it, Little Debbie makes some Curious George Banana Twin cakes
Kick Back & Relax
- Dominoes, playing cards, magazines, books, music cd's,
crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, word searches, hand held electronic
games, squirt guns, water balloons, bubbles, hacky sacks, Nerf balls, board
games (Axis & Allies, Clue, Trivial Pursuit, etc),
Laundry Load
- Laundry soap (`sample size' or Tide tablets kind) to pack in with their clothes….in case there are no washer/dryers, Fabric softener sheets, clean socks and undershirts, Febreeze
Medicine Cabinet
- aspirin, band-aids, Neosporin cream, A&D ointment, cold medicine, alka seltzer, Rolaids, etc.
Muchas Gracias…Nachos Supreme
- Doritos &/or Fritos &/or any corn tortilla chips, Mexican Velveeta, salsa (wrapped in bubble wrap), small can of olives (don't forget the can opener), bean dip, nacho cheese dip, small can of green chilies, jar of jalapenos (wrapped in bubble wrap), taco seasoning, small paper plates or bowls (so they can make their nachos), taco sauce (especially easy are those condiment packets from Taco Bell), You could also send the sauces from the various Mexican dinner kits (they also have tortilla's in those dinner kits that are sealed so they would probably get there without molding or drying out), Taco Bell Nacho Supreme
kit
MRE/Mess Hall Survival Kit
- restaurant size condiment packs of: bbq sauce, mustard, ketchup, mayo, relish, salt. Pepper, taco sauce, ranch, cheese in a can dip, etc