Ok now that I've got that out of the way...
I've been trying to think of what I can do for Joe for Christmas. I'm not sending him a bunch of gifts because:
a) He would just have to turn around and ship them all back, or try to cram everything in his bags, which are already full of uniforms.
b) Since he'll be home not that long after Christmas we'll celebrate when he gets back, so no sense in sending him everything anyway.
c) He just got a new laptop before he left for this deployment - that pretty much was his Christmas gift. But I can't not buy him anything, I want him to have something to unwrap too! So what few gifts I do get him I want to save for when we're celebrating together upon his return.
I have a couple ideas of some small things I can send him so it'll still be like Christmas, in a way, for him over there.
I did have one thought on something to surprise him with - an avalanche of Christmas cards! So I just thought I'd throw this out there - when you're mailing out your cards, if you've got an extra card you wouldn't mind putting in the mail to Joe, just let me know and I'll send you his mailing address (I think it would be heavily frowned upon if I posted his address on the internet; at least it used to be!). Mailing a card over there doesn't cost any more than the same first-class stamp you use to send mail to anyone in the states.
And if anyone has any ideas on small gifts, like travel games, or just something else I could do to try and make this Christmas special I'd love to hear it!
54 comments:
Hi, Michele! How about a book of photos of you and Kayla? Something like this:
http://www.marthastewartcrafts.com/detail.php?p=20056
Just an idea,
Anne @ Archie's Room
Great idea! We did that last year for my husbands birthday! He loved getting the cards, and hand drawn picture from nieces and nephews. I'd love to send Joe a card.
Tiffany in texas
tiffintexas@gibbsplace.us
What a great idea - would LOVE to do it (not that he knows me but sooo fun - who doesn't love mail)
ddavisbailey@yahoo.com!
I would love to send him a card!!!
We'll send Joe a card for sure!
Send his address to me, Michelle. We would love to send him a card. What a great idea.
We would be honored to send Joe a Christmas card. Just e-mail me his address and I'll add him to the list. What a great idea :)
Let's bombard him with cards!! What a wonderful idea! :D
I'm in!
Great idea! I know some people are sending stockings full of small goodies, needs and treats to their husbands! Hope that helps!
I'd love to send Joe a card!
Moosemunch! That's always a yummy gift!
Would love to send Joe a card.
Of course we will be sending him a card :-) We're also putting together a care box for him. We're sending his favorite cheez-its, candy and of course the life savers!! There's a few more things to go in but I can't remember what off the top of my head. We want him to have some stuff to share on the 1st for the Bowl games.
Hey Michelle,
Can I have his address? I'd love to send him a card. That's a great idea. My brother is over there right now and will be for another year and I just sent him a letter. It's so hard to say merry Christmas because he won't be with any of us or his family for so long. I'm so glad Joe will be home not long after the holiday!
Ohh what a great idea!! I'm finding gift buying really hard this year - I have no idea what to get people. Good luck!! :)
Trace
Oh Michelle, lovely idea! Send me his address (and yours too, if you don't mind so I can send YOU a card!)
mctrickyb@sbcglobal.net
This is irony at its finest! I was coming by to ask you for YOUR address so I could send you a Christmas card. lol And, naturally, I'd LOVE to send Joe one, too. What a great idea. Yes, please tell me where to send it and I'll post it this week.
Merry Christmas!!
Kari
I'll send Joe a card if you will send me his address! Great idea!!!
I was thinking a printed photo book too. They have them everywhere, shutterfly.com, kodakgallery.com, all of the photo printing centers do them. You just download your photos and make the book. It would be neat to do one of his kids, Kayla and baby. Since you can make captions on them - that would be a neat surprise!
Good luck - it's so sweet of you to put so much effort in for your sweetie!
Meesh, the newest (and last in the series) Terry Goodkind book just came out Nov 13th. You can buy that for him... He could read it on the plane on the way home... I would definitley like to send him a card. Send me the address.
love you!
Hey Michelle,
Count me in on sending Joe a Christmas card!! I have a Bro. inlaw who is a chaplain in the Army in Washington State and we are doing the same thing for him!
Also how about a starbucks card?
my email is: soulwriter1@yahoo.com
thanks Michelle and I hope you and Kayla have an awesome Christmas.
Cool idea...we'll ship a card over, sure thing!
Send me his address. I think that is a great idea! I wish I had some suggestions for gifts, but can't think of any right now.
What a great ideal! We'd be glad to send him a card.
reneesblog@sbcglobal.net
Renee'
Michele -- What a wonderful idea -- We don't know each other but I have been reading your blog and would love to share in the "card-sending"! My daughter works in a group home with Down Syndrome adults and has worked with them since she was a teenager thus my interest in your blog and your beautiful daughter -- Hope you don't mind that I visit.
http://www.xanga.com/myhopeisinjesus
I'd love to!!!!
aspecialfamily@ YAHOO dot COM
How about a fun computer game he can load on his new laptop?
great idea w the postcards!
When my husband was in Iraq I sent him a Peg Game Assortment. You can order them through Terry's Village for 11.95. My husband loved it & so did all his friends.
I'd love to send him a card! My kids would too. When my hubby was gone they made cards for his entire unit. It was so cute & they loved it!
ccleveland@zoominternet.net
How about a little photo book to mail over to Joe? Suduko puzzles are lots of fun, too.
Good luck coming up with ideas - not too much longer now!
Hey Michelle!! That is quite a challenge!!!
Can you send baked goods to him? If so, maybe you and Kayla could make some decorated Christmas cookies for him. And I think something photo-related would be great too!
I'd love to send him a card. cherylwrit@aol.com
Michele, please send me Joe's address and yours too, I would love to send you both a Christmas card :)
bourlandcs@msn.com
As for things to give him how about what I'm doing for Curtis, a gift basket with one or two movies, some microwave popcorn, some candies and cookies etc. This way it's something he can watch there and the snacks he can eat and not worry about having to bring them back etc.
Oh I almost forgot, one thing I did with the Jasmine when Curt was deployed for a few months, I bought an empty notebook and had her draw a picture in there every day of what she did daily, she loved it, and when he returned they both got to sit down and look through it :)
Curt loved seeing everything she did when he was gone and she loved sharing it with daddy :)
That is a great idea...can you email me your address so we can send one to you too.
How are you feeling?
Michelle,
We would be honored to send him and you and Kayla a card as well. You can reach me at r.a.k@comcast.net.
Merry Christmas!
Becca
http://lilbitofthisandthat.spaces.live.com/
Totally send him some art by Kayla. I sent a framed painted picture to my MIL and she loved it.
We would love to send a card!! kt_farrell4@comcast.net
He'll be home soon!
I did this for hubby's birthday over there each year. Send me his address and I'll get a card out to him.
armybloggerwife@gmail.com
We'd love to send Joe a card! It would be a privilege.
How about some cookies or some kind of homemade snack? I'm sorry I am not very creative when it comes to this kind of thing. Hope you get some great ideas!
-Andrea
yes! send me Joes addy! That is a great idea Michelle!!! Ill be happy to send him a card!
You can send me Joe's address. Me and the kids would love to send him a card. Why not a great photo of you and Kayla framed...a new picture he hasn't seen yet..Or do a slide show on your blog for him....just some thoughts.
We'll send a card. Please email the address and I will pop it in the mail this weekend. You have probably already done this but what about a luggage tag (anticipating his trip home)? Print his name and address on a heavy piece of paper (business card size), glue a small photo of Kayla to the corner or on the other side, do to Kinkos and laminate it using their luggage tag holders ($1.95). Repeat process for grandparents, aunts, & uncles!
Great idea Michelle! Could you please send me botj addys? We'd love to send Joe a card as well as you and Kayla. I like the photo booklet idea.
Hi Michelle,
I would love to send your hubby a card. I think it's a great idea. I too have been meaning to come over and say hi again to your blog but this holiday season is crazy busy. Take care!
I think you should let kayla make him a picture or something like that. I would like his address to send him a card.
love ya,
mimi
oh Michelle what a wonderful idea! I would love to send one. My email is stessieb3@yahoo.com
I'll add him to the card list.
chrfathoh@yahoo.com
Hi Michelle, our family would LOVE to send cards to your hubby for Christmas.....would it be ok to send a little care package for him and the men around him to enjoy?
Please email me lori at scottdomain dot com with his address....we can get a card out in today's mail, a small care package out in tomorrow's mail :)
Blessings!
Lori4squaremom
http://lori.scottdomain.com
Yes, please send me his address...Love to do this for you guys!
What about a little scrapbook of photos, letters, thoughts, pictures drawn by your resident artist Kayla, recent ultra sound photo if you have one... prayers, etc.... Just something he can look at instead of just photos.
Also, maybe a dvd of you and Kayla and maybe include other family members wishing him a Merry Christmas. Just thoughts! Hugs!
Hi Michelle, send me his address and I'll send one too. I just mailed a card to my brother in law. We found out that's he's not going to be home from Iraq until after Christmas. The date keeps changing.
killlashandra @ hotmail . com
Mission Accomplished. His card went out the day before yesterday.
Merry Christmas!
Kari
What a great idea! My husband is also deployed right now and comes back in Jan. so we have been racking our brains for small things to send to him. If you don't mind, I may borrow this idea and post it on my blog?
Also, they may be at the same place! They could be working togther!
Wow, this all sounds familiar. My husband will be coming home soon also so I have been having a similar christmas dilemma. Here are some of the things I came up with:
a dvd slideshow of pictures set to music. You can make this yourself on Adobe Photoshop Elements.
a dvd of christmas wishes from friends and family. I borrowed a dvd camcorder from a friend, if that is not an option, you can record it on a VHS and burn it to a disk on a dvd recorder.
a personalized kleenex box with our pictures and messages. You can order these at http://www.mykleenextissue.com/
a digital keychain in which you can download recent pictures of you and the cutie. About $20 at walgreens or walmart.
And I sent lots of his favorite snacks and holiday goodies.
Michelle,
I'd love to send Joe a Christmas card! My own husband was in Iraq last Christmas, so I know all about what that is like. Just email me the info...
gingerbales@sbcglobal.net
Yes Michelle, please send me his address and I will mail him a card! What a great idea. You've got my email address!
I have this post "kept new" because I meant to come back when I did cards. But I still haven't done cards! I will send him a Happy New Year card, though, if that would be okay?
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