Yankee gets so excited to see what is in the box and always laughs when it is a crazy theme. I did a list for the whole year (fingers crossed will not need 1 year of boxes) so I won't repeat a theme and also I can grab items as I see them for use in the future boxes.
Hint #1 - email out this list so your family can also send you items to put with boxes
Hint #2 - get empty boxes early (especially around Christmas), so you can gather items as they are on SALE, I have the boxes lined up in the office with a paper tag of the theme
Hint #3 - finish boxes early, if I am busy then the box is already complete and ready to go, less stress
Hint #4 - Hobby Lobby and Micheal's will put their scrapebook paper and stickers on sale 50% off, since I already know the themes, I grab it when it is on sale, $0.29 for 12x12 and about $1.50-2.50 for stickers, makes for cheap decorating supplies.
Hint #5 - medium boxes cost less than large boxes, when you are looking at sending 20-24 boxes the savings add up, also they need less stuff to fill them up so if expense is an issue consider this option or do 1 month per month
Here are a few of my ideas that might help get you inspired to get your military member smiling too! I do 2 boxes per month, one beginning of month and mid month so I have tried to tie my themes according to when he receives the boxes (7-10 days).
January
Baby It’s Cold Outside - Hot Hands, Flannel Sheets
Rubber Duck - Bathroom Supplies
February
Valentine’s Day - Candy, Chocolate
I love you a "Latte"- Coffee Stuff
March
"Irish" You Were Here - Green Sheets, All Green
100 Days of Deployment - Anything with “100” on it
April
Say Cheese - Cheetos, Mac & Cheese
Some "Bunny" Loves You - Easter Eggs
May
Fiesta, Cinco de Mayo - Mexican Foods
Rest Your "Sole" - Socks, Shoes, Foot Stuff
June
Purple Party** - Birthday Stuff
Patriotic - America, 4th of July
July
Going “Nuts” Without You - Nut Snacks
Beach in a Box - Flip Flops, Towel
August
Picnic in a Box - PB and J, drink mixes
Everything’s Bigger in Texas*** - Beef Jerky, Flag, Bluebonnets
September
An “Apple” a Day - Apple Stuff
Are You Ready for Some Football??? - Anything Dallas Cowboys
October
"Fall"ing In Love - Leaves, Cider, pics from when you were dating
Halloween - Orange and Black, Spiders
November
Rise and Shine - Breakfast Foods
Thanksgiving in a Box - Stuffing, Turkey Jerky
December
Blue Christmas - Elvis, Lights
All I Want for Christmas - Red, Green, Santa
*Will be a different month depending on your deployment leave date
**This is Yankee's birthday and he loves purple!
***We are from TEXAS, switch out for your state or a state you love or a place to go on vacation
Extra Ideas:
You are My Sunshine - everything yellow
White Christmas – everything white
“Orange” You Glad it’s Summer – everything orange
Workout in a Box - fitness magazine, protein shake, healthy snacks, sports watch
Wedding Anniversary - your wedding colors, cake in a jar, wedding pics
Take Me Out to the Ballgame – baseball cards, gum, caramel popcorn, hotdog gummy candy
“F” Word Box - everything starts with “F” and we all know the F word is a soldier’s favorite word :)
“Mustache” You a Question - razors, shave cream, after shave, face scrub, sunscreen
You “Drive” Me Crazy - car magazines, NASCAR stuff, pics of the new car you want ;)
Hang in There, Going “Bananas” Missing You – monkey and banana stuff
Super Hero, Batman, Spiderman, Hulk, whatever their favorite superhero is
Movie Night, send their favorite DVD (I send the ones we already own = CHEAP) and popcorn, favorite soda and candy
12x12 paper fits almost perfectly on the large box flaps, just cut in half a nd about 1/4 trim on one of the short sides. I tape the flaps on the corners and then Yankee takes them off and hangs them on his wall. At the end, he'll send them home and I will put them in a scrapbook to remember how awesome I am!
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