‘Tis the season to spread care, appreciation and love! What better way to do this than to send a little love and support to our troops. Whether you are sending a care package to your loved one overseas or you want to spread the holiday cheer to a service member here are some tips for when sending a holiday care package to the troops.
What to Send
This all depends on who you are shipping it to. If you are sending your boyfriend or son something for the holidays it will probably be more personal. Send them their favorite movies, a “mixtape” of the latest hits back home, or a fun gift that reminds you of them. Ask them if they have a wishlist this Christmas so that you know precisely what to get them. You can also send them their favorite holiday treat or a baked goods as a little piece of home (i.e. peppermint bark , brownies).
Note: If you are sending a care package through anysoldier.com you cannot send any of your homemade goods or anything that is not factory sealed.
Pack it Right
This package is going to go through a lot of traveling so you need to make sure all your items get there intact. Use Enviro-Bubble to protect any fragile gift that you might be sending to your loved one. To add extra cushion in the box use packing peanuts; you want your the stuff in your package to be as snug as possible.
If you are sending baked goods to your significant other, be sure to pack everything airtight as possible. Everything will get squashed or crushed if not packed correctly. Try sending cake in a jar!
Address it Correctly
When sending a care package to your loved one overseas make sure you ask for their full mailing address for not only the package but also the customs form. You will receive a customs form at the post office. You cannot simply send a box addressed to “soldier at the base” so if you are sending a care package to a troop through anysolider.com follow their mailing instructions If you are confused at all about filling out the customs form don’t be afraid to ask questions at the post office. Ship your care package only through the United States Postal Service (USPS) and not through FedEx or USPS. Below are examples of how your package should be addressed.
Track the Package
After you are done sending the package, make sure to keep the receipt so that you can track the status of your package and make sure it doesn’t get lost. At one point you might see that the package has arrived at some USPS sorting station and ended there. Don’t worry! This will be the end of the tracking process only with USPS because they will then hand it over to the military for delivery. Give it another week or two before it gets to the final destination before calling about the whereabouts of your package. Or you might just wait to hear from your happy recipient once they receive the holiday goodies!
Bonus tip: If you want the holiday care package to arrive on time, pay attention to holiday shipping dates and give it at least 2 weeks to arrive to the base. With the seasonal mail frenzy, make sure to send it no later than December 8th if you want it to arrive before Christmas!
Do you have any ideas for sending a holiday care package to the troops? Let us know in the comments below!