Check out theses cuties from Veronica over at Life in the Thrifty Lane:

Valentine matchboxes! Check out her blog for full instructions. You could easily make several of these boxes and turn it into a Valentine countdown. Label the boxes with numbers and have the missionary open one each day until Valentine’s Day. Matchboxes are pretty small, but with a little creativity, you can find tiny treasures to tuck inside each one. A clipping of a photo? A handwritten note? A scripture? Mini candies? Confetti? The possibilities are tiny, but endless.

If you’re looking for a more personal gift for your missionary, check out Lily Gene on Etsy.  She does these cute prints of special places, and can even add little details like a postage ink-stamp of a particularly important date.  It’s all totally customizable!   With all the options she offers, there are several fun things you could do.  Either send the missionary a map of the country or state where he’s serving (what a great idea for a farewell or homecoming gift!), or send a print of his home state / country.  Lily Gene also has a “someone in _____ loves you” custom postcard and other ideas.  Lily Gene was featured in this month’s InStyle, so check out the shop before things get backed up! I can’t stop thinking about what a cute idea this is, not only for missionaries, but anyone!

Do I even need to convince you? How cute is this craft? And so simple! My one reservation would be using chocolate (see the Reese’s peanut butter cup earbuds?), but I’m sure it could be easily substituted for something that won’t melt, like starburst. Yes, the shape will be a little different, but it will translate. I first saw this featured on KellyAndNate, then found the original (with instructions) on FamilyFun.

February is a big month for those sending care packages to missionaries, and there is one reason for that!  Valentine’s Day is a holiday with a wonderful and easy theme, perfect for getting the creative juices flowing.  But if you’re feeling stuck on inspiration, or want to do something different, try out some of the ideas posted on this site.  For a full list of Valentine-related posts, click here:  Valentine’s Day Missionary Ideas.  I’ll post traditional ideas, plus a few new trends.  Check back often to see what’s new!

This idea is pretty fun — an egg shaper!  You place it on your frying pan or skillet, and pour the egg into the middle.  It also works for pancakes.  This seems like it would be pretty easy and inexpensive to mail. What a fun way to do something creative for Valentine’s Day!  Find out more about this product, or order now, by clicking here.

When Reed was on his mission, one of the more creative presents I sent him was a homemade crossword puzzle. I even found it when I was organizing his mission memory box — he’s kept it all these years! There are several websites that make creating a custom crossword puzzle very easy. I filled the crossword I sent Reed with inside jokes that we had, but you could utilize scriptures of conference quotes, or things from Preach My Gospel if you’d prefer. Try out the discovery education website to start your crossword puzzle now.