A nativity set is a wonderful Christmas gift for any missionary. It works as a decoration, but reminds the viewer that Christ is the center of Christmas — something very important to remember, even though we may ship lots of fun or silly things to our missionary during the Christmas season. There are many simple nativity sets, without breakable parts. My sister and I found an inexpensive set at Walmart (not the classiest place, but undoubtedly useful), pictured here. The figurines look like ceramic, but they are of a sturdier material, and are fastened to the wooden frame of the stable. This is perfect, because not only will my brother not have to set up lots of pieces, but nothing will be damaged during shipping — at least not the figurines. I have wrapped this already, but am going to ask that it be wrapped in bubble-wrap before it goes in the shipping box. I’m sure you could even find smaller sets if you looked around a little bit.
There are so many inexpensive decorations you can ship to your missionary this time of year. My sister and I found these window stickers — kind of silly, I know, but still festive and fun!
Colored or White -- You Choose!
I picked up a set of Christmas lights at Walmart for $2.00, and the extension cord was less than a dollar. This is a very inexpensive idea, which will spread a lot of cheer! I included the ruler in the photo that I took, so that viewers can get an idea of size. There were several different color options, and each box is lightweight. You could send more than one, if you like.
It seems like it’s always harder to think of presents to ship to missionaries serving in warmer climates.
My sister and I searched hard to find things for our brother (who is leaving for Honduras today). One of our ideas was a lightweight, battery-operated fan. I know that when I lived in the Dominican Republic, it was so nice to have a little breeze when trying to fall asleep — the rooms were usually sweltering. When I asked my husband if a fan would have been nice in Brazil, where he served his mission he said he would have loved it, and added that the smaller hand-fans work out very nicely, too. This is a picture of the fan we bought for my brother. I included the batteries in the photo to show the size of the fan (they are D batteries), but my sister and I decided not to send them — way too heavy! You be the judge.
Courtesy Danilo Alfaro
Nothing says Autumn like freshly-baked cornbread, drizzled with honey. Delicious! And while I’m sure our grandmothers made this treat from scratch, our generation can cheat a little with store-bought mixes. My personal favorite is Marie Calendar’s — just add water. This is a fun treat to send to your missionary when the weather gets a little chilly. Just be careful: though some box mixes are light (like Jiffy), others may be more expensive to ship. You be the judge. And don’t forget a little bottle of honey — carefully sealed, and non-breakable, of course.
Fleece blankets are very easy to make–
–there is absolutely NO sewing involved!
What’s more, you can pick any pattern you like from your local fabric store. Fleece is usually inexpensive, but depending on the size of the blanket, it may get
expensive to ship, so think twice before mailing your missionary a new comforter for his king-size bed. Best to keep the size modest, but still warm.
In case you’ve never made a fleece blanket, I found step-by-step instructions at the following blog:
http://abigcupoftea.blogspot.com/2008/09/cozy-tie-fleece-blanket.html
The Postal System is coming out with new 44-cent stamps. I just found this really fun design: the Thanksgiving Day Parade!
You can order them online by clicking on the following link:
Who doesn't love the look of Fall?
This is a fun and simple craft that is sure to add autumn festivity to your missionary’s day. I found this craft, and detailed instructions, on the following website:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4610766_silk-leaves-that-seem-fall.html
Basically, the effect is achieved by sewing silk leaves together with thread, and then dangling them from the top of a window. Step inside any craft store, and you will easily find the ingredients you need. Include tape, or better yet, hooks (like the Command brand) so your missionary can hang these beautiful decorations.
Do-it-yourself
For messages accompanying packages, or for everyday letters to your missionary, homemade stationary is a simple, inexpensive way to keep things fun. Check out the “Stationery Printables” section of this site for a few designs I put together, or do an image search on google to find a design you really love.
Candy-grams are so fun, but unfortunately, shipping a large, stiff posterboard to your missionary isn’t usually an option. By changing a few things, however, this present becomes possible again.
Last year, a family member and I made candy-grams for our cousins serving in Montreal and Romania. Here’s how we were able to ship them:
Instead of putting the candy on a posterboard, use fabric. Go to your local craft store and get a yard or so of Halloween-themed material, and then attach the candy with a hot glue gun. Use a permanent marker to write out the message on the fabric. Our missionaries loved these!
This project is very fun, but can become expensive to ship, so use discretion when planning for length and amount of candy used.
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