OT: Need gift ideas for brother in military

[ErinMC]

My brother (27 and single) is difficult to shop for anyways, but here are a
few extra kinks in my Xmas shopping for this year. If anyone has suggestions,
PLEASE send them my way!

1. He's in the Navy, currently stationed in the desert (air base) in California.
So he has a tiny dorm-size room in barracks when he's there.

2. He leaves right after Christmas for a 8-9 month "cruise" (ha!)
to the Middle East, so he can take very little with him.

3. We send him care packages roughly once a month while he's
on the ship, so things like packaged food, etc don't make sense for Christmas.

4. He just left for a 2-week training stint off the coast of CA, so is unreachable
until right before Christmas, and forgot to give me ideas before he left (grr)

5. He loves his Cleveland sports teams. Last year we gave him tickets to
a Cavs game for Xmas (when he was in OH) and he loved that. Obviously won't
work this year. I thought of a sports magazine subscription but he has a
different address (APO) when he's on the ship and we won't know it until he
actually leaves - then it would have to be transferred back to his base
address next fall.

6. DS is his godchild and only niece/nephew, so I'd like to get him something
special. Last year before he went out on cruise we gave him a small photo
album of DS, and he loved it, but I regularly send him pics and I know he's
updated the album recently with the new ones.

HELP!! Thanks, if you've gotten this far.

Erin

Mom to Chase Feb. 2004
... and another coming in June :-)

[boogiemom]

Well, I had to think of something for my sister who is in the air force and that was tough too. I ended up buying her a polish puzzle box from uniqueboxshop.com. I picked one with a patriotic theme including an eagle on the front. You have to know just how to open it in order to get inside so maybe it will be a good place to keep a couple of private things.

I hope she likes it. I got one for my dad also. He used to be in the marines. It's something different anyway.


Anyway, if you decide to get something from them there is a code (BIF, I think) that will get you 10% off. I just did a search for it and that's how I found it.

Good Luck!

[bostonsmama]

My DH is in the Navy, and here's some suggestions he came up with.

What about an MP3 player, like a the iPod Nano or shuffle? When my Dh was out to sea (abord the *USS Constellation* ported out of San Diego) he loved to chill out in his bunk w/ some tunes to drown out the noise of the jets landing overhead his dorm (which was right underneath the flight deck).

Umm, nice shower shoes are appreciated (Adidas) since Athlete's Foot runs rampant in the communal showers!! Maybe combine it with some a plastic shower tote w/ soap on a rope or manly smelling body wash (Old Spice High Endurance or Lever 2000) and mesh sponge....and some aftershave.

Oh, an electric razor (like from Norelco) is great, too. Sometimes the water smells & tastes like jet fuel...or it's shut off, and during those 24 hour watches, they could use some easy way to keep up w/ the military-mandated close shave.

A portable DVD player might be fun, so he can watch (ehem!) movies in his own private time at his bunk. Then you can send some DVDs of movies he likes as part of the care packages throughout his tour.

An inexpensive digital camera might be nice so he can take his own photos and send them to you when & if he pulls into port. On the Middle East-bound cruises from the East coast they usually stop in Spain, and from the West Coast they sometimes stop in Australia and Singapore.

If you know he hasn't been supplied it yet, some "Heat Gear" by Under Armor, is great stuff that wicks moisture away from your skin and cools the surface of your skin simultaneously. In the Mid East (and hot desert climates) this is crucial to staying cool when the air conditioner just can't compete w/ 110-degree weather. My DH spent a couple months in the Arabian Gulf and he said the boat was a hot box most of the time. Anything from neck bands you can soak in water (from Brookstone) to Heat Gear underwear, tee-shirts and shorts can really make a difference.

And finally, that magazine subscription would probably really be appreciated, whether or not it's a transfer nightmare. His post office box or barracks should be pretty good at forwarding his mail to the right place.

Also, the nicest thing you could probably do is record the Super Bowl for him: commercials and all, and send it to him. He will score major points with friends...because they don't see the version with commercials like we do...it's AFN (Armed Forces Network) public service announcement...which are REALLY cheesy.

Good luck...and btw I think it's great that you really want to get him something he'll want and need.


Larissa
who's gettin in the holiday mood

"Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them." -
James Baldwin

[ErinMC]

Thank you Tani! This is a great idea. I just bought him the secret box with the Celtic knot on top. I'm so excited!

Erin

Mom to Chase Feb. 2004
... and another coming in June :-)

[ErinMC]

Wow Larissa, your DH has great ideas! Always helps to hear it from someone who's been there. :-) My bro already has the techie stuff you mentioned (iPod, laptop with DVD player, good digital camera, etc) but I'm going to put together a stocking with some of the Under Armor head bands and wrist bands (the clothes that are out at the sporting goods stores today were all the Winter Gear, with long sleeves, etc., which wouldn't work), Adidas flip-flops and an electric razor. He works ON the flight deck so I know he'll get hot out there.

I KNEW you ladies would come through for me - thanks! :-)

Erin

Mom to Chase Feb. 2004
... and another coming in June :-)