Now that Thanksgiving is done many of us turn our gaze to Christmas. It is time to work through family gift lists and prepare care packages to be sent to deployed loved ones to arrive in time for the Holidays. We put together a fun list of ideas for a Military/ tactical gear themed stocking. Giving a stocking a theme is a fun way to get ideas and could be the start of a new tradition!
An important starting point for your stocking stuffers is your stocking! Amazon has a lot of tactical and military stockings available. We personally ordered these stockings this year. They have a variety of different camoflage patterns available. They also come in green, tan, black, and hunters camoflage. They have velcro patches, clips, and lots of loop holes that are fun to personalize a stocking inside and outside! It will definitely be a showstopper and a lot of fun for the recipient.
Small “tactical” Flashlight
One can always use a flashlight. Having a small flashlight on hand small enough to hang on a keychain or stay in a pocket is useful and practical. There are a variety of sturdy, waterproof, and shatterproof flashlights that are inexpensive on Amazon. Maybe you can even get a two pack if you could use one in your own life! It is fun to get on with a clip to place on the outside of a stocking! *Remember to buy batteries if it is battery powered
Multipurpose Wallet Tool
These are small, inexpensive, and very practical. They are an excellent stocking stuffer for a tactical themed stocking and it is not “gimicky” since it will get used. There are a variety of styles available for sale; do not feel as though more expensive is better! Some of the best wallet multi tools I have seen only cost a few dollars -like this “Amazon favorite” multiool.
Caffeinated Gum
This is especially useful for the deployed loved ones working long hours. Maybe there they are a coffee drinker who does not have access to good coffee, or maybe you know someone who could use an occasional pick-me-up somewhere besides a coffee cup. We personally like “Military Energy Gum“. *Milmom tip: caffeinated gum tastes minty for the first 30 seconds while you get your caffeine fix, but then the taste fades quickly. It is not great for extended chewing.
Duke Cannon Supply Company Soaps
Duke Cannon Supply Company is a company that makes toiletries marketed at men. We like them for a few reasons: they smell good, their products have fun names, and a percentage of their profits go to Veteran’s causes. Our favorite is the smells like “Naval Supremacy” soap. That will definitely crack a smile on your uniformed loved ones.
Velcro patch
Velcro patches are a part of military life. If you live the life you know this. You likely have a patch or two hanging around your house. If you purchase a tactical style stocking with the velcro patch at the top there are a variety of fun ways you can personalize your stocking in military/tactical style. You can customize a name tape with their name on it or a simple “Mom”/”Dad”. You can also consider an American flag, a specific unit patch, or a novelty patch. There are many different styles available online.
Some other fun ideas that are not specifically military/tactical but are worth considering especially for a deployment care package are a favorite brand of hot sauce packets (you can get Cholula, Sriracha, and Tapatio and other individual packets on Amazon!). Individual packages of peanut butter, jerky, dried fruits, new boot socks, sunscreen, lipbalm, hand balm, solid shaving cream bars, shave oil, fresh razors, and of course messages and photos of loved ones at home!
Tell us: What else you would add?
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