I am putting together a Christmas package for my missionary son in Sweden with wrapped gifts and an attached correlating scripture inside a little gift card. If you want to do something similar, read on.
Here is What You Do:
- Decide on a few gifts in advance, but you will also have fun gathering more at the store!
- Think of light-weight items to help with shipping costs. I have to keep each box under 4 lbs. to prevent problems with customs fees.
- Search for a correlating scripture at LDS.org scripture search. Just put in a key word and use some imagination. I abbreviated the verses.
- Remove all cardboard and plastic wrap you really don’t need to help reduce weight.
- Buy several small 25 cent Christmas bags from Walgreens. They look like lunch sacks. They make excellent wrapping paper for small gifts. After you fold them shut, cut off excess paper to reduce the weight. Or you could use a roll of Christmas wrap, but I like variety.
- Weigh your items in the box. I have a postal scale, but you could use a bathroom scale. That will give you some idea of the weight before you head to the post office. You may need two boxes. To be safe, leave your box open, and tape it there. Don’t send aerosols or liquids.
- On my customs form, I am fairly general with my list of items: candy, cards, pictures, missionary supplies, clothing, etc. You don’t want to give it all away!
DECORATIONS AND GIFTS FOR OTHER
These items are on top of the gifts:
- Paper Nativity (Walmart Christmas section)
- Hanging Foil Christmas Tree (Dollar Tree)
- Paper Christmas Ball Garland (Dollar Tree)
- Temple Square Christmas ornament (for mission president and his wife, nice card)
- Several Simon Dewey’s “Divine Redeemer“ 5×7 prints to give away
- Several Mitch Johnson’s “Salt Lake Temple“ 5×7 prints to give away
- Stocking – for the smallest gifts
- Letters from family
Electric Toothbrush
Matthew 5:38
“An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”
Root Beer Float taffy & gum
(Not in small Swedish towns)
Psalms 119:103
“How sweet are thy words unto my taste!”
Swedish Fish
(Of course!)
Mark 1:17
“Come ye after me,
and I will make you to become fishers of men.”
Cinnamon Santa candy
Exodus 30:23
“Take thou also unto thee principal spices,
of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon”
Hair Pomade
Luke 21:18
“But there shall not an hair of your head perish.”
Starburst Christmas book
3 Nephi 1:21
“And it came to pass also that a new star did appear.”
Two Neckties
(one for him and one for his companion)
Proverbs 6:21
“Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.”
Reese’s Peanut Butter Fast Break
Genesis 43:11
“Carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey,
spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds”
Cocoa Drink mix
John 18:18
“Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.”
Snickerdoodles cookie mix
Genesis 21:6
“God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.”
Nature Valley Protein Bars
Mosiah 24:20
“and when they had traveled all day
they pitched their tents in a valley”
Socks
Doctrine and Covenants 84:109
“for without the feet how shall the body be able to stand?”
Superman Shirt & Superman Beanie
(says Truth & Honor)
Matthew 9:8
“they marvelled, and glorified God,
which had given such power unto men.”
D&C 115:5
“Arise and shine forth,
that thy light may be a standard for the nations”
Peanut Butter jar
(expensive in Sweden)
Song of Solomon 6:11
“I went down into the garden of nuts
to see the fruits of the valley”
12 Oreo’s
Leviticus 24:5
“And thou shalt take fine flour,
and bake twelve cakes thereof”
Peeps Marshmallow Snowmen
Job 37:6
“For he saith to the snow,
Be thou on the earth”
Song of Solomon 6:11
“I went down into the garden of nuts
to see the fruits of the valley”
12 Oreo’s
Leviticus 24:5
“And thou shalt take fine flour,
and bake twelve cakes thereof”
Peeps Marshmallow Snowmen
Job 37:6
“For he saith to the snow,
Be thou on the earth”
I hope he enjoys it!
Other Missionary Christmas Care packages posts: