What to send to Afghanistan?

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  • natasha1989
    natasha1989 Posts: 28 Forumite
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    Hi everyone. My mate is in afghan at the moment due to return in august. Iv never sent parcels before because his family make sure he has everything he wants but market he's been sending me letters telling me how down and homesick he is. Id like to send a box full of stupid things to make him laugh and water pistols snap cards etc etc can I send a box wrapped in Xmas paper? My concern is it won't get to him if its not in plain brown paper. Its a long standing joke between us so I no if he sees a box wrapped in Xmas paper in June he will b well chuffed! :)
  • Stephen_Leak
    Stephen_Leak Posts: 8,762 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    edited 4 June 2012 at 6:47PM
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    skylight wrote: »
    A little unconventional, but a bullet with their name on it. <snip>

    The problem is all the other bullets that are addressed, "To whom it may concern". :)

    Anyway, here's one very useful little gadget ...

    http://www.photonlight.com/led-keychain-flashlights/photon-micro-light-1/

    ... with an ultra-voilet (UV) LED. Scorpions glow in UV light.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpion#Fluorescence

    Very useful for checking your boots before you put them on. :)
    The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in my life. :)
  • ladylouise62
    ladylouise62 Posts: 731 Forumite
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    Some silly kids sweets like popping candy and flying saucers would cheer me up.
  • Horace
    Horace Posts: 14,426 Forumite
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    natasha1989 wrote: »
    Hi everyone. My mate is in afghan at the moment due to return in august. Iv never sent parcels before because his family make sure he has everything he wants but market he's been sending me letters telling me how down and homesick he is. Id like to send a box full of stupid things to make him laugh and water pistols snap cards etc etc can I send a box wrapped in Xmas paper? My concern is it won't get to him if its not in plain brown paper. Its a long standing joke between us so I no if he sees a box wrapped in Xmas paper in June he will b well chuffed! :)

    Could you wrap some of the things inside the box in xmas paper? I think that would be a nice surprise - a seemingly plain brown paper wrapped box containing oodles of little treats wrapped in xmas paper.
  • wondercollie
    wondercollie Posts: 1,591 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
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    Husband and long time friend were in A'stan and the parcels were a challenge. You want to send things that won't fall apart but put a smile on their faces.

    We put in seasonal fleece blankets. They both got Santa ones at Christmas.

    Wet wipes, bandaids with Batman, SpongeBob, etc.

    Winegums, chewing gum

    Seasonings for their cooking.

    Novels, magazines, word puzzles.

    My guys were in the RCAF and the RCMP.

    Canada doesn't have "marines" we do have a shady bunch called JTF that do the strange stuff and some are believed to be still lurking over there.

    Basically it's the thought that counts, not the stuff. Our friend in the RCMP loved getting pencils and little note pads to leave for the school kids when he was on patrol. My husband always wanted dog treats because the handlers would go through his area every night. They had to ration the treats because the dogs learnt who had them and would get happy to see them.
  • bambammy
    bambammy Posts: 393 Forumite
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    It would depend on what camp their based at ? Camp TS, they're well looked after food wise, showers etc, Camp Bast, I always send food parcels. I personally wouldn't send a water pistol. Some will give toys to the local afghan children, and water pistols and balloons is things I defo wouldn't send. The dogs are sometimes forgotten about as well, so maybe something for the dogs.

    Each parcel I send, is a shoe box, its secured with sellotape and filled tight. So no-one shakes it to hear the contents. I never paper wrap it. The wrapped ones always had items go missing.

    B+M and poundland is great for stocking shoe box parcels to send to afghan, those 8 pack of cups tea, coffee. Sachets sugar, sauces, hot chocolate, jubbly etc etc.

    natasha1989 wrote: »
    Hi everyone. My mate is in afghan at the moment due to return in august. Iv never sent parcels before because his family make sure he has everything he wants but market he's been sending me letters telling me how down and homesick he is. Id like to send a box full of stupid things to make him laugh and water pistols snap cards etc etc can I send a box wrapped in Xmas paper? My concern is it won't get to him if its not in plain brown paper. Its a long standing joke between us so I no if he sees a box wrapped in Xmas paper in June he will b well chuffed! :)
    bam bam bammy Shore by The Revellers...do do de de do.
  • zaleska3
    zaleska3 Posts: 285 Forumite
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    Just spotted this thread and wondered if anyone could point me in the rigght direction to an organisation that accepts parcels and passes them onto the troops. I have no contacts in the forces but think this would be a lovely thing to start doing on a regular basis. My sons are aged 4 and 6 and would take great pride in sending boxes of goodies to soldiers.
    Any advice would be fab!
    Looking for a fresh start
  • gorgeousgeorge
    gorgeousgeorge Posts: 363 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    Im a member of a parcel sending group on facebook that sends out goodie boxes to our lads & lasses out on deployment ... always looking for new members to join us


    http://www.wix.com/mswg2012/mswg


    any questions... please feel free to ask

    Cheers
    Mel x :D
    "I live my dream today, I lived it yesterday and I'll be living yours tomorrow":smileyhea


    If you don't want to work, you have to work to earn enough money so that you won't have to work ;)
  • cord123
    cord123 Posts: 644 Forumite
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    It may sound silly but we sent my brother some fancy dress bits - he was out there for his 21st and christmas and on christmas day he did a fun run dressed as a fairy, tutu, wings, tiara - the lot!Sometimes, they just want letters...
    protein bars go down well (can often get these on offer in boots)
    I also wrote to redbull and they sent a massive box of stuff out to him which he loved!
    They get soooo bored out there they like to get things to pass the time... i sent him a kids magic set as well....! hilarious!


    Well done to those that send boxes out to men and women that they dont know - it is something lovely to do and I know it means such a lot to them!! xxx
  • Marg
    Marg Posts: 2,189 Forumite
    First Anniversary
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    BaobabAmy wrote: »
    Agree with the bit about depends where you are. Bastion has a shop with all toiletries, chocolate, crisps, magazines etc. It also has pretty good food. FOBS can vary - but from friends that were sent to these (I stayed in Bastion) food could be very monotonous.

    Home baking survived very well - especially fudge and flapjack. Even cakes that were well packaged. I appreciated magazines, and even the occasional newspaper. Post took from 4 days (at it's very quickest) to 10 days - add 1 week for a FOB.

    If anyone's looking for things to send to those they don't know, the hospital in Bastion is always grateful for donations of new flip-flops, shorts and t-shirts of varying sizes. This is so they can give them to soldiers that come through that have all had their clothes cut off in A&E, or ruined by whatever incident they had been involved in. Second hand dvds (including those free from newspapers) are also great for the patient library - gives the guys something to watch when they lying in bed and can't get out. The final thing the hospital were looking for were douvet covers and pillow cases (single size) for the hospital beds. They have some, but not enough when they need constant washing, and a Spiderman douvet set usually cheers the guys up too! Send to the Red Cross Welfare Office, Camp Bastion Hospital, UK JF Med Group, Op Herrick, BFPO 792

    Is this address still valid please?
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