Christmas Gifts for Military Members and Their Families

If you’re in need of some gift ideas for a Military member or their family, then look no further; we’ve got the perfect gift ideas! 

Christmas shopping is a task in itself, but Christmas shopping for a Military service member might be even trickier. Specifically if you are shopping for a Military service member and their family, you might find yourself struggling to figure out what to get them this Christmas. Whether you are shopping for a Military service member that is stationed far away, a member that is stationed close by, or they are on active duty somewhere, deciding what to get them can be tricky. Luckily, we’re here to help! 

When deciding what to get the Military service member in your life and their family for Christmas, make it something personal. Your gift does not have to be something big or expensive. Whether your gift is big or small, they will love it just as much because it came from someone they love. There are tons of great gift ideas out there and they can range from being a big and extravagant gift to a simple letter in the mail. 

The important thing to remember is to choose a gift that is personal and customized to the person receiving it. We’ve put together a list of 3 gift ideas that you can put your own spin on this Christmas for any service member in your life who you want to show them that you’re thinking about them this Christmas and that you love them. So if you’re in need of some gift ideas, check out some of our favorites below! 

1. Create a Customized Gift Basket

The perfect gift for any military family stationed away 

Gift baskets are a great way to show someone you care and are thinking about them. 

If you want to find a gift for a military member who might be stationed away on a base with their family, or if they are about to move to another base, then a gift basket is a nice way to show them that you care, you’re thinking of them, and that you’re there for them and their family. Gift baskets are a great gift idea because living away from home, even if you are living with some of your loved ones, can be hard. If you know a military member who is either living by themselves on base or with their family and you know that they are missing home, then a gift basket is the perfect gift to send this Christmas. 

When thinking of a gift basket to send, a theme is a good way to start. The theme can be something minor like a housewarming gift basket, or it can be something really specific like a pasta date night for them and their spouse in their new home. Or, a theme can be something like their favorite things where you fill a basket with all of the things they and their family love. This will let them know that you are thinking of them, while also gifting a practical gift that they will use and love. 

While the gift basket that you send will depend heavily on the person or family that you are giving it to, we’ve put together a small list of ideas for gift basket themes as well as a few items that you can incorporate into each gift basket. Check out some of our suggestions below: 

Housewarming Gift Basket

One gift basket idea is a housewarming gift basket, that can be filled with some essentials to help make their space cozier and a little more lived-in. Here’s a few ideas of what to include in your gift basket to help get you started: 

• A cozy blanket that they can snuggle with this winter 
• Some scented candles for their home
• A gift card to their favorite local restaurant. Or, if you aren’t sure what local places are near them, check out this Visa gift card that can be used anywhere.
• Some snacks to help fill their pantry 

A Movie-Night-In Gift Basket 

Sometimes having a night alone together to create some memories is the perfect gift. If you like the idea of gifting a movie night that they can enjoy at home, check out some of our suggestions on what to include below:

• A RedBox gift card for them to rent their favorite movie 
• Some popcorn or other movie-watching snacks you know they’ll love
• A soft blanket to make movie-watching that much more cozy and fun
• A pizza gift card or a DoorDash gift card so they can have their favorite dinner brought right to their door

First Night in the New Home Gift Basket

If you’re buying a gift for anyone who just moved into a new home, then a gift basket to help them survive their first night there is perfect. Moving is hectic, so a gift basket with everything they need for their first night is perfect. Here’s some suggestions on what we think would be useful:

• A cheap set of plates, cups, and cutlery for their first dinner in the new house
• A Dominos Pizza gift card so they can order out to eat
• Some drinks to help celebrate the new house 
• A set of sheets and blankets
• An air mattress if their mattress isn’t there yet
• Some pillows
• A flashlight 
• Some of their favorite snacks 

2. Send Them Some Gift Cards 

Gifts that both active service members and their families will appreciate 

Gift cards make gifting easy! 

Another great gift idea for any military service member or their family this Christmas is a gift card. Gift cards are a great gift idea because not only can you gift them to the person as a gift themselves, but they are also a great gift to give before the holidays because they can use it to get some of their own Christmas shopping done. If you have a friend or family member who is stationed far away, close by, or that you just want to get a gift for this Christmas, send them a gift card! 

When deciding what gift card to get someone, consider what their interests are. The great thing about gift cards is that there are so many places to get a gift card to and the person receiving it can use it to pick out a gift that you can be sure they will love. Gift cards are a great gift on their own, or you can even add them to a gift basket to make an even more special gift. 

We’ve made a list of some of the gift cards we think would make perfect gifts this Christmas for any service member and their families. Whether you’re buying for one person or the whole family, we think they’ll love these. But before we get into the gift cards we think they’d love, let's first talk about where to get these gift cards. 

Gift Card Granny is an online gift card buying site where you can search and buy gift cards from thousands of retailers. But that’s not the best part; the best part about shopping with Gift Card Granny to buy your gift cards is that you can actually save money by earning cash back on your gift card purchase when you buy through the site. So not only will you be able to give a gift they’ll love, but you’ll also save some money too. Here’s a list of some gift cards from Gift Card Granny we think they’d love: 

Restaurant Gift Cards 

• For the person who loves soup, salad, and breadsticks, get them an Olive Garden gift card 
• A Five Guys gift card is great for anyone on the go who loves a good burger
• If you’re shopping for a seafood lover, then a Red Lobster gift card is the way to go
• A Bob Evans gift card is great for breakfast or any other meal of the day!  

Books and Entertainment Gift Cards 

• For the book lover, get them a Barnes and Noble gift card
• An XBox gift card is great for the gamer 
• Gift a fun night out with a Dave & Buster's gift card

Check out more books and entertainment gift cards from Gift Card Granny.

Grocery Gift Cards 

• For groceries and more, get them a Walmart gift card
• Gift an Uber Eats gift card to have groceries delivered right to their door 
• Help them buy in bulk with a Sam’s Club gift card  

Click here to see more grocery gift cards from Gift Card Granny.

3. Give the Gift of a Personalized Care Package 

The perfect gift created just for them 

A care package is a great way to send someone your love.

If you are looking for a Christmas gift for a Military service member who is on active duty or is stationed away from home, then a care package is the perfect thing to get them. Care packages are different from a gift basket, because care packages are completely personal and customized to the individual person receiving them. With a care package, you can show the service member in your life how much you really care and miss them.

When creating a care package, like a gift basket, you can decide to have a theme or not. However, we find the very best care packages are the ones that are filled with the person’s favorite items or things that will remind them of home. Deciding what to put in your care package will depend solely on the person receiving it, but where they are actively stationed will also play a role in what you should or can send. 

For instance, a Military member stationed on a base far from a major city won’t be able to use a gift card to a local restaurant or be able to receive Amazon packages. For instances like this, sending them things that they can enjoy themselves is a great option. Here’s a list of some possible things we think would make great additions to any care package:

• Books
• Their favorite snacks 
• Letters from family members
• Games they can play with their team
• Christmas cards 
• Pictures of loved ones from home
• Stationary and stamps so that they can write back to you
• Beef jerky 
• Gum or mints
• Shower essentials 
• Toothbrushes and other hygiene products
• A stuffed animal 
• A cozy blanket 

When trying to decide what to get a Military member or their families this Christmas, it all depends on who you are shopping for, their personal interests, and what you think they will love. Whether you want to get them something big or something small, they will love anything that is personally from you. 

Giving a gift isn’t about how much you spend on it, but how much thought you put into it. But if you find yourself struggling with ideas, use this guide to help get you started and then put your own personal twist on it! So whether you are shopping for a service member and their family that live close by, are stationed far away, or are on active duty, make their Christmas this year extra special with a gift from home that makes them think of you.