Gift baskets are the perfect gift for just about anyone and for just about any occasion and the men and women serving in our armed forces love receiving gift baskets from home. Being remember on their birthday, an anniversary, Mothers' Day or Fathers' Day or just because is as important to the person in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or National Guard deployed or stationed some where in the U.S. as it is to anyone who is away from home.
The gift basket you choose to send to someone actively serving in the military may differ greatly from one you might otherwise choose for them. For example, sending a large box of assorted chocolates to someone stationed in the desert, may not be such a good idea. A better choice would be a bag of hard candies like peppermint or butterscotch. A two pound bag of assorted hard candies is not only a sweet treat but it can be shared.
Foods that can be prepared with little effort are also appreciated. Instant oatmeal, little boxes of cereal, Raman noodles, and powdered drink mixes are good choices. I suggest that packages of items like instant oatmeal be taken out of their boxes and placed in your gift basket individually. The extra packaging adds weight and volume to your finished product.
How you prepare your gift basket for shipping is very important. I recommend that you do not use a basket but that you use a gift box. A basket, especially one with a handle, is more difficult to work with than a box, both in positioning the gift items and in packaging for shipping. Some gift shops carry boxes of various colors and designs that are really nice. You will want to pack the heavier gift items on the bottom of the box. Don't send anything that can be crushed like bags of chips or pretzels and bottles of liquids should also be avoided. Place the items in the box as if you were working on a jig saw puzzle. Fit them together as closely as you can without crushing them. This will minimize shifting during shipment. I can't guarantee that everything will arrive in perfect condition, but using extra care in product placement will increase the chances.
Once you have your gift box completed, place it inside a sturdy corrugated cardboard shipping box. The shipping box should be large enough so that the gift box is cushioned by an inch or two of packing material on the bottom and on all side. Then finish filling the shipping box to the top with packing material. Use good strong packaging tape to seal the shipping box, top and bottom.
Clearly print the name and address of the recipient on the box itself as well as on any forms that you need to attach.
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