Category: Family

We Salute You on the National Day of the Deployed

Observe the Day by Sending a Military Care Package

On October 26, the military acknowledges the National Day of the Deployed, a day to thank all military serving outside the U.S., and their families who hold down the fort back home.

Soldiers don’t get to choose their deployment locations or durations. They sacrifice their own freedoms as they work to defend the United States and its allies overseas – which is why we think deployed troops are pretty deserving of recognition on this day, and all the rest.

How the Day Got Its Start

The first National Day of the Deployed was acknowledged in 2006. Shelle Michaels Aberle approached John Hoeven, governor of her state of North Dakota, to request a proclamation for a day to honor the military members actively serving outside the confines of the country. Hoeven thought it was a great idea, so he issued a formal proclamation to declare October 26 as National Day of the Deployed. The date is special; it was the birthday of Aberle’s cousin, who was actively serving in Iraq when the idea came to her.

In 2011, Hoeven was elected a state senator and sponsored a resolution to designate the day across the country. The resolution passed unanimously, and today, all 50 states observe the holiday. Although it isn’t a federal holiday, in which banks and schools close, it is still an important one to us at My Hero Crate. Why? It’s literally our job to make sure America’s troops get the thanks they deserve!

How You Can Celebrate

The National Day of the Deployed is more of a symbolic holiday than one that calls for elaborate celebration and camaraderie – although if you want to celebrate it like that, we’d love to be invited! Simpler ways you can join in on acknowledging the importance of the day include:

-Posting on social media, thanking our deployed troops for their service, and explaining the importance of the day. If you have a loved one who is deployed, include their photo in your post so your friends and followers can put a face to the day. This will help create an emotional connection, which may encourage others to celebrate the day, too, even if they don’t know anyone currently deployed.

-Volunteer with an organization that benefits deployed soldiers. There’s always something you can do to brighten the days of our soldiers working and living abroad. Some nonprofit agencies assemble care packages to send to deployed troops, while others organize letter-writing campaigns to send them well-wishes. If either of these sound like fun to you, do a bit of quick internet research to find an organization near you.

Send your deployed military hero a care package or two. They can keep the treats for themselves, or share with the rest of their unit. Because shipping from My Hero Crate is always free to DPO, FPO, and APO addresses, even those overseas, it’s an affordable way to connect with your loved ones without having to find the contents of a snack box or gift box on your own. Also, all our snacks are from American distributors, and we’re an American company, based in Ohio. Our dedication to our country is obvious – and we want to help you celebrate your favorite hero.

How to Order a Military Care Package

My Hero Crate makes it easy to send a gift to your deployed soldier overseas. Follow these simple steps:

1. Visit MyHeroCrate.com. Click “Shop” in the top menu.

2. Choose the care package you think your deployed soldier will love the most. We even have snack boxes for special dietary needs, and gift boxes designed to inspire relaxation in our deployed heroes.

3. Once you find the package you like, select whether you’d like to send a one-time gift, or keep ‘em coming month after month by subscribing. Your soldier will get a brand-new snack box, thanks to AutoPay, so you never have to remember to schedule a delivery.

4. Check out! Just like you’d check out on any website, My Hero Crate makes it easy to pay, and to tell us exactly where to send your special gift. You can even include a custom gift message to send well-wishes to your love done.

It really is as easy as that! Start shopping today, so your gift arrives by the National Day of the Deployed on October 26.

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for accuracy. It was originally published on October 21, 2020.

Celebrating a Deployed Soldier’s Birthday

Be Discreet, or Go All Out!

At any stage in a military member’s career, hearing from loved ones at home is comforting and motivating. But when it comes to their birthday, things can get a little more complicated depending on where they are and what they’re doing.

To simplify your decision-making about what to do for your soldier’s or recruit’s birthday, My Hero Crate is here to give you some great ideas.



Birthdays at Boot Camp

Most recruits are pretty young — fresh out of high school, or even college-age — although, of course, there are plenty that are a little older, too. Birthdays are still pretty special to them, especially as they reach landmark years: leaving their teens, or turning 21.

If your recruit’s birthday falls during their time away at boot camp, we have some bad news. Boot camp is actually not the best time to send your recruit a military care package, let alone a birthday gift. There’s a reason recruits are instructed to not bring much with them to basic combat training, and that’s because whichever branch they’ve enlisted in, be it Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard, they provide what they need to get through.

However, that isn’t to say you shouldn’t acknowledge your recruit’s birthday. Instead of a soldier care package, consider sending a heartfelt letter through the mail. Reflect on previous celebrations, talk about how proud you are of them for joining the military, and wish them happy birthday in a way that won’t bring the ire of their drill sergeant down upon them. The one thing you definitely don’t want during boot camp is special attention!

 

Birthdays After Basic Training

When your recruit graduates to soldier and their birthday comes around, finding creative ways to celebrate or send a gift to a military base is totally OK!

Some people prefer to keep it simple and follow the boot camp rules for celebrating birthdays. But if your soldier really loves their birthday, you might want to send a special Army care package, or build your own Navy gift box — or whatever branch they’re in — to send to your soldier.

If you want to keep it simple, My Hero Crate can take care of the packaging and shipping for you. Just select what type of care package you’d like to send, and your hero will receive their military care package directly from us.

If you prefer to create your own, know you will need to carefully package the contents to prevent them from being crushed, especially if you’re including anything fragile (like certain snacks). A popular item to receive is the famous cake-in-a-jar, which is a personal-sized cake baked directly inside a canning jar. Other ideas include necessities like underwear or sunblock; snacks, like chips, nuts, jerky, trail mix, or drink mixes in single-serving packages; simple games like cards or puzzle books (but not jigsaw puzzles); stationery supplies without stamps; and photos and special notes.

 

Birthdays During Deployment

It’s hard enough to be deployed to another part of the world, let alone when you’re deployed on your birthday. Just as you might send your soldier a birthday gift when they’re stateside, you also can send them a gift while they’re deployed for the domestic cost of shipping.

The United States Postal Service offers a reduced rate for military mail. You need only pay domestic postage on anything going to an APO or FPO address, as long as you have the APO/FPO/DPO and the zip code. Double-check with your soldier that you’ve written their mailing address down correctly before shipping a gift to them.

If assembling overseas-quality sturdy packaging and securing shipping just isn’t your forte, but you still want to send something special, My Hero Crate can take care of you in this situation, too! Our soldier care packages ship free 100% of the time. You’re already paying the emotional toll of having a loved one in the military; you don’t need to be nickel-and-dimed for postage, too.

 

Shop Now at My Hero Crate

Ready to send a care package and let us handle everything for you? Perfect! We’re ready to do it! Start by browsing our selection of care packages. You can even choose to sign your soldier up for a care package subscription service, and we’ll send a gift box every month!

When you place the gift box order with us, you’ll include your billing address, and your soldier’s shipping address. Then, we’ll take care of the rest. The next thing you know, you’ll get a phone call or letter thanking you for the care package full of snacks and sweet treats.

 

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for accuracy. It was originally published on May 5, 2020.

How to Celebrate July 4th While Deployed

Start Dropping Hints to Your Family to Send a Military Care Package from My Hero Crate

Independence Day is the penultimate American holiday and celebration of our freedoms. But when you’re deployed over July 4th, you and your buddies have to find unique ways to celebrate outside the United States.

If your station doesn’t have something planned for you, like a USO show, or special meal, make it your personal mission to turn what would be an average day into an exciting one, full of all-American treats and pastimes.

Consider these ideas to kick off your brainstorm.

Make a Playlist of Patriotic Songs

You have the technology, so put it to work. Create a playlist full of classic American favorites and let them play on shuffle on July 4. Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” the iconic “Stars and Stripes Forever” march, and “America the Beautiful” are three tunes that come to mind.

Not sure which songs to include? Gather a few buddies to build out the playlist. Their input could help you put together the soundtrack to a memorable Independence Day.

Play a Pick-up Game of Your Favorite American Sport

There’s nothing more American than football or baseball. Pay tribute to the United States with an exciting game of two-hand touch football or go six innings of baseball with your unit.

Pick team captains to select their teams, map out your playing field, and recruit someone to serve as the umpire or referee. Assemble a trophy out of odds and ends and present it to the winning team during an elaborate ceremony at the end of the game.

Host a Patriotic Open Mic Night

While you might not have a microphone on hand, gather your unit and ask people to share their favorite song or poem, or put together skits to celebrate July 4.

Recite the preamble to the Constitution. Play acoustic guitar and have everyone sing along to American music hits. When everyone is involved, no one ends up in the spotlight, and you can all share a beautiful holiday together.

Reminisce

If you are unable to help put together an activity to celebrate Independence Day while deployed, take a moment during down time to ask your buddies about their favorite July 4th memories. Maybe they used to attend a fireworks show with their family, or the aunt always brought a tasty potato salad to the cookout.

Sharing these memories can help you feel closer to your loved ones when they’re so far away.

Write a Letter

If you’re going to be away from your loved ones over July 4th, sit down to write a letter to them and mail it in advance of the holiday. In your letter, describe your plans for the day, or talk about times you’ll always remember from past Independence Day celebrations.

If you have kids, send them a drawing for once. Sketch out your family spending time together for the holiday, complete with fireworks, BBQ, and hugs. Your artwork will become something they treasure until they get to see you again.

Share Your Military Care Package

Did your family send you an armed forces monthly care package for July? Share your spoils with a few friends to make the day special. Sit down for a board game, munch on tasty snacks together, and generally spread joy. 

We Deliver Monthly Military Care Packages Around the World!

If you’re a lucky military member who gets hero care packages from My Hero Crate, or if you’re the thoughtful family member who sends them, then take the opportunity to spread the word about us to other families with soldiers and other military members who are deployed around the world.

Standard shipping is always free to APO, DPO, and FPO mailing addresses, and we make sure our monthly subscription boxes contain new and unique items to help pass the time and enrich the days. It’s like sending your love in our signature green box. 

Share this link with other loved ones in the military to help them spread joy with conveniently pre-packaged gift boxes for their heroes.

Five Reasons Our New Spicy Snack Box is the Perfect Father’s Day Gift

Salute Your Military Dad with One of Our Gift Ideas for Service Members

Our newest snack box is forged in fire and will make your dad sweat bullets this Father’s Day! Spice up gift-giving for your Army, Navy, or Air Force dad with our Spicy Snack Box, now available at My Hero Crate!

All of dad’s favorite snacks are in this fire-breathing military care package, including Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Taki’s Fuego, Lay’s Flamin’ Hot, Spicy Doritos, Planter’s Heat Peanuts, two bottles of Pepper Nectar Hot Sauce, and more. A total of 17 items will set your dad’s mouth ablaze — while My Hero Crate makes Father’s Day gift ideas no sweat! 

Here are five really great reasons our new Spicy Snack Box is the perfect Father’s Day gift!

The price of our Spicy Snack Box includes shipping.

Have you ever put tons of items in your cart on a small-business website only to realize that you’re being asked to pay a prohibitively-expensive shipping fee? That’s not the case at My Hero Crate. The prices of each of our military gift boxes include standard shipping, even to FPO, DPO, and APO addresses worldwide.

When you add our Spicy Snack Box to your cart, you know exactly how much your dad’s gift will cost you — and really, he’s worth it! 

The flavors in our new snack box are WILD!

You could give a bland gift this Father’s Day, like yet another tie or a #1 Dad coffee mug. Or, you could give a gift with some flavor and pizzazz. Our Spicy Snack Box has both, and comes packaged in our signature camo gift box, which is perfect on its own, or you can add your own wrapping paper. 

It’s a Father’s Day gift like none other.

We’re betting your dad has never received a box of impossibly spicy snacks as a Father’s Day gift before. In fact, we’d wager that he doesn’t know any other dads in his military unit who have received such a gift, either!

My Hero Crate specializes in unique gift ideas and simple gift-giving for military members, and our new Spicy Snack Box is no exception. Dad not into spicy stuff? Choose from our selection of other great Father’s Day gift ideas instead, like our Men’s R&R Gift Box or our Movie Night Snack Box

Our military snack boxes are useful and usable.

Sure, you could send Dad a gift during deployment that he has to haul around or set aside for safekeeping among his personal effects. Here’s hoping he has room! Or, you could send your dad a consumable gift that he’ll love and can share with his colleagues at his duty station. Our snack boxes, especially our Spicy Snack Box, are like that!

Your military dad’s gift is fully edible, meaning there’s nothing left to carry home at the end of deployment, and he can use it to make friends and bolster his meals, too.

Our snack boxes also are perfect for the dad who has everything. You’re never sure what to get him because he definitely already owns anything you’ve ever thought of to get him as a gift. Well, he may have eaten spicy snacks before, but no one can say no to more taste-bud blazin’ treats!

For every Spicy Snack Box you buy for your dad, we’ll donate to a veteran-backed non-profit organization.

Part of our mission at My Hero Crate is to make people smile and feel loved and happy. One way we do that is by donating a portion of the proceeds for every military care package we sell to a veteran organization. It’s our way of giving back to important people who protect our freedoms.

Send a Father’s Day Gift from My Hero Crate

Show dad how much you love him, whether he’s at home or deployed, by sending him our Spicy Snack Box. It’s easy to place your order. Just tell us where to send it — anywhere in the world — and we’ll make sure he gets it by Father’s Day. 

Easter Abroad

A Life On The Road

It can be hard to be a service member’s kid. Your parent works long hours and gets sent away for weeks and years at a time. They’re often sent to dangerous parts of the world to do a dangerous job. You can either be scared for their safety, or too young to understand the danger their in. Even if none of that happens by some chance, you still have to deal with constantly moving.

Living Overseas

Most military kids get used to moving relatively quickly, even if leaving a friend or beloved location can be heartbreaking. What is harder to adjust to is when you are stationed with your family overseas. I don’t just mean emotionally difficult. Learning about a new culture can be emotionally rewarding to many kids. However, adapting to a new culture is tiring to even the most enthusiastic child. This is especially true during holidays.

Holidays In Other Countries

No country does Easter quite like the US. Although parts of Europe certainly have their version of the holiday that they celebrate fairly enthusiastically, the way they celebrate is markedly different. Being closer to the Vatican and historical Christianity, Easter aligns more with Catholic tradition in Europe. That doesn’t necessarily mean the holiday is overtly religious, so much as the dates, parades, and celebrations incorporate more from Lent, Palm Sunday, Black Friday, and the Pentecost. Also, it shouldn’t be controversial to point out that no one does decadence and gifting quite like the United States. America does Easter big, loud, expensive, flashy, and above all else filled with chocolate.

Homesick

If there is one thing that makes a child homesick, it’s when something they expect to be extravagant is toned down by a new culture. April is the month of the military child, and also a month where many military children are dealing with a nasty case of homesickness. If there is a military child in your life, making sure the Easter Bunny visits is the best way to help them combat homesickness. My Hero Crate offers an Easter Basket loaded with all of the holiday favorites children in the United States have learned to love. Give them all the eggs, chocolates, bunnies, and activities that makes Easter such a special holiday for so many of our hero’s children!

Happy Veterans Day!

Here are some ways to observe Veterans Day! 

November 11th is Veterans Day! There are many different ways to observe and celebrate Veterans Day. It only takes a few minutes out of the day to give thanks to military veterans both past and present so here are just a few ways to show your gratitude! 

 

In the Workplace

1. Hanging posters or flags- putting up posters and American flags around the office can be a great way to remind coworkers and employees how important this holiday is for so many. 

2. Hold a meal- hosting a workplace meal can be a great way to show support for military family members and veterans that are a part of your organization. Getting people together for a meal and discussing the importance of the holiday can also be a great educational tool for those who may not have personal experience with the military. 

3. Organize a moment of silence- adding a point in the day to have a moment of silence for veterans and other military members can help remind people in the workplace how important this holiday is for so many. 

 

In the Community

1. Donate food and clothes to veterans charities- help show your gratitude for those who have served as military members by donating to various veterans charities. Many of these charities will take canned/boxed food donations, clothing donations, and monetary donations. 

2. Attend a Veterans Day celebration- most communities and towns will host a celebration of some sort to commemorate veterans and their families. Attending these celebrations is a great way to connect with your personal community of veterans as well as show them gratitude for their service. 

3. Send a care package- creating or sending a care package to servicemembers overseas is a great way to show your appreciation for their service. We have plenty of gift sets and care packages available for you to send!

 

In the Household

1. Take the family to a VA Hospital- teaching your family about the importance of Veterans Day can be a highlight of the holiday. Taking the family to visit a VA hospital can be an incredibly educational experience for everyone and there will be plenty of helpful people willing to give out information. 

2. Fly the flag appropriately- there is a proper way to display the U.S. flag. Researching how to display it and going through the process together can be a great way for your household to show military support. 

3. Participate in the VA’s #BeThere campaign- this campaign was created as a way to remind military members and veterans that their community is there for them. If you know a veteran, be sure to do something kind for them on this day. You can make it a family affair by baking a treat for them or creating a card and delivering it all together. 

 

Veterans Day is a holiday dedicated to showing our veterans and military members just how grateful we are for their service. Send them a care package with us to show your gratitude! We have many different offers available, so check some out here

Volunteer Opportunities to Help Military Members

Plus, Say Thanks with an Armed Forces Care Package from My Hero Crate

You’ve seen military members make big sacrifices to our country, and you want to return the favor.

As a civilian with loved ones in the military, you probably already know of lots of opportunities locally to help out.

But if you don’t know anyone who could guide you to volunteer opportunities, then you might want to consider My Hero Crates five favorite ways to volunteer. Each requires a varying amount of resources and time, so you’re sure to find one that works for you.

 

Volunteer at VA Hospitals

Just like you’d see “candy stripers” at civilian hospitals, VA hospitals utilize volunteers. Hospital volunteers perform many tasks to help support medical staff and patients.

As a VA hospital volunteer, you might be asked to answer phone calls, direct visitors to the right hospital area, restock supplies, or deliver gifts to military patient rooms. You may even be asked to visit with hospitalized patients to keep them company. The ultimate goal is to free up time for medical staff to focus on providing patient care. 

 

Build Houses for Returning Disabled Troops

Homes for Our Troops is a nonprofit organization that builds houses for disabled servicepeople who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. They also adapt existing homes to accommodate those who served.

You can donate money or land, or help to build these homes if you have experience as a contractor, builder, or in other relevant trades.


Participate in a Letter-Writing Campaign

Operation Gratitude runs a letter-writing campaign in which anyone can write letters or short notes or send greeting cards to veterans and active military members to thank them for their service and connect with them.

It’s an especially wonderful opportunity if you have limited time or transportation resources, since you can participate from the comfort of your own home. And who doesn’t love receiving mail? At My Hero Crate, we know it better than most!

 

Employ Veterans in Your Business

Although not technically a volunteer opportunity, if you run your own business, you can become an employment partner with Hire Heroes USA to do your part.

Employment partners help veterans get jobs in their businesses after they receive job training. And if you, too, are a veteran, you can help provide that job training, assist with mock interviews, or provide career counseling to other veterans, using your experience working in your business.

 

Volunteer with the USO

Short for United Service Organization, the USO is vital in providing active service members through entertainment, military care packages, and transitional services.

When you volunteer with USO, you could do things like help organize special events, greet returning military members at homecomings, work the front desk at USO offices, and more. If you have special skills, the USO will find a place for you to help out locally.

 

Send a Military Care Package Today

Opportunities to volunteer to benefit our military members are numerous. 

But If you want to do something nice for your own loved one in the military, or you want to be sure your favorite veteran directly benefits from your actions, consider sending them a military care package from My Hero Crate.


Shop our full selection of snack boxes, holiday gifts, and themed care packages today, or subscribe to send a monthly gift to your loved one in the armed forces.

 

What is the Difference Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?

They Both Honor Military Members, But for Different Reasons

There are so many American holidays centered around patriotism and ways to thank military members for their service. Two of these days, Memorial Day and Veterans Day, are often easily confused or misunderstood altogether.

Both are Federal holidays. Both honor the military. But they’re actually quite different. You’ll want to understand the nuances of both before wishing your military hero a “Happy Memorial Day” or “Happy Veterans Day,” interchangeably. 

Memorial Day – the Last Monday in May – Honors Those Who Died During Their Military Service

Memorial Day got its start just after the Civil War, when people would leave floral arrangements on the graves of fallen soldiers. In 1866, Waterloo, New York, made this a formal ritual called “Decoration Day,”  because of its focus on decorating graves of soldiers.

In 1868, the first ever National Decoration Day took place at Arlington National Cemetery. By the late 1800s, people across the country were acknowledging the day. The holiday was renamed Memorial Day, because it is a day in memory of fallen military service members.

You can, of course, celebrate Memorial Day any way that you’d like, but it’s best to use the day to pay respects to our country’s heroes who lost their lives during their service. It may not be the best idea to give gifts for veterans or living military members on this day, however, as it is meant to honor past heroes.

Veterans Day – on November 11 – Honors All Military Members

Veterans Day is another Federal holiday focused on military members. Unlike Memorial Day, though, Veterans Day is a day to celebrate and be thankful for anyone who has served in the U.S. military. 

First observed in 1919 as Armistice Day – the first anniversary of the end of World War I – Congress made it a Federal holiday in 1938. President Eisenhower changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day in 1954.

Veterans Day is the best holiday to send a gift for military members and veterans to thank them for their service. 

Gifts for Veterans and Military Members

To help your loved one celebrate Veterans Day, send them a military care package from My Hero Crate! Our one-time snack boxes or monthly subscription boxes are ideal gifts to bring good cheer and motivation to your loved one serving away from home. 

They’re also great gifts for veterans, who will remember the happiness and contentment they felt when they received care packages from home while they were deployed.

Order your military member gifts from My Hero Crate, and get free shipping anywhere in the U.S., and to any APO, FPO, or DPO mail box in the world. Best of all, we’ll make a donation to a non-profit, veteran-backed organization for each care package purchased!

Shop today to find the perfect military gift box for your hero, or sign them up for a monthly subscription box for armed forces members. 

May is Military Spouse Appreciation Month

Thank Them For Their Strength and Ability to Overcome Challenges with a Care Package from My Hero Crate

Military spouses are heroes in their own right. They hold down the household and take care of the children and pets while their military member loved ones are away. They move from location-to-location each time duty stations change, readjusting to life and meeting new friends out of necessity. And they endlessly support their enlisted spouses.

So it makes sense that the U.S. would dedicate a month to appreciating military spouses – affectionately called MilSpouses. How will you thank yours for all that they do? Here are a few ideas for celebrating!

A Day of Pampering

Anybody, and we mean anybody, would love a day at the spa to get a massage and pedicure. A massage will help your milspouse relax, but it also is really good for helping to heal body aches and pains. A pedicure doesn’t have to include colorful nail polish. It can be a rejuvenating experience and an opportunity to remove dry, callous build up and get a professional toenail trim. 

 

If a visit to the spa isn’t in the cards, order them a Women’s Relaxation Gift Set or Men’s R&R Gift Box from My Hero Crate.

 

Household Chore Takeover

If your MilSpouse spends their spare time keeping your home in top shape, give them a few days off from it by taking over the cleaning routine. Sweep, mop, dust, and scrub your heart out, while they put their feet up and enjoy their favorite television show. Or, save up spare change throughout the year to spring for a maid service for one month!

A break from keeping house provides the perfect time to enjoy a Mom’s Luxury Gift Set from My Hero Crate.

Chef for a Night

Don your “Kiss the Cook” apron and cook a special meal for your MilSpouse. Don’t forget to include an appetizer – perhaps a small charcuterie board to share – and a tasty dessert for later in the evening.

Supplement your charcuterie board or cheese board with some delicious crackers found in one of our signature military snack boxes. If you’ve received one as a gift, then you already have it in your house, ready for building out the perfect antipasto! 

Military Care Packages for Military Spouses

Sending your love goes both ways! If your spouse sent you care packages while you were deployed or temporarily away from your duty station, then you know how meaningful it was to receive such a gift that you could share with your friends and use as a reminder that someone back home loves you very much.

Return the favor by sending a gift box from My Hero Crate to your MilSpouse – even if you’re together at home. Receiving an unexpected gift in the mail will render them speechless and so, so thankful for how thoughtful you are.

Browse our full selection of military snack boxes or care package gift sets.

Handling Military-Related Homesickness

Send an Armed Forces Care Package to Help Cure Your Hero

Military members, their spouses, and their children all end up dealing with feelings of homesickness at some point. Moving from duty station to duty station, traveling for deployment, or simply being assigned to a base far from home or loved ones sparks this sense of loss and distance.

After you’ve been tied to the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps after a while, you learn how to keep homesickness and its related emotions at bay, until they go away. How you cope with homesickness is dependent upon who you are and your situation — and everyone is different. The feeling is totally normal, and your strategy for dealing with it should be creative and a perfect fit for you. Here are a few methods you can use to help quell the homesick blues.

Meet New People Near You

Building friendships and a support system — even a small one — where you live can help you feel less homesick. This includes if you’re a military spouse, in basic training, or are a deployed military member. Bonding with your unit or other military spouses means you will eventually have plenty of activities to take your mind off the distance between you and where you’re from.

You can meet new friends by attending social events for military members and their families, for starters. Base facilities like the gym can also be a great place to meet people. If you have children and you take them to play on the playground, you may even find like-minded parents looking for friends, too. 

Just remember: you aren’t the only one far from home. Others will be looking to make friends with you, so half the work is already done for you! 

Take Leave If You Can

Enlisted military personnel can take leave, if permissible, to visit family members and enjoy a break from work. You can take a short vacation with your family, or spend time at home doing absolutely nothing.

If you take leave to see your family back home, be sure to let everyone know when you’re coming, so you can plan your visits accordingly. You don’t want to use up your leave time only to find out that beloved family members were out of town when you came to see them.

Call, Write, and Send Military Care Packages

While meeting new people can distract you from your feelings of homesickness, it’s OK to think about who’s back home waiting for you. That’s why it’s important to stay connected with those folks who are far away.

Writing letters and making phone calls when possible are two easy ways you can stay in touch with friends and family members you left in your hometown, or back in the States while you’re deployed. You don’t have to have anything specific to talk about; just have a conversation and enjoy hearing each other’s voices.

Writing letters also gives you and your loved ones something to hold onto to get through bouts of homesickness. You can always reread letters when you’re missing your spouse, children, parents, or friends. It’s much harder to replay a phone call.

If your enlisted loved one is sent far from home, sending a care package is a wonderful way not only to show that you care, but also to make sure your hero has everything they need or want. Simple care packages full of snacks or a monthly military subscription box can mean the difference between having a crummy day and having the best day while enlisted so far. My Hero Crate makes it easy to send armed forces care packages; shipping is always free to DPO, FPO, and APO mailing addresses, too. 

Find a New Hobby

Filling your time with something that interests you is a prime way to deal with homesickness. If you’re having fun doing a new activity, you won’t be distracted by how homesick you feel. Eventually, that gnawing feeling will ease up or go away.

If you aren’t sure what hobbies interest you, do a quick internet search for ideas, or talk to people you know about what they like to do in their spare time. Painting, knitting, running, woodworking, or board games all help you pass the time and keep you feeling happy.

We’re More than Military Care Package Experts

At My Hero Crate, we know a thing or two about curating, assembling, and shipping really awesome care packages that you can send to your loved ones. But we also think we give really great advice! For more ideas for issues you face while living on base, while your loved one is deployed, and more, be sure to check out the rest of our blog.

And when you need to send the perfect gift for someone in the military, we’ve got your back!  Browse our full selection of Marine Corps, Army, Navy, or Air Force care packages on our website.

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