Hosting A Packing Party

Create a girl’s night atmosphere while assembling care packages for your deployed spouse.

by Julie Steed

Getting together with female friends offers more than a fun escape from the demands of being a military spouse. Hosting a packing party is the perfect excuse to seek out other ladies with deployed husbands, make new friends, prepare care packages, and have some much-needed, good-for-you fun.

Step 1: Find other women with deployed spouses. Ask around your neighborhood, your unit’s spouse groups, your church, your child’s soccer game or any other location where military spouses congregate.

Step 2: Gather supplies. Pick up free flat rate boxes and customs forms at the post office for individual spouses to pack and send. Guests can personalize and mail the contents of each small package for their spouse. Also acquire a large box that can be mailed for the entire unit to share.

Step 3: Ask each person to bring items to donate to the unit care package. Choose a theme or ask individuals to bring items based on needs and requests from those who are deployed.

Step 4: Have fun. Serve refreshments, watch a movie together or play Bunko when the care packages are done. If the night is a success, make plans to get-together on a regular basis. Enjoy the benefits of friendship and strive to make the best of the time your husband is deployed.

Beat the Heat Care Package Themes

Beach Bum: sunscreen, beach towel, water pistols and misters, shorts and t-shirts.

Indoor Play: handheld games, board games, card games, poker chips, DVDs, video and computer games, books.

Snack Pack: non-perishable items, chips, crackers, popcorn and powdered drink packets.

Labor Day Party: grilling utensils, spices and rubs, paper plates, plastic utensils, napkins, red, white and blue decorations.