Christmas on the USS INGRAHAM

[Matt's Mom/Cathy]

Moms are you ready to start Christmas shopping????

 

Our adoption for October is the USS Ingraham.  There are 201 sailors serving aboard this frigate -

191 males and 10 females (all officers).  As we all know it is very difficult to be away from your family during the holidays so after speaking with our contact we have decided to brighten up these sailors holidays by helping them celebrate Christmas.

 

We can send Christmas decorations such as small trees, battery powered lights and wall decorations.

I would like to see each of them receive a small stocking (6")  filled with candy or small items and a candy cane for Christmas morning in addition to our other packages.  What do you ladies think?

They requested very few things but could use sunscreen and lip balm since the weather is hot where they are deployed.  Microwavable meals would be a big hit with the crew also.  Most of them are into games, movies and sports and could use some new items to pass around.

 

The Captain is onboard with anything that will boost the morale on her ship and they are grateful for the support from home and will appreciate anything we do for them.  They enjoy seeing the smiles on the faces of the sailors when they receive mail and care packages from home.

 

Since this is a small group could we get enough of the small Priority boxes filled so that every sailor onboard would have a box to open for Christmas plus a pillowcase and a Christmas card?

 

Okay moms what fabulous ideas do you have to help the USS Ingraham celebrate Christmas this year?

 

191 Males

10 Females

 

Check in with Nancy on We Stitch Love if you can help out with the pillowcases.

Pillowcase count - females 10 DONE

                              males 191 - we have 191  DONE

Our count as of 10/13

Nancy - stocking for the Captain

Molly - stocking for our POC

Molly - 2 energy drinks for each sailor

Susan - Christmas stories

 

Small Stockings - Total needed 201

      Great job Pam we have enough stockings for everyone on board!

Pam - 200+  MAILED

 

 

Small boxes -  We need 201

                        We have 201!!!!!!!!! 

Molly - 16 plus POC stocking, energy drinks and Pop chips- mailed

Evi - 8 plus decorations  mailed

Kim - 10 plus snacks, suncscreen & lip balm  mailed

Pam (GM Mom) - 24 mailed

Nancy - 8 mailed

Chowchow - 16 plus cards mailed

Pat L - 24  mailed

Susan - 8 mailed

Julie - 8 plus cards & decorations  mailed

Laura - 12  mailed

mominPA - 8

Kat - 14 mailed

mombyheart - Homemade cards mailed

Proud Navy/NYPD - 1 female mailed

Matt's Mom - 9 female plus two boxes of decorations and a gingerbread train kit mailed

Packing Party in San Antonio - 35 mailed

Diane - 10 boxes of treats

I know several of us have bought items to ship but not sure how many small boxes it will work out to be so I will change the numbers as we pack them up.

We have several moms sending blank Christmas cards for the sailors to send to their families and several that will be sending Christmas decorations.

 

The shipping dates will be October 21 - 26 and the address is posted in MAS We Ship Love and mark the boxes "Christmas" or we could write "Don't Open Until Christmas".

[chowchow]

I to am new to this so am I understanding that we will each send out a number of packages filled with stocking and gifts wrapped and then place in large boxes.  I'm checking the messages everyday so I can get on the same page.  I am really looking forward to this it is so fun sending packages to my son's ship and to the sailors on the ship that don't get packages.  This just is so much fun.  Help me out ladies so I can do a good job.

Jeff's Mom

 

[PAM (GM MOM)]

My son left today after two weeks leave so I am ready to get back into packing for Molly's.  Already went to the dollar store today and got 60 toothbrushs and holders, playing cards, puzzle books and drink mixes.  Acorse I have my stand by stash as well so I am ready to go.  Let me know what everyone wants to do and I can do some more shopping!!!!!

[Matt's Mom/Cathy]

That sounds great Pam they will love all of it.

chowchow yes ma'am you are correct.  Small boxes filled with items packed in large box to ship.  I will keep count of how many stockings and boxes are being mailed and post in the above discussion so that everyone will know how many are being shipped.

I did not have the chance to get a measurement on the stockings today so I will put that back on my list for tomorrow.

[nancy (ian's mom & tanya's mil)]

Okay, I went back in the discussions and found in the USS Crommelin adoption where we had done the small video boxes put into the big boxes. Here is a pic of them.

[Proud Navy/NYPD Mom (Donna)]

OK, I must still be a little fuzzy, but tell me if I have this right:

1 sm box for each sailor to contain gift item, candy... (really not sure what goes in this)

1 stocking per sailor - what do we stuff in these??

1 candy cane per sailor

unused Holiday cards that they can send to their own families

Holiday decorations

Plus of course, mail and pictures from children!!

Then we can combine the small boxes into a larger one.  Now what about the stockings, candy canes, etc.  Do they go in a box labeled for "ALL"?  If we do get unused Holiday cards, how do we label that box so that the POC knows to open and distribute them well before the holidays?

Anyone who can set me on the right track - thank you very, very much!

[chowchow]

Proud Navy/NYPD Mom good questions and at the risk of sounding totally new at this when we purchase this stuff and put it together do we just ship the stuff we purchase to one person or to the ship and then wouldn't we need an address.  Again I know this is basic stuff, but please help direct me.  Thanks!

[Pat L. in IL]

chowchow, Nothing wrong with asking questions! After you do this once, you will see how easy it is! Every adoption has a POC (person of contact) who knows that everything will be shipped to them. Then the POC distributes all the "goodies." So you mail your contribution to the ship addressed to the POC. The addresses are located in the "MAS We Ship Love" room and I checked and you are a member so you have access. Clearer???? If not, send me a message! Pat

Oh yeah, every box that is mailed must be accompanied by a customs form. I can walk you through that, NOT TO WORRY!! 

[chowchow]

Thanks That was a lot of help and I think the customs form is fine as I send packages to my son often and use a custom form for that it is the same right?  Thanks again this was alot of help.

[chowchow]

Thanks Pat I figured it out and found the address.  Thanks!

[Matt's Mom/Cathy]

Proud Mom you are right on what the game plan is.  Whatever you want to put in the small box is fine.  They have a few items that they could use or would enjoy but just appreciative of anything that we send them.  In my small boxes I will probably include a movie or game maybe some playing cards, lip balm and then put the candy and candy cane in the stocking.  We can label the boxes female or all.  What do you think would be the best way to handle the cards without having to open the boxes early to pass them out? 

[MomByHeart]

How about having all cards sent to one mom who could then compile them and send them in one package to the POC and labeled so he/she knows what's in it.   Or send bunches of cards in the post office mailers instead of boxes, again lableled "cards" for the POC to distribute...

[Molly Molly Fo Folly]