Boot Camp Graduation Gift Ideas and Tips

I recently had one of my instagram followers write me and tell me her boyfriend was about to graduate Marine boot camp and she needed ideas for a good gift. Here are my suggestions.

I started dating my now husband right after he graduated Ranger school, so unfortunately I did not get to be there to congratulate/receive him. But if I had gotten to be there here are some tips I would have kept in mind when choosing a gift and what I would have done.

TIPS:

• To start, try to remember that your soldier has been at bootcamp for months, and a branch t-shirt or hat may be a little dull. I mean he's already going to have to wear the uniform for at least 75% of the time for a minimum of four years. More military inspired clothing may not be exactly what he/she will want to wear in the other 25% of the time when they can be an individual.
• Bootcamp is full of dull and limited food options. Try to get a list of all the food and snacks he is craving. Use this to your advantage when you think of things to give your significant other (S.O.).
• After bootcamp there will be lots of of training with new "badass" experiences. By this I mean that at first your S.O. will want to document everything he is doing. You know he will want to send you and his family photos or video. 
• There is nothing more meaningful than something handmade (thats just my opinion).
• Best gift seems to be spending quality time with them.

-I would bring a small gift that gives instant satisfaction to the graduation. Then I would give him my bigger more long term gift at the dinner, BBQ or whatever we do after the craziness of the actual graduation.

*There are lots of DIY tutorials online!

Small Gift:

• Candy Bouquet: This is my #1 suggestion. Go to the dollar store and buy his favorite candy and styrofoam. Glue the candy onto popsicle sticks or skewers, buy a container of your liking and stab the sticks into the styrofoam in your container. Add a bow or decorate as you please. Thats a bouquet a person from bootcamp will really love!!!

                   

Cookies: A batch of his favorite cookies (preferably handmade by you & from scratch if you have the skills or the right guidance).  I'm sure the pre made cookie dough would taste amazing too! Be creative with decorative packaging.  

• Doughnuts: If you don't want to bake something take him his favorite doughnuts (don't know his favorite? Glaze is always safe). I would suggest just 1-3 max. Be sure to wrap/decorate them nice even if you are just buying them, your container can be a hand decorated box or something. Putting some effort into the wrapping will make your purchased gift a little more meaningful.

• Basket of Snacks: If you manage to get a list of all the food/snacks they have been missing while they were gone, just create a gift basket. Arrange/decorate it nicely for that loving touch. No lie when they say "the key to a mans heart is through his stomach". This is great practice for care package making for your future deployments. 

                          

• Candy Lei: They are used in college and high school graduations, why not in military ones?! They are super easy to make and you can customize the candy you use to your S.O.'s taste.

Normal Gift:

• No Sew Fleece Blanket- Easy to make and they can get lots of use from it whether it's in the barracks, or on a road trip. I made my hubby one of these while we were dating and he loved it. We still have it today. It is an Army themed fleece, but there are lots of theme choices available. Ex. Favorite sports team, all kinds of camo, cartoon characters, etc. Pick which best suits your S.O.

• Pillow- If you have access to a sewing machine or someone that will be willing to help, make him a pillow or pillow case.  I made my hubby a small pillow that fit in his rucksack, so when he was training on the field he would easily stuff it in his pack with all of the other stuff he had to carry. A pillowcase would work just as well, maybe spray your perfume on it?.  (I had my pillow match the no sew blanket)

• Scrapbook: You can start a scrapbook with pictures of you two before he/she left, a page with a pictures of them swearing in and then some pages of their graduation. 

• Multi Tool: This is not handmade but something they will get use from in the future during field training and during random times when you need a knife, scissors, pliers, screwdriver etc. My husband loves his, but only you know your S.O. and if he would like something like that. My hubby's favorite brands are Gerber and leatherman. They are not the least expensive.

• Gift Card: I normally would steer away from something so impersonal, but maybe you can suggest this to his close friends and family. Most recruits lose a whole lot of weight during boot camp, and when they get home they find that none of their clothes fits them anymore. So gift cards to clothing stores might be something to consider giving them. Maybe just add it in the candy basket. 
• GoPro or Camera: Like I mentioned before, he will most likely want to take pictures or video. I managed to save up some money to get my hubby a go pro as a gift and he has recorded some pretty cool stuff that he will definitely treasure in the future.