fireftnchick, I noticed in you last post you didnt know what to substitute for pumpkin pie, not the same thing, but Kashi makes a pumpkin bar, creamy on top, sorta like cookie on bottom that tastes pretty good. At my store its in the aisle with granola bars, cereal, etc. Just an idea. Or little debbie makes pumpkin shaped cookies- with I think its pumpkin filling, my kids fight over those (and they are 21 and 19)

Pumpkin Pie substitute: Try Clif bars, I think they have a PP flavor for the holidays. My youngsters like their seasonal flavors - they just had S'More Z Bars by Clif which are pretty yummy. LARA Bars makes a Pecan Pie flavor that is also really good.

I just found something to send for Thanksgiving - easy as pie - no bake, no shake, no shop or pack:) - just sit and click.  Treat Any Soldier COOKIE Packs!!  YAY.  Thank you Marty for posting the Link!  You just solved all my Thanksgiving package thoughts.

 Been racking my brain on how to 'pack a turkey dinner' for my contacts since reading your post FirefightinChick - but COOKIES - what Soldier can resist cookies!! Our house has always been full of cookies at the holidays from the time I was a kid right up until the present day.  Think I'll send all of my contacts some Any Soldier Cookie packs.:).  Thank you Marty and Sue:) 

 I took the info off the USPS site, now I could have copied it wrong or applied it incorrectly to military mail, but I don't think so...I will have to try to find the link again.

I live in CA and I usually use the FRBs because it's cheaper but once in a while, because of size of the item, I have to use a box larger than the large FRB. I've shipped parcel post in the past and sometimes, it gets to the same destination faster than the boxes that went Priority Mail which were mailed at the same time.

If you ship parcel post and the box is really big, it might take longer, but if your box isn't humongous, then they'll send it via space available mail....SAM, which is the same as Priority...at least that's what the postal clerks tell me. Last year, I sent a new contact a huge box parcel post, twelve days before Christmas and he received it in six days. It wasn't marked SAM but it made it there quick. 

Ann,

So funny that you should write this because I just read a post from SSgt Jonathan P. Grimm which stated in part:

"we are interested creating a “Worth Fighting For Tree”. You see, my wife is sending us out a christmas tree and we won’t have access to regular christmas decorations, so we figured the next best thing would be a tree full of picture ornaments of all things American….family pictures, pictures from the 4th of July picnic, fireworks, kids, sports, kids playing sports, streamers from the 4th of July to use as tinsel, the guy at Starbucks serving a venti mocha, the girl at McDonalds eating a BigMac, school kids reciting the pledge and [for the guys over my shoulder that won’t stop] girls in bikinis *sigh*….anyways, those are just some ideas, be creative, surprise us…anything that screams AMERICA to you, get a picture, paste it on something (construction paper, cardboard, ball ornament, whatever), run a piece of string (yarn, paperclip…again whatever) through it and send it out. Get the community involved, make it a contest, it will be fun see what ideals you come up with."

So your idea is right on the money!

Kathy

kathy cunningham:

So your idea is right on the money!

Hmm - not "my" idea Ma'am.  As clearly stated in the previous post - the idea came from a 'very considerate' person - whose post I did happen to read right here online.  And who is more considerate than our beloved United States Service members?

Planned on posting his request elsewhere here on the forum but when I checked his addy requests I figured I'd just post the idea so maybe those who may be a little short on cash this holiday season, might be able to send some things they might otherwise not be able to send.  But Thank you for calling attention to the Good Man's post..  I thought these Marine's idea was really creative, imensely patriotic and so considerate of their supporters.

Reminds me of a few contacts I've had in the past - always telling me not to spend too much money.  God love our Troops!

Ann

I'm so GLAD that this service member thought of this and that you all mentioned it on here.  I would have NEVER came up with this idea.  It is such a GREAT idea! !

I'm going to cut the pictures out in various shapes, if possible, laminate the picture and then use some ribbon to make a border (kind of like a frame around it) to send to some of my guys along with a small tree. 

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for sharing! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

This might be a place to put postcards to use. They have such good pictures. I think all my Washington, DC cards are gone, boo.

Duh. I'm going to NYC next week to see my kids. If anyone wants a statue of liberty postcard, let me know and I'll pick up some. Mellie

I live in the Washington DC area if anyone wants me to seen pictures or postcards of anything DC.  Just email me with your order and address.

Anna

I'm back from NYC. I've got 6 postcards of the Statue of Liberty, 2 of the NYC skyline with the moon behind, 1 of Times Square, and 1 of the skating rink in Central Park. If anyone is feeling creative and would like some of these, send me a PM with your address. If not, I'll just send them along with boxes. No problem.

Mellie