5 Christmas GIFT IDEAS for FUTURE Latter-day Saint Missionaries

If you are a soon-to-be missionary (whether you are planning to start your mission papers soon, have already started your mission paperwork, or if you've already received your mission call), you may be a little stressed about all of the things you need to buy for your mission. You might even be more than a little stressed... We have several posts about the things that you can purchase while you are waiting for your mission call and how to budget ahead so that you can make those purchases over time..."Why you should buy all MOST of your Mission Clothes BEFORE your Call Arrives", "10 Items to Buy Now (before your LDS Mission Call Arrives)" and "5 More Things You Can Buy Now (Even if you Don't Know Where You Will be Serving)",

If your MTC-report date (if you already have your mission call) OR "availability date" (the date you state that you are available to start your mission) is not long after Christmas, you might have an opportunity to request Christmas gifts that coincide with with things that you will need to purchase for your mission. 

My soon-to-be-missionary daughter Kendall turns 19 right after Christmas this year, so we know that she will still be here for Christmas day, but she hasn't received her mission call yet. While we aren't exactly sure when she will be leaving (or even where she will be going) yet, we do know that her availability date is right after Christmas, so she will likely be leaving within a few months after Christmas. So when I'm thinking about Christmas gifts for her (ya, I plan WAY ahead for Christmas), I know that something like a 12-month subscription to Spotify won't be a very good gift because she will be leave long before that subscription is even halfway used up. 

Last year (when she was turning 18) she asked that we (her parents) get her things for her mission for Christmas and her birthday. That was a whole year before she would even be eligible to serve, so that might be more planning ahead than some people want to do, but we are planners. 

One of the things we got for her for Christmas last year was a luggage set. We figured that even if something came up and she wasn't able to serve a mission after all, luggage is still a practical and useful gift for any adult. We got her a few other things for her mission last year as well, like a messenger bag, a lanyard for the MTC (from her little sister), an alarm clock, and quick-dry bath towels. I talk about some of those things in our posts "10 Items to Buy Now (before your LDS Mission Call Arrives)" and "5 More Things You Can Buy Now (Even if you Don't Know Where You Will be Serving)", so check those out for more information. All of these things are pretty generic for all missionaries. They are not specific to a certain mission or climate, so they will be appropriate whether you serve in Iceland or Ohio or Brazil...everyone needs luggage, everyone needs an alarm clock, and everyone needs towels. Obviously there are some purchases that you will want to wait on until you know where you are going to serve (no sense in buying snow boots if you're assigned to serve in Hawaii). 

Our daughter has requested that we get her things for her mission for Christmas and her birthday this year as well. While we are now a lot closer to her availability date, we still don't know when shme's leaving or where she is going. So aside from some general basics, we are waiting to buy some clothing items until we know more about the climate where she will be. We are hopig that her mission call will arrive in time to make some fun mission-specific purchases for Christmas! Either way, there are still plenty of things that need to be purchased that will work for any mission.

No matter where you are in the mission-prep process, you probably have some things (or a lot of things!) that you still need to buy for your mission, as well. As your friends and relatives are aware that you are getting closer to your mission, they might already be asking if there is anything you need AND/OR they might be asking what you want for Christmas. People want to help, but they have no idea what you might want or need or already have. 

The trouble is, you might not want to just tell your Aunt Alice that you need a skirt or pajamas because you will have no idea what she is going to choose for you. While I'm sure you will appreciate the gesture no matter what, the item she selects for you might not be appropriate, it might not match with your other clothing, it might not fit, or you just might not like it. And then not only do you still not have the thing you actually need, you then you have to choose whether to take it anyhow or pack away at home. Even though I'm sure you would be polite, your Aunt Alice wants to help you, not waste her money... While it might seem easy to ask for clothes, if there is a possibility that you won't be able to use what she has purchased, it won't be helping anyone. 

I recommend that you come up with a few general non-clothing items that you can tell people you need, in case someone asks you what you need (no matter what time of year you are leaving) or if someone asks what you want for Christmas if you will be leaving within the next few weeks/months after the holidays. Have in mind several items in a range of prices - something a little pricier like luggage, and some less expensive items like mesh laundry bags.

Here are a few ideas for things that it would be easy for a relative or friend to purchase for a soon-to-be missionary:

   

Some of these things are more expensive than others, so of course use tact and consideration when requesting anything from your family or friends. Some or all of these things may be beyond the budget that someone has in mind, but you can always come up with additional smaller items that people could get for you if these items I've listed are too high-priced for the circumstances. (Post-it notes, highlighters, a lanyard, socks, mesh laundry bags, etc).

Depending on how your family does things, you might be asked to make a wish-list for Christmas and that makes things really easy. If not, you might have a private conversation with your parent(s) and/or grandparents about what would be practical. Just simply explain that purchasing items for your mission will be helping you cut down on your expenses and will be very appreciated. Buying video games and concert tickets is more fun than buying dress socks and practical shoes, but as long as you are reasonable and respectful, most people will understand the reason for your request.

If your relatives are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or are not supportive of your decision to serve a mission in general, I recommend using the Spirit to decide how to approach this situation. You might choose not to request anything specific and thats perfectly fine. My parents (not members of the Church) have already been asking me what type of things Kendall needs for her mission because they #1- want to help and #2- don't want to get her anything she won't be able to use before she goes or will have to leave behind. She would love to have a giant unicorn bouncy-house for Christmas, but I don't think it will fit in her luggage :)

Best of luck to you!