My son will be 22 yrs. old on Monday. I don't have a clue what to get him for his birthday. He is in the Army Reserves and will be leaving on February 9th to go Active Duty and will leave to Iraq on June 8th. I'm needing ideas of what I could give him that he can take with him. He won't have much use for civilian clothes and has plenty already. He has a Laptop, a MP3Player, an X-Box, and a Digital Camera already.

Any ideas of things that would be portable for him to take would be greatly appreciated.

I am making him a family photo album to have with him.

Along with the photo album, have you considered having everyone in the family record their voices and say something about what he means to them? Or maybe share a memory they have of him or with him, to go along with the picture(s)? I made a tape w/voice recordings for my hubby (then BF) when he went away for Army basic training and he said it helped him greatly w/the homesickness just to hear all his friends and family's voices across the miles. Just a thought.

First off, much prayers to your son and for your family on this new journey!

As for his gift..hmm...my family gave my brother while he was in basic training a joke book that he not only loved, but it got passed around his unit quite a bit. It was a redneck joke book if I remember right.

This depends on your beliefs here, but you could look into getting him something spiritual from a Christian bookstore perhaps.

Let's see....you could also bake up a lot of his favorite cookies and send him off with those....

Could do a mini-photo book/scrapbook with family and friends photos, and have them write on there what they love about your son, and best wishes and all that.....

Hope this helps!

I hadn't thought of the voice recordings, that's a great idea. We're having a party for him on Feb.2nd and that would be a great time to have all the family and his friends to record a message for him.

He also loves Jokes, so a Joke book would also be a great idea. Or even a Joke tape from his favorite comedian.

Thanks for the help.

Hi lilybelle! Those are super ideas! I was going to suggest something similiar............a homemade video on a cd that he can pop in his laptop/portable dvd player and get some love/reminders of home! Good Luck to you and your family!!! I have a 20 year old - so as a mom - I'd be really proud and sad at the same time! Again, well wishes to your family! Hugs!

PS - my husband was in the Navy for 7 years!

Ask him if he wants a flash drive for his laptop-he can load it before he leaves so he won't need as many CDs, good earbuds in case he loses a pair, tickets to the movie or something else that is pricey that he can do now before he leaves. Lots of prayers.

How about a gift certificate to whatever site he gets his music from? That way he can load up that MP3 player. I have a friend who has been to Iraq twice now. He said that the essentials are always needed there - batteries, razors, aftershave, etc. I even sent him packaged "soft baked" cookies once because he told me he was having a craving for them and couldn't get them there!

Wow you guys stay up really late to post on here, huh?

For Christmas, I got a Flip video camera (www.theflip.com). It is small enough to carry in his bag, but takes great video. Then, he can upload the video to his computer afterward with the software that is buit right into the camera.

Thanks for the great ideas everyone. I was at such a standstill of knowing what I could buy with him leaving in just over a week. I really don't know if there is a limit on what he is allowed to take with him.

modkittn, when my brother was stationed in Germany, we used to bake him cookies and package them in Pringles cans so they woudn't get broken. He loved when we sent those to him.

Just tell him to be careful with his things...sad to say but there are thieves among them. I sent DS an iPod for his BD last year while in Iraq and a day later someone stole it. He told the SGT and the SGT said, "Sorry to hear that" Lol

I think you basically got it all...I know the guys while in Iraq (depends on where your son is going) loved the packages I sent...dvd's, writing tablets, pens, stamps, games...especially balls, books, magazines and of course their favorite goodies. Even though they can get most of what they need and want over there (Iraq) it's just the thought that someone is thinking of them and cares and anything you send will be a godsend.

1. Your son will be in my prayers.

2. If you could get your hands on a Nintendo Wii, they are soooooo much fun. We got one for our sons for Christmas they can hardly play it for me and my DH. LOL!

I think anything that you can get him that will keep him in good spirits. I think the ideas of the photo albums and the video are great, but I was thinking too I'm always reading about how the soldiers are so lonely and miserable. So I was just thinking if he is a jokester what about a box full of gag gift stuff that would keep him laughing? My boyfriends cousin-in-law of sorts just came home from Iraq (Marines) and he loved getting packages of his favorite candy and books, so maybe stuff along those lines? You son will be in my prayers and hopefully his birthday is a happy one!

My nephew was in Iraq for a year, once he got set up there, he IM'd all the time. Maybe an extra battery for the laptop. The international phone cards are good, too. The flash drive is a great idea, too. You can get a couple gigabytes pretty cheap now.

I wish him and you the best!

I can't think of any other thoughtful gifts that others haven't already mentioned, but are there any games that he's been wanting for his X-Box or laptop? I know that when a friend of mine was over in Iraq that he said the multiplayer games (like the Halo series) were really popular because they'd all get together and play. My friend is a huge geek though, so... haha.

My son was over in Iraq last year and him and his buddies loved getting DVDs! I sent him a box every week and I tried to put a DVD in almost every box. They loved having variety so I sent all different types of movies. Get him a DVD wallet to put the movies in because the DVD cases take up too much room and it's easier to keep track of the movies if they are in 1 or 2 cases. Good luck, hope this helps!