When it comes to Birthdays and Christmas, many parents are concerned about what they should get their missionary. The following are some tips that might help you make your missionary's birthday or christmas even more memorable. If you have not yet read our tips for sending packages, we recommend you do so.

Most treats from the USA are welcome gifts on both Christmas and Birthdays, or any other special occasion for that matter. Good chocolate is always appreciated. Whatever candy is your missionary's favorite, you can fill a box and be assured they'll enjoy it.

For birthdays it's fun to send something easy to prepare but special. Something that can be whipped up easily, but doesn't require cooking. For example, a Jell-O No Bake Cheescake makes an awesome birthday cake, and it doesn't require any baking. Not available in those remote rural towns.

The following are items that cannot be purchased or are difficult/expensive in El Salvador, are often missed and are welcome surprises in packages: Peanut Butter, Beef Jerky, Brownies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, good trail mix, granola bars, kool-aid (sugar free is easier to deal with).

Clothing

White Shirts for Elders! You never really realize how disgusting your "white" shirts are until you get a new one and compare! Clothes wear fast when they're being washed on rocks and white shirts are often the first to go. Be sure to compensate for any weight gain/loss.

Appropriate interior wear. These are also stretched and worn pretty thin on the rocks, and need to be replaced more often than they usually are. Send your missionary some new ones.

Socks/Nylons. If there is one thing you can't have enough of, it's socks. Dark socks. Good clean socks can make the difference between painful foot problems or comfortable tracting in the heat and humidity. If you don't think feet sweat, think again!

Shoes. Make sure they are comfortable and the right size. Doc Martens always get mixed reviews. Some missionaries love them, others won't wear them. Stick some shoe polish in there as well... with all the dusty roads in El Salvador, the missionaries could always polish their shoes more than they usually do.

Pocket Spanish Hymnals. These are available from LDS Bookstores or the Distribution Centers. These make great gifts for new converts, investigators, members, etc... You can never have enough pocket hymnals to sign and give to new members as a gift after their baptism. If you really want to do something cool, write your testimony in them in Spanish before you send them.

Triple Combinations. Many members have never laid eyes on a Doctrine and Covenants or Pearl of Great Price. There are cheap Spanish Triples available from Distribution Centers and LDS Bookstores. They are not leather bound and make wonderful gifts for your missionary to give to families and new converts to help them on their way.

Religious postcards or pictures. These are great for writing testimonies on the back of and leaving with investigators, families, or members. They are small, cheap and the people love them: most will hang them in their home like portraits because they have few decorations for their walls.

Inexpensive CTR Rings. Those same rings you can get for 25¢. They should be available in Spanish and the people really go crazy for them. They make great gifts for children and allow for a teaching principle to accompany them.

These are just a few ideas of gifts. Most missionaries really appreciate gifts that they can give to others. This allows them to leave the families that they have been teaching something to remember them by, and this is very important to the Salvadoran people.