How to Celebrate Military Family Month This November

Military Family Month is a special month to celebrate. It comes up every November, and is the perfect opportunity to celebrate all the military families and veterans who have done a lot for our country over the years. The military is an important asset to our country, and for everything they do that the average citizen can’t, we should appreciate them any time we get a good chance to do it, and military family month is one of those times. 

A military family goes through a lot because of what it takes to do the job. Most military service members are often gone for months at a time and can mainly communicate with their families through letters, emails, and phone calls. And some of them are deployed to dangerous job sites which will stress a family out due to constant worrying about their safety. Some veterans even struggle with stress disorders or the physical results of unfortunate accidents from day to day, and their families work to support them through it. You might be part of one of these families, in which case, you deserve to celebrate yourselves. But even if you aren’t directly part of a military family, you can help spread some joy to them during this month. 

GiftYa can help you spread some joy all November with their digital gift cards. You can get a digital gift card that works for a number of great establishments both local and national. It’ll be easy to find gift cards a number of military families will appreciate and you can simply create it online and send it to them via text. GiftYa will send you updates to let you know when your gift card has been used, and it will even let the family make a different choice of store!

Deck Yourself (And Your House) Out In Military Gear

Show you appreciation visually. 

If you would like to show every military service member that drives through your neighborhood just how much you appreciate them, show it off with decorations. Your house can function as a canvas for your appreciative feelings and make a military member smile on their drive by. Hanging up flags will show everyone that you’re patriotic, but you will need to add more to that to make your message to service members clear. 

One way to clarify your message is to add army colored decorations. Camouflage is one of the most recognized military colors there is, so this will let everyone know just who your family is celebrating. It would also help to add other recognizable military symbols like navy hats and different military seals. Try making your own fun posters with the exact message you want to share on it and hang it up right in front of your house. 

Showing off your love of the country with decorations is something that won’t be difficult at all. Aside from all the American flags you should be sure to hang up, you can find other fun details with the flag printed across it to add. You can find a number of these fun decorations at Kohl’s. Some of their great finds are an Uncle Sam blow-up figurine, a humorous flag that features patriotic farm animals on a truck, and a ‘God Bless America’ pillow. Hanging a flag that says ‘Proud to Be A Veteran’ will definitely make your point clear and make current and former military members feel recognized. 

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Cook A Special Meal Together Each Week

Meal time is one of the best bonding times. 

One of the things the military member in your family often misses out on is dinner with the family. Service members are known to eat unappealing food in less than ideal circumstances. Family dinners at home can become even more appreciated when someone spends most of their meals hunched over mushy food on a plastic tray. You can turn meal time into a whole event and cook all their favorite meals together. Try asking them for a list of all the foods they miss most when they’re deployed, and get together to make those foods! 

Working together to make a large meal will make it easier to get a lot done. That way, you can make a whole feast without too much effort. The more you decide to make, the more chaotic things may get, but that will mostly add to the fun. And the best part will be when you all get to sit and eat together after all that hard work. 

You can always decide on what to make together, but if you need any special dinner ideas, here are some good ones. You can make chicken coq au vin, short ribs with creamy polenta, or chicken pot pie. And you can make this special meal even better with some dessert. Try peach cobbler with some vanilla ice-cream, pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, and chocolate cake. 

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Watch A Patriotic Movie Every Weekend

A movie night with everyone is always a good time. 

Movie night is always a good time with the family. Sometimes it's nice to curl up on the couch surrounded by family and watch an entertaining movie together. You get to share feelings, laughter, and just spend a good time together. And it will be even more enjoyable if you have some good snacks to share. 

To have a good movie night, you need more than just a couch and a TV. A good movie night has good snacks, drinks, and blankets. Get enough blankets for everyone to stay warm the whole time, and make sure to lower the lights enough to make the screen stand out but so you can still see your snacks. And make sure the couch you sit on has enough pillows for everyone!

Food is one of the most important parts of any movie night. You should at least have some of the classic movie snacks like popcorn or nachos. You can also try stocking all of your military family member’s favorites, or you can spice up some old favorites. Make a tray of nachos loaded with beef, cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream, popcorn covered in caramel, and pretzels with cheese or mustard dip. Maybe even order a pizza or your military family member’s favorite takeout. 

When looking for a patriotic movie to watch, there are tons of options, but which one will make this celebration most fun? There are many movies to watch about war, but your military family member could be more in the mood for something more lighthearted to celebrate. Choose movies with a strong patriotic streak that are also a bit of fun. Think Independence Day, Captain America, and Superman. 

Make And Send Care Packages

A package of goods shows how much you care. 

Another way to celebrate military family month is to do something nice for military families. You know how tough it is on the whole family when one member has to fly off to another city or country for months at a time, so help make things a little bit easier for them. Get everyone you can together to make and send care packages to nearby military families. Even just knowing that someone is thinking of them can make a military family’s day feel better despite all their hardships. 

What should you include in the care package? The components of a good care package will include food items, necessities, and a good note. Food is a top notch addition to a care package. We all need to eat each day, but a family going through a stressful time might not have the motivation to make themselves healthy meals. And that’s why you should include some form of food inside a military family care package. 

You can include canned food, frozen food, or even fresh meals you put together with your family. Include snacks, drinks, and anything else a military family you know might like. If a military spouse is a frequent coffee drinker who might not have much energy to make coffee in the mornings these days, pack a few cans of iced coffee. 

Another good addition to a care package is toiletries. A family going through a tough time may not have the energy to go shopping for necessities as often as they need to. So add some shampoo, conditioner, tooth paste, soap, and toilet paper. Get them some tissues and lip balm, anything you feel they need to care for themselves. 

Other things you include should add to a family’s comfort. Something we could all use in times of stress is a nice, long bath. Add some bath bombs or bubble bath gel into the care package. The right ambiance in the home can also have an effect on how a military family feels throughout the day. Some candles or air fresheners will bring the right mood. Some scents like citrus can make a family feel more energized, and lavender can bring in a more relaxing vibe. And for military families with kids, toys will definitely be a comforting addition to a care package. Fun toys will keep military kids happy and occupied even through hard times. 

Throw a Neighborhood Barbecue Once In A While

A barbecue is one of the most fun and delicious ways to celebrate any occasion. 

Something that most people can enjoy is a neighborhood barbecue. One of the things that anyone in the military will miss most outside of the comforts of home is the food. And one of the best ways there is to enjoy a meal is barbeque. The barbecue grill creates some of the most tasty, charred, and juicy meals you can have, and wherever there is barbecue, things easily turn into a party. Throw a barbecue and invite any military families you know. Whether they are close friends, or simply from the neighborhood, they all could use a bit of celebration. 

When throwing a barbecue for the military families in the neighborhood, do what you can to make it a special occasion. Hang a few flags around the yard, set up chairs and tables, and get ready to make some good food. Make sure you have the barbecue classics like hot dogs and burgers, and try to spice things up a bit with some creative options. Add some chili and cheese to your hot dogs, put bacon, avocado, or blue cheese on your burger. 

Or try carne asada tacos, chicken kabobs, or grilled cauliflower. You should also think of grilling some sausages, ribs, and Mexican street corn. Think of anything you can add to please everyone who attends. And do not forget the dessert! It’s the best thing you can serve to cap off any celebration. Some good ones you can make are peach cobbler, banana pudding, and blueberry pie. If you want a quick dessert to serve, pick it up from the supermarket bakery or make it the night before. Just don’t forget it!

Military Family Month is a month that should be celebrated each year. If you are a military member or have a military member in your family, you should use this month to treat and celebrate yourselves. And while you celebrate yourselves this November, keep other military families in mind as well. Every one of these families could use a pick me up at some point or another. Be the one who gives that to them will a well-timed gift or get together!