Gifting during the holiday season is a long-standing tradition that’s filled with care, love, and kindness. With Christmas approaching, you’re probably looking for gifts for everyone.
But you don’t know what to give a family member who has recently been discharged from the U.S. military. Ideally, you need to give them something meaningful and valuable to cherish and reminisce about their service.
Moreover, you should offer veterans gifts that perfectly capture the life they’ve had. You want them to think that you truly appreciate the sacrifices they’ve made. That’s where patriotic gifts come in.
In this blog, we will discuss everything you need to know about patriotic gifts before giving them to a veteran.
The Power Patriotic Gifts Have on Veterans
Approximately 20% of retired military personnel suffer from depression. Usually, these occur from sudden changes in livelihood and being separated from society for too long. In some cases, they might feel that they’ve lost their identity. That’s why giving them presents could help them feel happy and loved.
Technically, these can enhance the recipients’ physical and mental health. For example, it can increase their energy and make them feel loved while lowering their blood pressure and relieving pain. Moreover, giving them patriotic gifts during Christmas can be a cherry on top.
Gifts like these make veterans feel valued for the service they’ve provided to the country. These show that you care about their past, understand their feelings, and want to be there for them.
They can be a positive way to help veterans cope. That’s because they help safeguard the veteran’s sense of national identity and belongingness in society.
Most of these gifts have red, blue, and white colors, symbolizing valor, vigilance, justice, and purity. Moreover, the patriotic theme commemorates the sacrifices they’ve made throughout their careers.
Overall, patriotic-themed Christmas gifts portray honor, duty, and love for the country. With these, you can show your gratitude, admiration, and appreciation to them.
3 Types of Patriotic Gifts You Should Give a Veteran
You’ll find a huge assortment of items on the market if you’re looking for patriotic gifts for the holidays. However, only a few would be suitable as a gift for a veteran. That’s why you should gift them something from this list:
#1. Military Flags for Their Patio
According to Flags Unlimited, veterans should be given high-quality and officially licensed military flags, memorial banners, or specialized officers’ flags. Since their divisions were a significant part of their lives, a special military flag would be the perfect patriotic Christmas gift. This way, they can put up the armed forces flags from the division they were in, along with the proud American flag, in front of their house.
For example, if they were in the Navy, you should get them a dark blue flag with the “U.S. Navy” emblem and white stars. Similarly, you can give them a flag with the “U.S. Air Force” or the “Air Force Academy” seal if they served in the Air Force.
#2. An Angel Figurine for Their Home
Many believe that a veteran’s on-duty experiences might strengthen their spirituality and faith. If your family member has gone through the same situation, you can give them a patriotic-themed angel figurine.
Of course, a veteran would love to adorn their home with a handcrafted stone resin figurine during Christmas. It usually comes hand-painted in a classic quilt pattern with red, blue, and white colors to symbolize American liberty. These have a unique charm evoked by their folk art appeal. It also portrays that God has blessed whoever wears or has worn the stars and stripes.
#3. Pins for Their Clothing
Military personnel are required to wear a branch insignia lapel pin as part of their uniform during their duty. That means servicemen have become accustomed to wearing a pin on the left side of their outfits. Hence, without any pins, a veteran might think that something is missing from their civilian clothing.
That’s why they would appreciate it if you gave them patriotic pins this Christmas. They would love to wear one with their regular clothes to show their support for the American military.
Hence, you can give them a sparkly rhinestone American flag pin. You can also choose a clover-shaped pin with a patriotic theme as a gift. A veteran would love these pins because they symbolize their identity, originality, and passion.
In summary, patriotic gifts would be perfect for veterans this holiday season. Do you want to show how much their bravery and courage inspire you? Then, give them one of the three gift options mentioned in this blog to show your appreciation.
For example, they would love to use a lapel pin that resembles the American flag. Moreover, the red, blue, and white angel figurine and military flag would be a good addition to their home. All in all, patriotic gifts show them that their duty to the country hasn’t been forgotten.
