Holiday Tab 2015:Holiday 11/25/15 10:29 AM Page 30 HOLIDAY TRADITIONS | SENDING LOVE MILITARY CARE PACKS One of the best ways to send out a holiday salute to your friends or family members in the military is through a thoughtful care package. M aybe you have a loved one serving overseas. Maybe you’re part of a holi- day care package giving organization. Either way, if you’re new to sending one, there are some require- ments you should be aware of to make sure it gets there safely. You should be selective about exactly which items you plan on sending overseas. There are customs issues and security regulations that must be considered by when it comes to ship- ping packages to members of the military. What to Send If you could send anything at all to your favorite service member, what would it be? Something per- sonalized, such as a photo collection or letters? How about their favorite homemade foods? All of these items are OK to ship and will offer your military member a special connection to memories of home. These memories can help push them through the difficult times of a deployment. What Not to Send Even though any item you send would surely be appreciated, there are some things to avoid in- cluding in your holiday care package. Anything breakable probably should be saved P REVIEW W EEK EN D D E C E M B E R 11 T H & 12 T H en joy the for when they return home. Picture your package on its route to your service member — shipped from truck to truck before heading off on an in- ternational flight, and then being shipped from truck to truck again. How to Send It One of the most challenging aspects of ship- ping a military care package can be filling out the customs forms required for compliant shipment. If you’re using an organization that specializes in sending military care packages, it too may have specific requirements for shipment. The key is checking in with your local post office and care package organization to find out the details. C A L L 503-325-2203 F O R I N FO H O L I D A Y S WITH THE CLATSOP COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY G IFT M E M B E R SH IP S A VA IL A B L E T EA & P LUM P U D D IN G IN T H E F L A V E L H O U SE Monday, Dec. 14 th • 6-8pm The Flavel House Museum 441 8th St., Astoria DINING ROOM $12/PERSON (NON-MEMBERS) $8/PERSON (MEMBERS) DECEMBER 19TH-23RD & 26TH–30TH The Flavel House Museum will be open to the public at night for visitors to enjoy an evening filled with holiday cheer in the festively-decorated mansion. 1–4PM EACH DAY Includes a self-guided tour of museum Sponsored by V ISIT O U R M F L A V E L C A R R IA G E H U SE U M S T O R E IN T H E Unique holiday decorations and gifts for your family and friends 7T H & E X C H A N G E , A ST O R IA 30 • Home for the Holidays 2015 • www.dailyastorian.com Guests will be treated to cookies and hot chocolate, and a special visit from Old St. Nick. O U SE Free to CCHS members, others are: $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $2.00 for children ages 6-17, family rate $15.00 This special event has been generously sponsored by: Easom Property Management and Windermere/Pacific Land Company