Plebe Christmas Gift Ideas

CalvinBall

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I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! My thoughts now turn to 'the most wonderful time of the year'. The uniqueness of the Plebe experience has created some challenges for me in the gift idea department, I would love any suggestions from those who have been down this path before. I do recall DD mentioning a mattress topper a month or so back, wondering if this is permitted and if the MIDN's mattress are Twin or TwinXL. Trying to minimize asking DD questions to maintain secrecy ;). Gentle prodding has so far been met with long pauses and blank stares since "I don't really need anything". Printer ink is her one big ask so I have that covered, (she's pretty practical), and gift cards to local spots were a hit on her recent birthday. Wondering if there are other suggestions that would beneficial for a Plebe, we are new to USNA and SA's.
Thanks is advance!!
 
An account at The Big Cheese deli that you replenish, so she can walk out into town on Saturdays and treat herself to a great sandwich. Judy and Bob are the owners, or you might talk to their daughter on the phone. (The Annapolitan: Turkey, melted Brie, Granny Smith Apples on multi-grain, my long-time favorite, mmmm)

Movie theater gift cards: BowTie Cinemas is the local chain.

Kilwin’s chocolate store gift cards. Serious treats in there.


Annapolis Ice Cream Company, another local favorite.

Midshipmen women can now wear diamond and pearl studs with certain uniforms, a change after years of only small gold balls. There are size regulations, so check the link closely. A nice pair for “dress-up” uniform events.
See para 5:
 
I have an Invicta Pro Diver that has been in 6 of the 7 seas. Never been in the Southern Ocean with it, because I never had a chance to go there.

I got one for my DS last Christmas for the same reason (it looks good with his dress uniform) and you can swim/dive with it. They aren't expensive, but perform well. Also, they are automatic - which is old school - and just plain cool.
 
I might go with something UNRELATED to USNA such as civilian clothing that she can wear on leave, fun jewelry, or something related to her personal interests -- whatever they may be. Another thought is tickets to a performance/concert/sporting event at home over the holidays she might enjoy.

You get USNA 100% of the time as a plebe. It's nice (especially as a woman) to have the chance to be non-military when you can. It's hard to explain, but I really appreciated that my parents bought me stuff that I couldn't/wouldn't use at USNA, at least not right away.
 
Don't know if your DD same/same my DD but these have been my winners:

1)Desk toys: from bb magnets, sculptures, spinning tops, all that stuff....... (as I understand it) rooms are a sanctuary right now. It's a spot where she can relax a little or sit and talk to another mid/plebe. My own DD told me that every little gizmo "toy" I sent to her was picked up by other mids when they visited her room. They were passed around-fiddled with-laughed about by plebes/mids that just wanted to "chill" and BS for a while. Magnets were perfect for this. Some of the ones we sent made it out to the "watch desk" where I assume they helped multiple plebes in her company pass an hour or two. NOTE, DO NOT send a 80 lb.force rare earth magnet----apparently it really pisses off the base post office.

2) Any cheap toy that can bounce a projectile off the forehead of another Mid.

3) I can't remember if DD asked for it, or DW and I just thought of it, but DD liked the powered blue tooth speaker we gave her for Christmas Plebe year. Do a little research: Google "Bluetooth powered speaker reviews 2019". She can't have the thing turned up loud, so look for something that offers good sound reproduction for a small room, rather than a "party speaker".

4)A year of PANDORA, Apple Music Etc. is a great gift---even if your kid isn't a big music fan. Pandora gives them tunes they can stream to that speaker or her phone and listen to while she runs or works out.

5) Staying with #4; a good set of blue tooth capable earbuds. Not "IPods" ones that will stay in her ears while she runs (they all run). Here again "google is your friend"--- an evil friend but use them to find ones that are well-reviewed and work with her phone.

6) Insoles: If she doesn't already have them, find a sporting goods store that specializes in running, and get her a gift-cert for a pair of custom insoles for her shoes. You may get a "WT-?" look on Christmas day, but MAKE HER go and get them done over Christmas break. Running, or standing in formation, she'll get it. If cash is an issue you can take her to Big5 or find a Dr. Schols eval platform and buy the ones that fit best.

7) Personal favorite a 2nd pair of sunglasses. They all have their RayBans, but when you think about it, a different pair of sunglasses is really the only thing a Mid can change in their day-to-day Uniform. Our DD has really enjoyed and gotten a lot of use out of sunglasses that include a lighter tinting, or gradient, or photochromatic, or a rose/sedona lens for high overcasts days. You can go anywhere from $300+ for a pair of photo-k vintage real glass Italian made raybans to a $50 pair of Oakley Tailhooks (won't last forever, but good optics and they look sharp). Just grab something that changes things up a bit for her; square vs round or acetate frames vs wire.

8) Art from home, something from a local art fair that depicts "home". A framed picture of her with the family dog. Something she associates with you, mom, grandma, etc. (Keep it small)


There you go. No way to know if your DD is anything like mine, but these are things our DD has enjoyed over her years at USNA.


Good luck
 
Oh, and heated socks (black) --------------- but she will be pissed you didn't send them for the Army/Navy game
 
Don't know if your DD same/same my DD but these have been my winners:

1)Desk toys: from bb magnets, sculptures, spinning tops, all that stuff....... (as I understand it) rooms are a sanctuary right now. It's a spot where she can relax a little or sit and talk to another mid/plebe. My own DD told me that every little gizmo "toy" I sent to her was picked up by other mids when they visited her room. They were passed around-fiddled with-laughed about by plebes/mids that just wanted to "chill" and BS for a while. Magnets were perfect for this. Some of the ones we sent made it out to the "watch desk" where I assume they helped multiple plebes in her company pass an hour or two. NOTE, DO NOT send a 80 lb.force rare earth magnet----apparently it really pisses off the base post office.

2) Any cheap toy that can bounce a projectile off the forehead of another Mid.

3) I can't remember if DD asked for it, or DW and I just thought of it, but DD liked the powered blue tooth speaker we gave her for Christmas Plebe year. Do a little research: Google "Bluetooth powered speaker reviews 2019". She can't have the thing turned up loud, so look for something that offers good sound reproduction for a small room, rather than a "party speaker".

4)A year of PANDORA, Apple Music Etc. is a great gift---even if your kid isn't a big music fan. Pandora gives them tunes they can stream to that speaker or her phone and listen to while she runs or works out.

5) Staying with #4; a good set of blue tooth capable earbuds. Not "IPods" ones that will stay in her ears while she runs (they all run). Here again "google is your friend"--- an evil friend but use them to find ones that are well-reviewed and work with her phone.

6) Insoles: If she doesn't already have them, find a sporting goods store that specializes in running, and get her a gift-cert for a pair of custom insoles for her shoes. You may get a "WT-?" look on Christmas day, but MAKE HER go and get them done over Christmas break. Running, or standing in formation, she'll get it. If cash is an issue you can take her to Big5 or find a Dr. Schols eval platform and buy the ones that fit best.

7) Personal favorite a 2nd pair of sunglasses. They all have their RayBans, but when you think about it, a different pair of sunglasses is really the only thing a Mid can change in their day-to-day Uniform. Our DD has really enjoyed and gotten a lot of use out of sunglasses that include a lighter tinting, or gradient, or photochromatic, or a rose/sedona lens for high overcasts days. You can go anywhere from $300+ for a pair of photo-k vintage real glass Italian made raybans to a $50 pair of Oakley Tailhooks (won't last forever, but good optics and they look sharp). Just grab something that changes things up a bit for her; square vs round or acetate frames vs wire.

8) Art from home, something from a local art fair that depicts "home". A framed picture of her with the family dog. Something she associates with you, mom, grandma, etc. (Keep it small)


There you go. No way to know if your DD is anything like mine, but these are things our DD has enjoyed over her years at USNA.


Good luck
Thank you, these are great ideas, just what I was hoping for. My creativity has been stunted.
 
I might go with something UNRELATED to USNA such as civilian clothing that she can wear on leave, fun jewelry, or something related to her personal interests -- whatever they may be. Another thought is tickets to a performance/concert/sporting event at home over the holidays she might enjoy.

You get USNA 100% of the time as a plebe. It's nice (especially as a woman) to have the chance to be non-military when you can. It's hard to explain, but I really appreciated that my parents bought me stuff that I couldn't/wouldn't use at USNA, at least not right away.
I love the ideas, especially 'permission' to add in 'civilian' type things. I appreciate your experienced suggestions.
 
Full-on spa mani-pedi afternoon while at home.
 
Yes to all of the above (especially
Any cheap toy that can bounce a projectile off the forehead of another Mid.
...Ah, the nerf gun.)

Both DS and DD appreciated fitness trackers (Fitbit, Garmin, etc.) , particularly those that count steps, map runs, etc.

MAJOR yes to watches. With so few ways to express individuality, the watch can be a distinctive piece of arm candy. Certainly doesn't have to be fancy: a $50 black Casio G-Shock was much loved for "boots and utes" workouts, etc.

Noise cancelling headphones are great, particularly when the room's heater breaks down and starts sounding like a car with no brake pads.... or so I've been told.

Snack subscriptions, particularly those that include fresh fruit, can provide a momentary escape from King Hall.
 
This is a problem.

DS said he wants nothing- “No more stuff! I already have way too much stuff.” He said “no” to: any spirit gear (doesn’t rate), media (doesn’t rate), wireless headphones (can’t wear them - even when working out), sunglasses (doesn’t wear them), energy bars (“I never want to see another bar again”), an no to money (!?).

Mom is putting together a Spotify book of all the photos we compiled from Plebe summer and Fall. I am giving him a couple of books off of Mattis’ suggested reading list (he does find some time to read and likes these books). It really is tough, after all these years. Very tough (but also liberating for all of us).
 
Liberating for sure, but DD is on the older side of lots of siblings and short of saying she's on the Naughty List (tempting to do ;) ) Santa needs to make an attempt to keep the dream alive for the littles........

Noise cancelling headphones and the fruit subscription are great ideas, @brewer90 , can the mailroom handle the fresh fruit? Maybe have it shipped to the sponsors?
 
Liberating for sure, but DD is on the older side of lots of siblings and short of saying she's on the Naughty List (tempting to do ;) ) Santa needs to make an attempt to keep the dream alive for the littles........

Noise cancelling headphones and the fruit subscription are great ideas, @brewer90 , can the mailroom handle the fresh fruit? Maybe have it shipped to the sponsors?

The mailroom can barely handle mail at this point, so definitely something to consider... Seriously, though, it's worked out well for DD so far. Sponsor family option also a great alternative.
 
Noise-canceling headphones are apparently THE THING among plebes (DS had us mail his in September). Both his roommates play guitar and it has apparently saved all three of them from a Belushi moment ("I gave my love a cherry, that had no stone...").

Also - unlimited data plan (if you can swing that).
 
I have an Invicta Pro Diver that has been in 6 of the 7 seas. Never been in the Southern Ocean with it, because I never had a chance to go there.

I got one for my DS last Christmas for the same reason (it looks good with his dress uniform) and you can swim/dive with it. They aren't expensive, but perform well. Also, they are automatic - which is old school - and just plain cool.
I have this old school Seiko dive watch. Not this one. Mine is almost 40 years old.
 

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