Some of the most underappreciated people in society are veterans. People who did not serve in war will never fully understand the sacrifice required to serve in the military. The veterans in your life have sacrificed precious time away from their families and children and have willingly experienced immense horrors to protect the citizens of their country. Veterans deserve to be respected and honored. A simple yet effective way to thank the veteran in your life is to give them meaningful gifts, specifically military gifts. Military gifts will remind the veteran in your life of their roots, and you will be able to show respect for the time they served.
There are other ways to show thankfulness to veterans in your life as well, and today, we are here to offer you three ways to thank and honor the veteran in your life. Veterans deserve to feel appreciated, and by following these ideas, you can help ensure they do.
Treat Them to a Homemade Meal
One thing that essentially all veterans have in common is that they love a good home-cooked meal. A great way to thank the veteran in your life for their service is to treat them to a homemade meal. If this is not possible for you, taking them out to a restaurant with their favorite type of cuisine is another great option.
The dinner table is the perfect place to strike up a meaningful conversation. What better way to pass the time together when eating a meal? While you are enjoying your meal, thank them for their service, and tell them how honored you are to be eating a meal with them. They might be slightly surprised when you say those things, but it will make them feel appreciated. Not many people go out of their way to show their thanks to veterans. If you feel like the conversation is heading this way, feel free to ask them about their time in the military, but be sensitive to topics they do not want to discuss. Above all, be respectful.
Put Your Thankfulness Into Words
Another way to show your thanks to the veteran in your life is to put your thankfulness into words by writing them a letter. While treating them to a meal is a good idea for veterans you already have a relationship with, writing a letter might be a good idea to give to veterans you do not know as well, if at all.
You could also write several thank you cards and give them to your local Veterans Affairs to hand out to some veterans who come in. A physical letter that contains words of thankfulness will mean a lot to struggling veterans who have been forgotten. Grab your pen and paper, write a letter, and make a veteran feel appreciated.
Get Them Military Gifts
As mentioned before, military gifts are a great way to show your appreciation of veterans and their sacrifices for the country. USAMM has various gifts you can purchase and give to the veterans in your life. The following list is some of the most popular and thoughtful gifts.
Shadow Box With Military Memorabilia
A shadow box is a perfect gift for any veteran who has received medals and awards. Medals, pins, patches, and even old photos from their time in the military can all be nicely displayed in a shadow box. Shadow boxes can be used to store and display their most prized possessions from their service. They’re a great gift when you want to show how much you appreciate their service.
Golf Ball Stamped With Unit Insignia
Many veterans have found themselves involved in golf after they leave the military. Find out if the veteran in your life enjoys spending time at the driving range, and if they do, you should consider gifting them a golf ball stamped with their unit insignia. Not only will they be able to use it to have fun playing golf, but it will also be a reminder of their unit and their time serving their nation.
Multipurpose Tool
There is always use for a multipurpose tool, which is why they make great gifts for veterans. People who served in the military like to always be prepared, and a multipurpose tool will help them achieve that feeling. Most multipurpose tools include a blade, a small pair of scissors, a corkscrew, and even a nail file, among other things as well. They’ll feel prepared for anything life throws at them when they have a multipurpose tool handy.
Conclusion
To summarize, here are the three main ways you can thank the veteran in your life:
- Treat them to a homemade meal
- Put your thankfulness into words
- Get them military gifts, such as a shadow box with military memorabilia, a golf ball stamped with unit insignia, or a multipurpose tool.
We hope this article has inspired you to go out and thank a veteran in your life. If we all play our part in thanking our veterans, we can impact the veteran community as a whole and make them feel appreciated.
