I know when the holidays and birthdays come around, it's hard to get gifts for our men while they are locked up. :cuffs: I remember seeing a thread on someone wondering what to get there man for these occasions, but I can't find it! So I'm just gonna post a new one to enter my ideas, that way everyone will see it anyway, and maybe they will help! I found a really good site: Prisoner Shopping Directory (http://www.friendsbeyondthewall.com/main/shop.html) I know different states have different guidelines to go by, so I don't know who can get what, but I hope this is helpful. I am in Illinois, and actually have a question for anybody that can answer this: My husband uses "Music by Mail" to order his tapes in Shawnee Correctional, in Illinois. Can I order him tapes from this company and have them shipped to him? Or does he have to order them? And for those of you that were looking for hot pot/crock pot recipes to send to your honey: The Cell Block Cafe (http://www.friendsbeyondthewall.com/cbc/cellblock_enter.html) has a few good ones! If any of you have any other good ideas, share them to! :idea: Also, if anyone has tried different things for gift ideas, tell us if it did or didn't work. Thanks in advance, and good luck! :D I hope you all have as happy of a holiday season as you possibly can! :wave:

Has anyone tried those Composite Magic Photos, from that visiting room picture site for a gift? Did they like it? Did the picture or pictures you sent in to be "fixed up" come out good? I was thinking about doing that to! If you can, post the before and after's here so we can see them!

Does anyone know if Illinois prison inmates are allowed to have hard cover books? I ordered the Oz book for him for Christmas, but when I got it, I found out it is a hard cover book!

I've seen the VR composite phones, and if you ask me I think they look phony. THe guy is obviously in a prison uniform, and the places that they place the picture on are way to unrealistic. But thats just my opinion.

The only gift that I can think of is the gift of money, That's the two times of year that I put a little more extra on his books that way he can get whatever he wants. Hate I cant send him a care package cause If I could I would send him all kinds of snacks and stuff.

Thanks for that website. The one company, Bust A Move, is out of NJ. I wrote them an email asking if they send to NJ prisons and if they know what is/isn't allowed. You are my hero right now...I've been looking EVERYWHERE for a site that sends to prisons! :) Thanks! :)

Here is an online, free program I found I really like. www.mycardmaker.com
you can write your own words, and insert borders, or your pictures and print 'em out.
Mary

MTContrary - Thanks! I just went there and made a card for my baby, just cuz I love him!

Jackie, I'm glad you liked it. The "All Occasions" category has a border that's pink with X's and O's. I did a card and for the greeting made it like a formal invitation with my name, so and so respectfully requests the honor of your companionship forever at and our address
goofy
fun
Mary

I just thought of another thing that I am doing for my man this year. I'm going to tell him to send me 12 of his favorite pictures of our son and me, then I'm gonna get a personalized calendar made for him to send him with those pictures for each month.

Does anyone know where I can get a calender done for him? I love the idea...someone told me there was a place online where you can do them but I havent seen anything.

I would also like to know about the calanders. The facility my husband is at, is very particular about anything that you send in. I never have any idea of what to send him, besides the stuff that I send on a regular basis anyway (cards, pictures, poems, etc.) Any ideas are helpful?

you can get those done at kinko's - if you don't have those in your area, any of those 24 hour printing places. just take in 12 pics. they wouldn't let us send them in FL I don't think, so check first

Yeah that's why I figured I could try to make them on my computer at home....I made one using Word. I made a table to put in the days and everything. Pasted a picture above it...but it wasnt big enough to write anything in the boxes. And the picture was kinda small. :( Guess I'll just keep trying...

I know one problem with the calendars may just be the size. My Husband is not allowed to have things bigger than 8 x 10. I am going to make him a small calendar - maybe 5 x 7. This Christmas I am going to get him a necklace with a cross. For his birthday, I am getting him a metal band solar G-Shock watch. For the wedding anniversary, I look at the year and see what is suggested for the traditional or modern wedding gifts. My Husband is so stubborn and he don't want me buying anything for him. He believes gifts are for the women. It takes alot for me to talk him into allowing me to get some things for him. Once in a while he will request something. Like the watch. He is looking forward to that. I like it better when he looks forward to it.

spunkys, you are lucky you can send things like that. In FL we can't send anything, really. books from the bookstore, that's about it

card/ sneakers/shirts/ a big food package... and a lot of hugs and kisses

Although he always tells me not to i still send him a nice card for the occasion. write him a 'personal' poem inside
then some $$$ for his account so he can order himself something.

This is kind of off the subject..because I probably won't give this to Justin till he gets out, but its a gift just the same. I started making him a calender of sorts. One page for every month he's in there. It's got all the days filled in just like a normal calender, holidays, and also big dates like sentencing. It's kind of a way for me to cross of the days till he's home..and I'm also using it like a journal. I write all over the edges of the calender with different things. Like how I felt on the day of his sentencing...what I was thankful for on Thanksgiving this year..etc. I'm sure it'll get more elaborate as I go..I'm planning on addiing pictures and baby's artwork to it too. When he gets out I'll put it all together as a scrapbook..and he can see from start to finish everything that happened while he was down. I don't want him to miss a thing!!

Try Pillowmail.com

In my area, you can do the calendar thing at Walgreens, I think Jewel will do it too. I also think Wal-Mart might, but I'm not sure. Any place that processes pictures should do it, just ask them!!

This is kind of silly but for Christmas one of the things I am going to do is get him one of those personalized letters from Santa,they are meant for kids but I thought it would be cute to have him sent one.

Hey thanks for the info. I don't know what I can send I just hope he is placed by then. Still in reception (really sucks) I want so send him something. Does anyone know what can be sent in Ca. He said he heard he can get packages once every three months but he dose'nt know what I can put in them. The site with the shoes is really good I hope I can send them cause he has an artifical hip and the shoes they give them hurt his hip.

Since Jason is on restriction I can't really do much. I am sending him money,and a card. I made him a christmas tree so he could have one threw this month. He thought tht was really cute. And I will probaly send him some word searches and crossword puzzles.

In OH, we can't send a gift. If we do, it is considered a sundry package - and only two sundry packages per year are allowed. Is best to put extra money on his account so he can order a new CD player or whatever he wants....

You can order new CDs for him - but be sure that you place the order in his name (not your name) to be mailed directly to him.

You could order a magazine subscription or order books if you know what he likes and have them sent directly to him. Not all prisons allow you to send watch or jewelry and other things - so check your prison to be sure you don't send something that would just be returned to you.

Re composit photos. My feeling is it's a waste of your money. They guy is in prison, not in some posh restaurant or on some beach - so why pretend or why live in a dream world? Would you really want an 8 x 10 of the two of you at some restaurant with him wearing his prison clothes?

Most of you have very little money to spend on gifts, so why not give him something that is useful, but yet, something he will like? I feel that the person making those photos is making a nice profit from your hard earned money. He's using you. I'll bet your husband or boy friend might prefer to have photos of you and other family members rather than one of those composite photos!