Military spouses are a whole extra level of special, which is precisely why Military Spouse Appreciation Day was created.
On May 8, show some love to your milspouse for all the do.
As most married service members know, military spouses are a big part of the military backbone. While your military spouse may not have realized what they were “signing up for” when they married a service member, the fact that they’ve stayed by your side is proof of their commitment.
Not only do they hold down the homefront during deployment, they hold it down daily. Now it’s time to show them why you adore them for being not just your spouse, but a military spouse.
Here are a few Military Spouse Appreciation Day gift ideas to show your gratitude:
1. Order Their Favorite Takeout
Give your spouse the day off from cooking. Local restaurants can use your patronage right now, so considering picking up take-out on your way home. Your military spouse will appreciate the gesture, especially if there are no dishes to clean up after dinner!
2. Pick-up a Favorite Adult Beverage
If your spouse’s favorite local winery or brewery is still operating, pick them up their favorite bottled beverage to go. Set up a romantic evening with candles and a charcuterie board for the ultimate Military Spouse Appreciation Day smorgasbord.
3. Let Them Relax in the Morning
Sometimes spouses just need some alone time in the morning to sip their preferred wake-me-up beverage. If you have kids, wake up with them and let your military spouse sleep in. If your spouse wants to sit and have some quiet time with their coffee while it’s hot, let them indulge!
4. Purchase a Nice Journal
Journaling is a great outlet for expression emotions, especially during deployment periods. Consider getting a personalized journal for your spouse to use however they see fit. Whether they decide to use it as a gratitude journal or an emotional outlet, they’ll appreciate the thoughtfulness.
5. Gather Their Favorite Goodies
There’s nothing like a gift basket full of beloved snacks, goodies, and self-care items. Think about what your military spouse loves to splurge on. Create a basket full of items like decadent desserts, self-help reads, and other favorite items you know they just won’t buy for themselves.
6. Set-up a Food Delivery Service
If your military spouse does most of the cooking at home, think about surprising them with a food delivery service. There are a ton of options out there like Blue Apron and Sun Basket. Your favorite cook will love the ease of not having to plan recipes out for the week!
7. Put Together a Home Toolkit
This gift idea is a good one, especially if you’ll be going on deployment soon. Your spouse will need a toolkit for simple home repairs and even decorating the house. This is a gift they’ll use from duty station to duty station.
8. Take Care of the Honey-do List
You know that ongoing list of things to do your military spouse keeps adding to? Tasks like fixing that squeaky floorboard or organizing the spare bedroom closet? There’s no better time to tackle those than Military Spouse Appreciation Day. What says thanks more than handling the household activities your spouse is not interested in doing, ever?
9. Offer Alone Time
Alone time is perfect for resetting mindset and allowing for rejuvenation. Military life is stressful enough without throwing in other stressors like the COVID-19 pandemic on top of it. If your spouse has been parenting and working from home while balancing the household, they may especially be in need of some alone time. Whether that means time for working out, a quiet walk, meditation, or another activity, give them some time on Military Spouse Appreciation Day to regroup.
10. Write a Meaningful Letter
How often do you sit down and tell your spouse how much they mean to you? A handwritten letter is thoughtful and reflective of how much you cherish your milspouse. Let them know why you appreciate all they do to keep the household running. Instead of an envelope, consider framing it so they can have it on display to look at when you are away on a mission.
11. Purchase Their Dream Day
Military spouses tend to be selfless and caring individuals who put the needs of their family first. Consider purchasing a gift certificate for a service you know they’ll appreciate as soon as quarantine is lifted. A few ideas: Gift certificates to a spa, hair salon, nail salon, fishing charter, meditation lessons, flying lessons, horseback riding lessons, etc. Whatever your spouse enjoys or has been talking about doing, make it happen for them.
Offer Up Thanks on Military Spouse Appreciation Day
Your military spouse is the other half of you.
If you’ve been together any length of time, you’ve weathered many storms together, including storms of uncertainty. That’s military life, after all.
Take the time out this Military Spouse Appreciation Day to show them how much you adore them for all that they do — not just as your spouse, but as a military spouse.
We’d love to hear how you’re planning to show your spouse some love on Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Share your creative ideas with us over on our Facebook page!
Learn more about why one Marine Corps veteran adored all that his wife did during his time in the military in the post Top 5 Reasons I Love my Military Spouse.
Feature image U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alysia R. Hernandez/Released
