Ideas for Military-Inspired Presents for Your Friends

Getting a military-inspired present for a friend or family member who has either served in the military or just admires the men and women who have is always a great idea.

Gifts should be thoughtful, useful, and reflect the interests and special personality traits of the person you’re getting them for. So, if you have anyone connected to the military in any way, getting them a themed gift is definitely a lovely surprise!

You might think it’s a bit hard to find a gift that can honour this aspect, but the truth is, it’s really not that difficult at all! There are specialised stores that sell various military-inspired gifts, oftentimes working closely with the military itself, contributing to it in various ways.

By buying from such a store you will both support the military and get your friend a one-of-a-kind gift! Here are some ideas you might want to consider.

Unique Army Stationary

When you think of stationery, a notebook or some fancy letter paper surely pops in your head. This is true for regular stationery items, but army stationary is so much more than that.

Stationary is an old school cool kind of gift and it’s perfect for collectors of different army-themed things, as well as the men and women who you know, have served, as it will serve as a sort of memento and nod toward their service. Retailers who carry and make military-inspired products offer a range of interesting and commemorative army stationary to choose from.

One item that we found very exciting is military stationery sets. These sets feature special, often limited edition stamps and mini sheets with information on what’s depicted on the stamps. Depending on the section of the army they are dedicated to, the stamps and mini sheet differ.

From military aeroplanes and commemorative motifs to important army locations and extensive information about them, you can find anything and everything! They can be used as regular mail stamps, but most often people keep them sealed and in mint condition as a collectible, rare item.

Another stationery gift that’s both useful and practical are pens. These don’t need to be kept sealed and in mint condition! The giftee can use them all around,!

There are wonderful pen sets around that can be branded with either the army, navy or air force crests and can include different types of pens. They are usually quality-made and come in amazing packaging, which means they’re gift-ready. There are also great desk sets that feature a pen and a stand and a desk caddy!

Lastly, we have bookmarks. A themed bookmark accompanying a book on a military-related subject you know your friend will be interested in makes for a great gift! The book will be read and placed in the library, but the bookmark will be used over and over again!

For someone who’s an avid reader, bookmarks are always scarce, and one that’s special like this will make them even happier to have it!

Pins, Cuffs Links & Badges

Pins and lapel cuffs are also a great gift idea that is wearable and significant. There is a huge variety of these products out there, so if you’re opting for one of these, you’ll need to put some time aside to take a look at all of them!

Lapel pins, for example, can be made of fabric or metal and can depict different things. From the poppy flower, an important remembrance detail of the First World War, to pins serving as a homage to different wars or sections of the army, lapel pins are a collectible as well as an everyday item in one.

It’s similar with cuff links. They can be either saved and worn for special occasions and holidays or kept as a memento. Just like lapel pins, they come in a variety of themes, from army, navy, and air force crests, to the poppy flower and much more. There are also special display boxes available which round up this gift nicely and give it a dash of elegance and luxury.

There are also badges available, which can be sew-on or metal. They follow the same themes as the cuff links and lapel pins, but one interesting thing about badges is that you can get a collection of multiple, made specifically to be displayed.

They can come in a wooden box or pinned on a card. The sew-on ones can be sewn on stretched, framed canvas, creating a wonderful display piece.

Collectibles

All the items mentioned above can count as collectibles, but there is also a special section of military-inspired items that are actually collectible.

There are figurines, for example, which are classic collectible items no matter if they’re military-inspired or otherwise. The figurines we’re talking about, though, are well-made, they’re durable, and they are extremely diverse, which means you can find a figurine inspired by basically anything.

There are ready-made figurines, but also ones that come unassembled and unpainted, so the one receiving the gift can spend some quality time assembling and painting the figurine to match the real-life version, which is great fun for craftsy, DIY-prone people!

From nurses and snipers to foot soldiers and generals, the figurines cover everything. They can be made out of resin, bronze, and other materials, depending on the model.

Another old school cool collectible gift are pennies. Also varying in themes and materials, these pennies are the ultimate collectible item and can make a great pair with the stationary stamps and mini sheet we talked about before. They can also come with information cards on the pennies and the story they’re telling. Intricate, detailed, and meaningful, they’re a great choice for collectors.

Other collectibles can come in the shape of snowglobes, artworks, numismatic coins, banners, swords, and so much more!

To Conclude

No matter which gift option caught your eye, we’re sure it will be the right choice. Military-inspired gifts are always quality-made as many of the retailers often supply the military itself as well, so you can be sure you’re giving something both special and durable.

There are a lot of options, so make sure to take the time and look around properly before you decide. We’re glad if we’ve assisted you in your search for a military-inspired gift for a friend. Paying respect and remembering is always something we should all strive to do.