Whether you’re getting started on your shopping or just need to find a few last-minute items, our list below can help. The guide first appeared in the November 2022 issue of Military Officer, a magazine available to all MOAA Premium and Life members. Learn more about the magazine here; learn more about joining MOAA here.

 

Consider shopping through AmazonSmile, with proceeds going to MOAA Charities at no extra cost to you. Learn more at this link. Need more inspiration? Check out a previous year’s gift guide (2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018). Note: Promotional offers and prices from previous years may no longer be available, and prices for all items are subject to change.

 

Jump to:

• Gift Guide Sponsor: Harry & David
• Gift Guide Sponsor: Omaha Steaks
• Health and Fitness
• Currently Serving
• Books
• Spouse and Family
• Veteran-Owned Businesses
• Transitioning Servicemembers

 

Health and Fitness

 

Balance Board Trainer. Fun and portable, this set includes a balance training pad, resistance bands, sliders, jump rope, and a bag to carry it in. The board helps strengthen balance, coordination, and more. Cost: $79.95 at Amazon.com

 

Ultimate Run Gear Box. Includes curated essentials to get anyone geared up for a season of running: a running vest, base layer, and hybrid weather gloves by Craft; Nuun workout mixes; and a Skyflask and Bottle Bright by HydraPack. Cost: $275 at OutsideOnline.com

 

Sand Kettlebells. As you might imagine, this is a combination of a kettlebell and a sandbag. You can empty it out, fold it up, and take it with you for a workout on the go. Cost: From $39 at GORUCK.com

 

Currently Serving

 

Adventure Essentials Survival Kit. This military-grade aluminum LED flashlight is perfect for the glovebox or rucksack. Includes a fire-starting kit, GI P-38 can opener, wire saw, razor, marine-grade rope, fishing and first aid essentials, a mini sewing kit, and more. Cost: $145 at Uncommon Goods

 

Allegiance Flag. Cut from American steel, this 12” x 8” rustic flag by Redline Steel features the Pledge of Allegiance. The company is owned and operated by a combat-wounded veteran. Cost: $29.95 at RedlineSteel.com

 

War Pig BBQ. Nothing says “America” like a backyard barbecue. The Full Battle Rattle combo includes six sauces —Ham Grenade, 50 Cow, Bullzooka, and more “to get your BBQ arsenal started.” Veteran owned and operated. Cost: $42 at WarPigBBQ.com

 

Books

 

The Splendid and the Vile. Using diaries and public documents, this work of historical nonfiction tells the story of Winston Churchill, his family, and advisers during the Blitz, the Nazi bombing campaign against Great Britain during World War II (Crown Publishing Group, 2020).

 

The Confidence Men. Learn the true story of two British officers’ escape from a Turkish POW camp during World War I. The unlikely pair — one is a mechanic on a sheep farm, the other an Oxford-educated lawyer — use a Ouija board to engineer their freedom (Random House, 2021).

 

The Future Is History. Masha Gessen, winner of the National Book Award in nonfiction, follows the lives of four Russians who were born just as the Soviet Union fell all the way through the rise of authoritarianism under Vladimir Putin (Riverhead Books, 2017).

 

Spouse and Family

 

Five Year Journal. This compact leather journal with 400 rough-cut pages, hand-sewn binding, and stud buckle closure is the perfect place to preserve family memories and life events. Cost: $80 at Rustico.com

 

Create Your Own Reel Viewer. Remember the View Master? Now you can create a one-of-a-kind reel using your own photos with this fun and heartfelt gift. Made in the USA. Cost: $34.95 at Uncommon Goods

 

Spa and Wellness Gift Card. Ahhh, the gift of relaxation! Accepted by more than 9,000 locations, this gift card can be used for thousands of services and never expires. Email it, print it, or mail it. Cost: $10 to $500 at SpaWeek.com

 

Veteran-Owned Businesses

 

Ultimate Plastic-Free Laundry Bundle. After a combined 27 years in the military, Chris and Laurian Videau founded Sheets Laundry Club to provide eco-friendly alternatives to doing laundry. This bundle includes three boxes of plastic-free laundry detergent and dryer sheets, three tubes of scent boosters, and 10 travel packs. Cost: $79.99 at Sheets Laundry Club.

 

Teak & Twine: The Toast. This celebratory gift box includes sparkling white tea by TOST, copper stemless champagne flutes, popcorn, champagne gummy bears, conversation starters, and more curated by Torrance Hart, an Air Force veteran who is the founder and CEO of Teak & Twine. Cost: $148 at Teak & Twine

 

Hooked Cooler. Created by Air Force veteran Chris Eastwood, the 75-quart cooler is ideal for the fishing enthusiast. Includes built-in cup holders, bottle opener, removable handles, and an imprinted fishing ruler. 10% discount for military, veterans, and first responders. Cost: $339.99 at HookedCoolers.com

 

Transitioning Servicemembers

 

Leather Laptop Bag. Ideal for a laptop or books, this milled maple leather bag has an adjustable inner pocket, plus an outside pocket for stashing your phone, wallet, and keys. Handmade by a veteran-owned, veteran-operated company. Cost: $215 at Muddy Girl Leathers

 

History By Mail Subscription. This monthly mail subscription service sends replicas of historical documents curated by a team of archivists working around the world. Each month features a topic such as foreign diplomacy or women’s rights. Read correspondence between Albert Einstein and Franklin Roosevelt, or see a sketch of a D-Day platoon leader from 1944. Cost: $76 for 12 months at Uncommon Goods

 

World War II A-11 Watch, Tom Rice Edition. Inspired by the iconic A-11 issued by the thousands to servicemembers in World War II, this timepiece was created in honor of 101st Airborne Division paratrooper Tom Rice, who lost his watch when he jumped into Normandy on June 6, 1944. Cost: $299 at Praesidus.com