Christmas Package Ideas for Missionaries

Your missionary's first Christmas at the Provo MTC is bittersweet for everyone. A well-timed package can't replace being there, but it can wrap a little of home around them on a morning they'll always remember.

Keep treats shelf-stable and shareable

The Provo MTC mailroom has no refrigeration, so skip anything that needs to stay cold and lean into festive treats that travel. Pack enough to share, since your missionary will almost certainly split them with a companion.

• Candy canes, peppermint bark in a sealed package, and individually wrapped chocolates

• Hot cocoa packets and a small mug, plus marshmallows or a candy-cane stirrer

• Shelf-stable cookies, holiday popcorn, or a favorite gas-station snack from home

• Roasted nuts, dried fruit, or a homemade trail mix in a sealed bag

For more on what travels well, see our guide to what you can and can't send to the MTC.

Bring the decorations to them

A little visual cheer goes a long way in a dorm room. Keep decorations lightweight and small so they pack easily and don't crowd a shared space.

• A mini desktop tree with a few tiny ornaments

• A short strand of battery garland or paper-chain garland

• A printable paper nativity they can set up on a desk

• Window clings, a small felt stocking, or a few flat ornaments for a doorknob

Make the notes the main event

If there's one thing missionaries treasure most, it's words from home. Treats get eaten in a day; a stack of notes gets read again and again.

• A short letter from each family member, sealed and numbered to open over the twelve days before Christmas

• Printed photos from past holidays, the more candid the better

• A page of inside jokes, a recap of family news, or a few favorite memories

• A handwritten copy of your family's Christmas traditions

If your box is mostly treats and decorations, adding a free letter makes sure the words arrive too.

Build a 12-days-of-Christmas box

If you want one idea that captures the whole season, a "twelve days of Christmas" package is hard to beat. Assemble a dozen small, numbered items, and your missionary opens one a day in the run-up to Christmas.

• Number twelve small envelopes or bags, one for each day

• Fill each with a candy, a note, a tiny decoration, or a small practical item

• Keep each one light, the joy is in the daily ritual, not the size

• Add a card explaining how it works so they know to pace themselves

Companions love the daily reveal too. Just deliver the whole box several days before Christmas so day one starts on time.

Small practical gifts they'll actually use

Christmas is a great moment to top off the everyday things that run low in those first weeks: a fresh pack of pens and a study journal, lip balm and lotion, quality socks for cold mornings, a small flashlight, stamps, and stationery.

Timing matters more at Christmas than any other time of year

Here's the part families learn the hard way: carrier delays spike in December. A gift meant for the 25th can stall and arrive on the 27th. Aim to arrive a few days early, and confirm your missionary will still be at the MTC before you send, since English-speaking missionaries often leave after about three weeks.

If you're cutting it close, same-day local delivery sidesteps the carrier backlog entirely. Rushly delivers to the Provo MTC Monday through Friday, so a package you order in the morning can reach your missionary that same day. We cover the full picture in our guide to getting a Christmas package to the MTC on time.

A first Christmas at the MTC is tender for everyone. A thoughtful, on-time package tells your missionary they're loved, remembered, and cheered on, exactly the message that makes the season bright.