Looking for a unique gift that can make a difference? Even if your loved ones aren’t avid preppers, there are plenty of subtle ways to introduce preparedness into their lives. By choosing practical and enjoyable gifts, you can encourage them to be a little more self-reliant without overwhelming them. Let’s explore gift ideas that are both thoughtful and functional, helping your loved ones be better prepared for life’s unexpected twists and turns.
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3 Considerations to Select Great Gifts for Non Preppers
When choosing presents for people who don’t buy into prepping consider these things:
- The location of your recipients, including weather and likely challenges
- Their lifestyle, perhaps including skill level, experiences, or interests
- Any unique needs they have
When I did this exercise for my family members, I discovered that survival-minded gifts would look very different for each of them! Here’s what that looked like.
For my family in Texas
For this region, the weather is generally above freezing, but tornadoes are frequent. They also deal with heat and floods. The loss of electricity is a real possibility with any of these events. With several major cities in this state, civil unrest is also a potential issue.
For this gift, buy flashlights and extra batteries for power outages. Add enough canned food (with a can opener!) to last 2-3 days. Duct tape, plastic sheeting (it has SO many uses!), and hammer and nails might be useful in case of storm damage.
In this part of the country, most people don’t have basements, so storage is typically in a garage. Packing these items in a tub for the garage or a truck might be the best bet.
Children
For kids, I would suggest packing something in each of these categories. (Pack something from each category in your own emergency kits!)
- Treats: Something individually packaged so their parents can bribe or distract them. For example, I keep fruit snacks in my tornado kit in our basement. Read more about why comfort food is important in emergencies.
- Warmth: Ensuring kids’ physical needs are met will go a long way toward meeting their emotional needs during a scary time. Pack a small fleece blanket or cozy sweatshirt (a size too big) for each child.
- Games & Books: Again, distraction is going to be key. Consider a read-aloud chapter book, like Stuart Little or one of the Chronicles of Narnia. Many board games, such as Life and Yahtzee now come in card varieties that would pack very well in an emergency kit. The Survival Tips Playing Cards are another great option; it’s two games in one — regular playing cards AND 52 survival scenarios to discuss and solve — all in one deck!
- Light: Rechargeable glow sticks, flashlights, headlamps, and fun, colorful finger lights are kid-friendly. Allowing kids the ability to control the light and what they see (especially Mom and Dad) can be a comfort to them during an emergency.
- Soft things: Even the toughest teen or pre-teen will feel better clutching something soft. A few small stuffed animals for the younger kids, or maybe some foam stress balls for the older ones.
- Sanitation: Baby wipes and more baby wipes! If your tiny relatives might still be in diapers, include a package of next-size-larger disposable diapers or training pants, too. Ziploc-type bags will also be valuable for putting dirty diapers in.
The single loved one in Colorado
This region experiences significant weather swings in hours — 50 or 60-degree swings on the same day are common. In winter, blizzards with several feet of snow can result being stuck at home for a few days. And wildfires can mean evacuation is a real possibility. Nearly every summer somewhere in the state, there are people to need to leave at a moment’s notice.
The lifestyle there tends to be outdoorsy, so portable is key for this gift. Everything should fit in a backpack. Add a waterproof poncho for unexpected weather, and consider including a pair of hiking socks. A colorful Swedish Fire knife would be a great versatile tool. It is lightweight and takes up little space. Some Cliff bars and powdered sports drink mix would easily fit too. And here is the perfect opportunity for a Personal Water Filter Straw, too!
Family Far Away
For the family member who is “isolated” in another state, away from the rest of the extended family, you might consider making them a special evacuation kit.
Pack a compass and paper maps with several exit routes marked out. Use this post to make a written communication plan for them, perhaps including your Ham Radio call sign or some other alternative way to contact you. Include a written list of family member addresses and phone numbers, too.
Tossing in a photograph of everyone together, in happier times would be a nice touch. This book provides the best information about planning an emergency evacuation and includes numerous checklists.
Housebound in Minnesota
The upper Midwest region is famous for snow and cold. It also gets its share of tornadoes in warmer weather.
Most people in the Midwest have basements, so space usually isn’t an issue. Pack everything in a brightly colored waterproof tub for storage. It will likely be stored in a basement. In the tub, add duct tape, a small collapsible shovel (high quality only!), and one or more fleece blankets. If you have the budget, a small household tool kit would also be a good idea.
For the colder months, hand/foot warmers would be essential. Extra wool socks and knit gloves would also be a good idea, and in this article, Survival Mom details the perfect cold-weather clothing choices from her family trip to Iceland. Include some canned soups, a can opener, and hot drink packets. For quick heating, include some fire starters or sternos.
Dietary Restrictions or Medical Needs
There are a lot of emergency supplies you can provide for your loved one that will help, regardless of their unique dietary or medical needs.
For a family member with dietary restrictions, your best bet may be to avoid food altogether. Instead, include a list of food items or quantities they should have on hand, and maybe they can add those themselves.
Add a brightly colored note to encourage your loved one to stash away some of their medications or medical supplies. Learn more about special needs prepping here.
Retired in Arizona
It’s hot, and water is a real concern at any time of year. However, it’s also dry, and the nights can get cold.
Space is an issue in many retirement communities. Most residents in these areas have recently downsized, so the thought of adding extra “stuff” doesn’t appeal to them in the least. A very small tub or even a backpack might be the best bet to hold a selection of useful, compact supplies.
Water is the primary concern. This is another great opportunity to include a Life Straw or a filtering water bottle that combines the filter and a handy container. If you have the budget, you might even consider including a reverse osmosis tent. Tarps and bungee cords would be useful both for shade and collecting water if it did rain. Some other useful items include:
- A rechargeable flashlight and solar charger would work well with the often sunny days.
- Some lip moisturizer, sunscreen, and some hats, bandanas or shemaghs can help protect the face.
- Pack dried fruit or space bars for snacks.
- Add a thermal blanket for each person for those unexpectedly cold nights.
Pets
If your loved one has pets, you might consider including some basic items for their pets. They’ll undoubtedly be touched that you thought about their fur babies, without every realizing it falls under the heading of “gifts for non-preppers.”
If you don’t know what the critter needs, just include a list with your tub or backpack gift. A great list for pet prepping can be found right here at the Survival Mom’s site.
- Water: A collapsible bowl fits well in an emergency kit.
- Food: Small packages of treats or canned food would mean Fido or Fluffy could eat something if their owner was stranded.
- A leash and collar: Normally, the owner probably wants something specific, but including these could mean the difference between being able to keep the animal or not if the pet owners end up in a shelter.
- Packet for documents: The simple office-meeting ID pouch would work to keep the animal’s paperwork. Again, this is something the owner must provide, but a brightly colored note inserted where the documents should go can be a great reminder.
If you want to go all out, the here are two options, one for dogs and one for cats:
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Final Thoughts
Your goal is not to make preppers out of your family members overnight. Rather, show them you care by making sure they’re taken care of in the event of an emergency that is common to their area. Getting them started might make make it easy for them to take the next steps on their own.
To help them further, you might print out and include a general list like this one from FEMA’s website of suggested items every household should have. Or include the fun-to-read Survival Mom family survival manual. That way, if they want to work on being prepared, it’s easy to take the next step.
Even if they don’t turn into preppers overnight, at least you can worry a little less. If something does happen, they’ll be better off next year than they were this year. Then next year, perhaps you’ll find you can select a more overt prepping item from this list of useful and unusual gifts for preppers.
What are your ideas for gifts for non preppers? Share them in the comments!
Last updated on November 21, 2024
