How to Create a Care Package for a Sick Friend
When a friend is experiencing a difficult time, not feeling well, or recovering from a procedure, show them that you care. Being sick makes you feel down in the dumps and low on energy. If you know someone who recently caught a bug, create a get well soon care package for them! They will appreciate the sentiment so much. Here are five tips to help you create the perfect care package for your friend who’s ill.
1. Plan Your Care Package
The first step in creating the perfect care package is planning. There are so many get well soon gifts that you can put in your care package, so planning is essential. If you don’t plan and just buy things at random, you might end up feeling stressed or overwhelmed. You might also go over budget. Planning ensures that you buy things with intention and for a purpose. Plus, it’ll make the process fun and exciting.
Start thinking about how big you want it to be, what kinds of gifts you want to put in it, and how much you want to spend. What carrying vessel will hold all of the gifts? For example, you could use a cute basket, a gift box, or a tote bag. Also, figure out a way to tie everything together and make it visually appealing. A simple ribbon or a card front and center can really elevate your care package. If you can’t deliver the gift in person, can it be mailed? Or are there options to send the same treats online? There are many ways to approach creating a care package.
2. Cater to the Individual
Once you have a solid plan in place for your care package, it’s time to buy all the goodies. A lot of gifts are important to include in a care package. But first and foremost, it should be catered to the individual. Think about what your sick friend likes and what they would appreciate. Any gift will be appreciated, but adding unique gifts to a care package will show that you truly care and are thinking of them.
There are numerous ways to cater a care package to a particular individual. Think about their favorite color, favorite foods, as well as interests and hobbies. For example, if your friend likes makeup and their favorite color is pink, give them a pink lip gloss. Or, if your friend loves to cook, get them a recipe book (they’ll put it to use when they’re feeling better). If your friend is sick, also consider the type of illness they have when buying gifts. If they have a cold, tissues would be a useful gift. But if they have the flu, chicken noodle soup and other comfort food may be a better option.
3. Add a Personal Touch
It’s also important to remember that this gift isn’t just from anyone, it’s from you! So make sure to add your personal touch. A close friend will appreciate it if the gift has a touch of ‘you’ in it. To be able to tell your friend that you picked everything out and put thought into each gift is special. It makes the gift not just useful, but very thoughtful as well.
When adding a personal touch, homemade baked goods are a great option. Some healthy desserts can even boost their immune system. Also, think about what you’d like to receive as a gift when sick. Say, “I thought you’d like these items because I love them, and they made me think of you.” If this person is your friend, you probably have quite a bit in common with them anyway. They will probably like the same things as you.
4. Don’t Forget the Necessities
It’s easy to get excited buying fun gifts for a care package. But don’t get so caught up in the fun that you forget about the essentials. Being sick often puts people behind a little bit; it’s a setback. They don’t have time to run errands and keep up with their day-to-day life. In addition to tissues and medicine for their sickness, give them a few household essentials.
As silly as it might sound, toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, dish soap, etc. can make great gifts. For an individual who is sick, cleaning supplies are especially useful. They’ll likely want to disinfect their entire home after recovering. A new toothbrush and toothpaste can be thoughtful as well. After being sick, it’s nice to open a fresh new toothbrush and say goodbye to germs.
5. Add Something to Entertain
Lastly, make sure the care package includes something fun for your friend to do. They will probably spend most of their time resting on the couch or in bed, but everyone gets bored while they’re sick. And spending too much time in front of the TV isn’t good for anyone. If they aren’t feeling too terrible but they’re still contagious, it’s easy to go stir-crazy. They’ll need something to pass the time.
If you think your friend will need something to do when sick, give them the gift of entertainment. A puzzle, a book, a journal, or stuff to draw a bath are all great gifts and provide your friend with something to do. You can even get creative and put together craft kits. A paint by number kit can be relaxing, and they get a new piece of artwork when they’re finished.
Whether you choose to DIY or purchase a premade care package, there is always the opportunity to customize. Putting together a care package for a sick friend requires some creativity and thoughtfulness. But if you care about someone, it’s easy! So, when you have a friend feeling under the weather, don’t miss out on the opportunity to give them a meaningful gift. A care package will mean the world to them and make them feel better in no time.
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