Love Letters

[*martini*time*]

I don't know if this would be the right place to be putting this question out there, but I'm hoping that a few of you fellow loungers will be able to help me. (feel free to merge or move thread if necessary, I did a search, but found nada)

My man is in the military, and although I'm lucky it's not Afghanistan, he'll be heading out east for all of summer. I've decided that instead of the same boring email and facebook stuff, that letter writing is a more vintage appropriate idea. So, while I'm on a mission for "manly" stationary to buy him, I was curious about what sort of things you would put in a love letter of sorts.

Also, have any of you recieved a love letter? Be it in the mail, or otherwise. It would be interesting to see.

So please...help a girl out!

 

[Geesie]

I received letters from my fiancé/wife through all three of my deployments. There was a mix of everyday, home-like things and things that are unprintable in any context that does not come sealed in a bag and hidden by brown paper.

All photos, though, were clean.

 

[avedwards]

This is the only thing where I behave like a modern teenager, but I use instant messager to contact people I can't otherwise see, especially my mol. I'm doing so right now in fact. More can be said in a shorter space of time than in a letter or an email.

But I realise that not everyone's into such a pathetic form of communication. Just put whatever you would put into an ordinery letter I would say, with a finnishing paragraph saying how much you love and miss him. With plenty of x's. [huh]

 

[*martini*time*]

What sort of "home like things" would she send? I'm just curious about what kind of things guys like when they are deployed. My boyfriend was there last year but we weren't dating at the time, however, one of our mutual best friends will be going in August. I want to send him things but wonder what comforts of home did you miss the most?

 

[The Shirt]

http://operationmilitarypride.org/packages.html

As far as the love letters go, I would mix it up. There may come a time when he wants to have a conversation that can go back and forth like IM. But letters are grand for years to come. I still have a stash from years ago and I don't think I'll ever give them up. What about making an infamous mix tape (or CD that is). Perhaps with songs that remind you of him, go for a theme maybe? I've heard from some that batteries were most coveted as well. Photos never miss either.

 

[*martini*time*]

Wow! That link is totally useful! Thanks a bunch!

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Pictures

Words from your heart

A small memento from a shared experience(ticket stub etc)

A lock of hair (to keep in his wallet)

 

[Geesie]

Just remember, if you send food it will be subjected to intense heat.

 

[Barbigirl]

My letters

A collection of the most hand on heart, melt me to tears snail mail love letters the last 15 months.

Draw hand outline of your hand and send it so you can "hold hands"
Sometimes just lists of "why I love you"
Doodles
A lock of hair

Doesn't have to be a traditional letter, and so many heartfelt was to share how much you miss him.

 

[*martini*time*]

Is this lock of hair thing a vintage-y sorta thing? I've never heard of it before. I gave him a picture of my avatar and he's put it in his helmet...i thought that was sweet, but i will get a hair trim and send him some! Everyone here is so helpful!

 

[Foofoogal]

Is this lock of hair thing a vintage-y sorta thing?

definitely. All the rage during Victorian times. fftopic: Along same lines sort of.

this is the ultimate in sexy to me. Send him your eye.
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/virtu/item/605?gbase=1

 

[*martini*time*]

Thats crazy...i would have to get an eyebrow wax before i would do something like that! lol

fftopic: Did you see the price on that thing?! HOLY!!!

 

[Foofoogal]

this is how Victorian people flirted. I am not saying buy it. I am saying do your own.
Married since 1975 and still flirting with honey. lol

Poor guy is not going to know what hit him when you take all the FLers advices. lol
Love Barbigirls hand holding thing.

 

[FinalVestige79]

Hmmm Well...in the WWII Realm...you had:

Letters spritzed with perfume usually his favorite scent on you ( This was especially popular, and still is given that the sense of smell if the most potent in our bodies.)

A recording of your voice telling you how much you miss him and love him and think about him everyday. (Back in the war there would be booths over seas for men to have greetings recorded onto vinyl 45 for service men and women to record themselves and send back to their families on the homefront, wives and girlfriends did this also.)

Lock of hair, like previously mentioned, and make sure that is spritzed with a little perfume also.

Pictures of course, and the putting the picture in the helmet thing goes all the way back to the 1st world war! I did it when i had a gal it was in my reenacting helmet. Pin-ups are good, tasteful but your discretion.

Do you want it to be a simple letter? Or vintagey?

For packages use stuff that will keep in a box for awhile, back in the war they used popcorn as packing matieral, which on arrival could be eaten by the GI and his buddies. Cookies, cakes, magazines from home etc.

What branch is he in? You can get repop army lettherhead for cheap.

In one of the books I have, it shows a picture of something a GI got in the mail from his wife during the winter of 1944...its a knitted uhh well its to keep the mens tools warm in the colder climates. - neat little trivia there.

 

[H.Johnson]

Do you know the 'address code' to convey risque messages in ww2 letters from the front (largely a British thing, perhaps). For instance, ITALY = 'I Trust And Love You'.

But what do NORWICH and BURMA mean?

 

[FinalVestige79]

Do you know the 'address code' to convey risque messages in ww2 letters from the front (largely a British thing, perhaps). For instance, ITALY = 'I Trust And Love You'

But what do NORWICH and BURMA mean?

Yeah it was a limey thing since you guys were in the war before us Yanks got Over There. It was a carry over from the Great War.

NORWICH Nickers Off Ready When I Come Home (I got a kick outta that one)

B.U.R.M.A. - Between Us, Remember Me Always.

H.O.L.L.A.N.D. - Hope Our Love Lasts And Never Dies.

L.I.B.Y.A. - Love Is Beautiful; You Also.

F.R.A.N.C.E. - Friendships Remain And Never Can End.

ITALY could also mean -I Truly Always Love You

fftopic:
Sorry for hijacking the thread Miss Martini.

 

[Feng_Li]

Put on some lipstick and seal it with a kiss. On the inside of the letter if you want it to be a surprise, or on the outside of the envelope if you want his buddies to tease him about it.

 

[*martini*time*]

HOLY COW!! You are all amazing untapped resources! I can't wait to send him some letters...i'm actually looking forward for when he leaves lol

he thinks this idea is great! I will share the letters i get from him when they start to arrive. I love the lock of hair and hand holding stuff...but sealing the letter with a kiss...perfect! of course i'll seal the envelope with a kiss too, i'm sure his buddies won't bug him too much, they'll just all be jealous because he'll get pictures and cds from home and they'll all get emails!

He's an engineer. 1CER outta edmonton here. I'll look into a rero letter head. Great idea!

 

[Geesie]

One thing I remember requesting (and getting) with my letters was the Sunday comics page. I like the newspaper comics and that's something I couldn't get out in the middle of the Gulf.

 

[FinalVestige79]

Yup, anything that would add a sense of normalcy, or home.

Edit: ...having read through some of the letters in the books I have, most wives and girlfriends used feminine stationary...really frilly pink stuff or unlined paper. The guy wrote back on whatever he could find. So the GI would go to his company clerk to find paper most likely and thats where the letterhead came from. I'm pretty sure the Canadian engineers have a different insignia than the American one. Sorry about the confusion. Canada used some of that love code spoken ab about in this thread also in letters I think..not 100% on that but I personally go by the exception not the rule, because there was always that one guy who did it for his girl.