If you have a young woman on your Christmas list that is planning to serve a mission in the near future, here are some useful and fun Christmas gift ideas!
The Christmas before a mission is a tricky time…you want to get your child a gift they’ll enjoy and get excited about but you’re also aware that they will be heading on their mission soon, which makes some gifts not a great choice!
I came up with this gift guide to hit that sweet spot…gifts they can use in the “in-between” that will also be useful and/or fun on their missions!
Best Suitcases for Sister Missionaries
A suitcase can be a thoughtful Christmas gift for a future missionary. I go in depth on different suitcase options (and which might be best for particular missions) in this post, but here is a combo of three different options, Hard Shell, Soft Shell and Duffle Style.
Amazon 26” Hardside Medium Suitcase This suitcase is expandable, getting it very close to the church travel guidelines’ 62 dimensional inches.
It has multi-directional (spinning) wheels and comes in a variety of colors (pick a fun one your girl will love!). It weighs in at 9.4 pounds (which is important because the lighter the suitcase, the less stuff you can add to it!). The reviews are also great.
SwissGear Sion Softside Expandable Luggage, Large 29-Inch This large softsided luggage piece is water resistant (helpful for humid/rainy countries), has two outer zipper pockets and is 57.5 dimensional inches. It has several inner zipper pockets (great for packing) and 360 degree spinning wheels. This one is a bit heavier at 11.1 pounds.
Amazon 30 Inch Wheeled Duffel Bag: This has amazing reviews and is quite inexpensive. It has a front compartment and multiple interior compartments along with fixed wheels. It is water resistant and weighs 11.4 pounds.
Crossbody/Proselytizing Bags for Sister Missionaries
EcoSmile Sling Bag Crossbody Bag This bag comes in a lot of cute colors (probably dark or black would be best for missionary work, however). It is water resistant and a pretty big size.
Puffer Crossbody Bag I think this one is adorable! This is also water resistant.
Vera Bradley Crossbody Bag This bag is on the smaller side but perfect for what Sister Missionaries pack around.
Best Tech for future Sister Missionaries
Tech can be a sweet spot with items your future missionary can use now and THROUGH their mission. Each missionary is given a phone to use on their mission by the church, but these tech gifts are up to individuals to bring (and can be so helpful and loved!).
Bluetooth Headphones
Bluetooth Headphones: There MIGHT be some mission presidents that draw a hard line on using headphones for listening to music…(some only allow music to be played on speakers), however, I have not heard of any mission presidents not allowing missionaries to use headphones while on calls with their family! (Shoot me a message if you’ve had a different experience!).
Wireless bluetooth headphones can be paired with any phone and allow some privacy AND help your missionary hear better when on calls with you (especially while at noisy MTC or P-day). You can go for an expensive pair of headphones that they will use now through their mission or go mid-range or even cheaper. I’m sharing mid-range here (these should last and be good for use pre-mission as well!).
Apple Airpods4: These are not the newest airpods, but they are some of the top bestselling bluetooth headphones on Amazon. They are priced mid-range and work amazingly well (this is what we have at our home!).
JBL Vibe Beam Wireless Headphones: This is a less expensive but still great quality option!
Beats Solo Over the Ear Wireless Headphones: If your missionary prefers headphones that don’t go in their ears (I don’t blame them!) this is a little bit pricier option but one that has amazing reviews and should last the whole mission!
Journaling Tech Tools
One of the best investments you can make in your missionary is making it easy for them to record about their mission! They will never regret spending the time to write down their experiences and it is the best gift to make it easy for them to do! Here are some tech tools to make missionary journaling easier!
Bluetooth Folding Keyboard This was one of the things my son said was his favorite thing we sent on his mission! He used his to write the best letters (journaling!) every week. WORTH EVERY PENNY! These pair via bluetooth to your missionary’s phone an allow them to write in their google docs/email quickly and easily.
Selfie Stick/Tripod This comes in especially handy if your missionary ends up doing the social media for their mission! But is also just fun for P-day calls, photos, etc. This folds up small and includes a remote!
Digital Camera with Wifi Full disclosure…we sent my son with a camera and he only used his phone camera. 🙂 However, if you have a budding photographer…this camera is an excellent deal! It has wi-fi capabilities that will allow your missionary to easily download photos to their google drive/to send in their weekly letter!
Scripture Study/Learning
Your future missionary will want to start studying scriptures right away! Here are some books and tools to help them now and while they are serving (these make excellent stocking stuffers!).
No-bleed Scripture Markers: These are lovely colors and don’t bleed through. There are lots of colors to choose from.
Scripture bookmarks/post its: Another inexpensive and fun gift! These can be used to mark scriptures and write notes.
Book of Mormon Made Easier: This set of books is EXCELLENT deep dive for The Book Of Mormon and would be so good for future missionaries.
The Holy Invitation: This is the BEST book for people getting ready to go through the temple. My son LOVED it, and it helps them better understand the endowment.
How to Be an Extraordinary Missionary John Bytheway
Born to Change the World: Your Part in Gathering Israel Brad Wilcox
Jewelry and Accessories
Shark Watch These watches are highly recommended by missionaries for durability and non-flashiness. 🙂 They are a little pricey, but if you have a future missionary that might want a watch this would make a fun Christmas gift!
Cross/initial bracelet Jewelry with crosses are growing in popularity amongst younger members of the church. This beautiful bracelet would be a fun stocking stuffer!
I am His Chosen Gold Bar Necklace This beautiful necklace is four sided with the words “I am His, Redeemed, Called By Name and the fish symbol.”
Clothing
Clothing is one area that you could purchase ahead of time and have your future missionary use right now!
You can get a lot of different clothing ideas in these posts
How to create a Capsule Wardrobe for a Sister Missionary
The Best Dress Shirts for Missionaries: Performance Shirt Reviews
but for today I want to add in some ideas for P-day clothes that I think would be so much fun for future missionaries’ Christmas gifts!
Key Takeaways
I hope this gift guide helps you find something that will not only brighten your future missionary’s Christmas morning and also support her in the exciting journey ahead. Preparing to serve a mission is such a unique and sacred time, and thoughtful gifts can make her feel seen, supported, and loved.
Whether you choose something practical, spiritual, or just plain fun, the most meaningful part will be the love behind it. If you have additional ideas or favorites your missionary has loved, feel free to share—I’d love to keep adding helpful suggestions for families just like yours!