61 Creative Christmas Gift Ideas for Missionaries

As the holidays come rolling around (or way in advance of the holidays if you have a missionary serving in another country! 😉 ) it is natural to want to send your missionary some Christmas goodies. 

The tricky part is balancing your missionary’s minimalist lifestyles with gift ideas they are allowed to use and they will LOVE! That’s a lot of balancing, so it is no wonder a lot of people are stumped!

I’m here to help. Besides missionarysquare.com, I also have another website TheGiftyGirl.com that is ALL gift ideas! Gift ideas are kinda my favorite so I’m happy to share “61 Christmas Gift Ideas Missionaries will love” with you. 

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links. This means, if I will get paid a small commission (at no cost to you!) if you purchase products through my links. I always try to recommend products I have personal experience with and LOVE. I also read reviews and ratings to make sure that I am offering up the best possible gift option for you. You can read more in my full disclosure.

Decorations to Gift Missionaries

Deck their halls with some Christmas decor! These decorations are minimal and don’t take up a lot of space with transfers. 

Custom Missionary Stockings on Etsy

Sagebrush Stitches makes beautiful custom stockings with nametags for Elder and Sister missionaries. Make sure to order yours well in advance of when you need it!

DIY Missionary Stocking

Black Christmas Stocking: Bear with me here…this would totally work with more festive stocking colors as well, but you could easily DIY this black stocking into an Elder Christmas Stocking. Grab a 6-12 month little boy Christmas tie to attach to the top of the stocking (you could sew a few stitches or just safety pin it!). Next, get a custom name tag to attach to the stocking that says “Elder__” or “Sister __”. 

Christmas Trees to send your missionary

4 foot felt Christmas Tree with ornaments These felt trees are easy to mail, fold up, pack, you name it! You can also purchase some colored LED lights and attach them to the tree. Have friends and family write a special message on the back of the ornaments (or make their own!). I would also include 3M velcro strips and a 3m hanger so it can easily be attached to any wall. 

Wooden Branch Ladder Tree This is another beautiful alternative to a felt tree! It would also be fun to decorate with LED lights and ornaments. The package measures 24” x 4” x 2.75 inches so it is package and sendable! 

Wooden nesting tree: This would be a fun Christmas option for a crafty missionary. The Christmas tree cutouts slide together to make a 3D tree. The 16” tall tree would be very flat for mailing or packing. You could send along some acrylic paint pens for your missionary and his/her companion to decorate their own tree. 

Ornaments to gift Missionaries

Wooden Names of Jesus Ornaments I love these ornaments so much! This 48 piece set has one name of Jesus on each ornament along with a scriptural reference. You could also send these as an advent calendar! I tried to research and see if there are 48 different names or if this is a set of two 24 names but I’m not sure. 
Felt Nativity Ornaments These are adorable! It is an 8 piece ornament set.

DIY Wooden Ornament Set: A 40 piece set of ornaments that your missionary can decorate themselves! Send the acrylic paint pens and this will be an activity and a decoration. 

Nativity Scenes to Gift your Missionary

Nativity Scene/Puzzle: This measures 8”x7”x1” so it is fairly compact. The puzzle comes apart to make the scene plus a manger. 

Wooden Peg Nativity Scene A tiny wooden peg nativity scene will pack up nicely and isn’t breakable. 

Unfinished Wooden Nativity Scene: Another project for crafty missionaries! Or you can paint it first and send it to them. 

Nesting dolls Nativity Scene: This only has five characters (Joseph, Mary, WIsemen and baby Jesus) but is adorable and packs up tiny. The largest figure is 4 ½” tall. 

Nativity Paper Diorama This is gorgeous, inexpensive and folds out to 10” x 10” x 7.5”. It would be PERFECT for mailing! It also comes in a large paper diorama size. 

Nativity Advent Calendar Another beautiful paper nativity scene, this one has numbered windows that open up to tell the story of Jesus’ birth. Your missionary will be able to use this more than once!

More Christmas Decor to gift your Missionary

Battery Powered Flickering Candles Your missionary will love to create some festive ambiance with these safe battery powered flickering candles!

Christmas Tablecloth A colorful Christmas tablecloth is an easy way to send your missionary decor without taking up space! 

Reusable Christmas Banner: I love the message of this “Be Merry” banner! The burlap banner can be easily packed and reused by your missionary. Don’t forget to send 3m hooks!

Wool Christmas Banner: These banners are colorful and can be used to decorate your missionary’s apartment. They are so cute! I would send some 3m hooks with this. 

Other Missionary Gifts on Etsy

I love to purchase gifts on Etsy because you know you are supporting a small business! Everything I’ve purchased through this platform has been high quality and made with love. Here are some fun Etsy Finds

Missionary Quotebundles: This is a digital download of 24 inspirational quotes for missionaries. You print them through a photo place (like Costco or Walmart) and then put them in a frame OR send them by themselves for your missionary to put on the wall.

Missionary Flag Bracelets: These would make the best stocking stuffers for missionaries! (And moms might like one for themselves!) She can do ANY state or country (and has various lengths available).

Personalized Missionary Tag Stocking Tag/Ornament: Grab a gorgeous tag custom made for your missionary! They could use this on a stocking or hang it on the tree (and it would be the best mission keepsake)

Advent Calendar Ideas for Missionaries

An advent calendar will help your missionary get the anticipation and fun that comes with counting down to Christmas. You can add small notes, gifts, candies to the advent calendars to make them even more personal!

Nativity Advent Calendar: This comes with 24 felt nativity characters that you can place in pockets. You could also easily include a message each day to your missionary and/or scriptures! This measures 1.4 feet by 2.1 feet so it is a decent size, but still packable!

Stocking Advent Calendar: This comes with 24 4”x6” stockings and a 15 foot ribbon to string them with. There are so many things you could do with this! You could add treats, small gifts, pictures, messages…it will be so fun to open up and get a surprise each day!  ***Don’t forget your missionary’s companion! If you can do two of each treat, do it! 

Felt Pocket Advent Calendar: This is a gorgeous felt advent calendar that could work for Elders or sisters. There is also a linen fabric option. It has 24 small pockets that won’t hold much more than a note but it is lovely!

Big Canvas Pocket Advent Calendar: This sturdy advent calendar will hold small wrapped packages! Each pocket is about the size of a deck of cards, but the pockets open up quite a bit so you could fit several treats or small toys inside. The only drawback is that it isn’t very colorful/festive. 

Buffalo Check Drawstring Bag Advent Each drawstring bag measures 6” x3.9” so they are a great size. They have a beautiful wooden number that attaches with twine. These don’t attach to anything in particular, but you could send a thick ribbon and some 3m hooks if you want your missionary to be able to hang it up on the wall. 

No Room at the Inn Advent Calendar: The artwork on this paper advent calendar is beautiful! Each window opens up to show a bible verse from the story of the birth of Christ. It measures 11”x14”.  There are some other pretty paper advent calendars including a Santa village scene advent with windows that offer up ways to spread Christmas cheer, or a Christmas Town advent calendar that has a hidden picture behind each door. 

LovePop Nativity Advent Calendar This is a novel advent calendar that works perfectly for missionaries! Each day, your missionary will open an envelope that folds out into a paper figure of the nativity. It is so cute! 

Custom Gifts for Missionaries

There are a lot of custom gifts that you can have personalized for your missionary for Christmas. Just make sure that you give yourself plenty of leadtime! Here are some of my favorites. 

Custom Engraved Wooden Tie Clip: This can be engraved on one or both sides. You could write a message, put your Elder’s initials, engrave a scripture, or put your home’s latitude and longitude! 

Custom Engraved Bracelet: Your sister missionary will love this gorgeous bracelet that comes in silver, gold or rose gold. You can engrave a message on the outside and then a special “secret” message on the inside. 

Custom Photo Ornament: It would be a fun tradition to send two ornaments each Christmas to your missionary…one with pics from home/your family and the other one with a picture from the mission. You can add a message on the back as well! It would be a sentimental keepsake they can use on their own family’s Christmas tree in the future. 

Custom Pillow with Picture and Text: This inexpensive pillow includes 8 pictures and text. You could put something like, “We wish you a Merry Christmas!” and then add Christmas pics! It does not come with an insert, but your missionary could put clothes or a towel inside. 

Custom Photo Socks: You could do so many fun things with this sock! A picture of your Elder’s siblings, pet, companion etc. Super cute (and useful!)  

Custom Photo Puzzle: Send a photo of your family, your missionary, favorite pets, or your missionary’s favorite place and get it made into a high quality 500 piece wooden puzzle. I looked at many different puzzle options on Amazon and this had the best reviews (best quality photos, comes in a box with the picture on it, wooden pieces, pieces are different). 

Voice Recording Gifts for Missionaries

There are some really cool voice recording gadgets that would make the coolest gifts for missionaries! I would hesitate sending a gift like this if your missionary is feeling super homesick though.

15-minute Voice Recording Device I think this would be such a sweet gift paired with a Christmas book! You could have different people read different pages in the book and then end with a personal Christmas wish!

2 hour voice recording card If your family has a special Christmas Eve or Christmas reading and singing tradition, you could use this 2 hour voice recording card so your missionary can share the tradition with you!

5”x7” Picture Frame with 20 second audio Put a special Christmas picture in this frame and then record a Christmas wish! 

Christmas Books to Send Missionaries

Now, some missions have rules about books, but if your missionary has the A-okay to read books here are some wonderful choices. 

Celebrating a Christ-centered Christmas by Emily Belle Freeman: This lovely picture book has a spread about each character of Christ’s birth along with ideas of an activity to do to remember the lesson from the character. 

Because of the Messiah in the Manger by Brad Wilcox A 160 page book by favorite LDS author/speaker Brad Wilcox. 

Shepherds Why this Jubilee by Jeffrey R. Holland This book has three essays by Elder Holland about Christmas. 

Born this Happy Morning by John Bytheway This has the perfect message for missionaries, “Born This Happy Morning helps readers recapture the magic of childhood Christmases by focusing on how we can give the joy of Christ’s light to those around us, reminding us that the spirit of Christmas is multiplied in our hearts when we share the spirit of Christ with others.” it is 128 pages. 

Seeing Christ in Christmas by Dieter F. Uchtdorf This 12 page pamphlet is a quick but touching read for missionaries. 

The Perfect Gift Henry B. Eyring’s pamphlet talks about the best Christmas gifts. 

Toys to send your Missionary for Christmas

Even though they are all grown-up, your missionary will still enjoy a toy to play with on Christmas morning! Here are some ideas that are (usually) mission approved, not too big to move from place to place and most importantly, lots of fun!

Worlds Smallest Toys for Missionaries

These tiny toys actually work (we have quite a few of them) and they are just perfect for missionaries. Not too expensive and so small that they are easily to cart around. 

World’s Smallest Games Bundle (one for your missionary and their comp!). This bundle includes Scrabble and Pictionary. 

Rubik’s Cube Mini: This is teeny tiny and functional!

World’s Smallest Bopit: This actually works just like the big one (but only goes to 100). 

World’s Smallest Etch a Sketch: A fun activity that your missionary can fit in their pocket!

World’s Smallest Monopoly: A classic game that is so flippity flapping small!

World’s Smallest Light Bright: Your missionary can make glowing pictures with tiny light pegs!

Fidget Toys for Missionaries

Lots of fidget toys work for missionaries because they are low-tech, fit in your pocket and provide lots of entertainment. Here are some options for missionary Christmas gifts. 

Magnetic Fidget Spheres: We love Speks products, and this is fun to build and fidget with. 

Orbit Track Ball: This ball can be rotated to make two different tracks for marbles to spin through. It has a satisfying noise and is a perfect pocket fidget. 

Magnetic Rings: We have these rings and they are very satisfying and fun to fidget with. 

Games to send your Missionary in a Christmas Package

Many mission presidents allow missionaries play games on P-Days. Here are some great card game options that are easy to mail and pack!

BoM Playing Cards: This is a fun twist on playing cards, using people from the Book of Mormon! These are designed by a future missionary who is saving the proceeds from sales for his mission. Love it!

Uno Flip! and Monopoly Deal are both great card games for missionaries!

Santa Cookie Elf Candy Snowman: This is the Christmas version of the group favorite Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza! Such a fun group game for missionaries especially at Christmas time. 

TableTopics to Go: 40 Conversation Cards Traveling by Bus, Train, Plane or just spending time on Pday, these will help missionaries get to know their fellow missionaries better! 

Christmas Craft Gifts for Missionaries

These craft sets will be a great gift for your missionary and give them an activity to do as well! Here are some fun options. 

Mini watercolor field sketch set: This tiny set measures 3.5 inches by 6 inches but has 12 different watercolor cakes. I think this would be amazing paired with this set of 50 blank watercolor paper postcards (to send home to you!). 

Christmas Cross stitch kit A set of six Christmas embroidery patterns with a hoop and the embroidery threads. I love how it has the threads numbered and sorted according to each picture. It comes with thread, but only one embroidery hoop so if you are sending this for two missionaries to use, I would send a second embroidery hoop. 

Diamond painting kit Diamond painting kits are a great activity and end with a beautiful piece of art. There are lots of Jesus diamond painting kits. 

DIY Gifts for Missionaries

Want to add a personal DIY touch in a gift for your missionary? Here are some ideas that your whole family can help with!

White tie to decorate: Buy this skinny white tie and some fabric markers and let your kids customize it!

White Scarf: if you have a sister missionary, this beautiful scarf is another gift you can decorate as a DIY gift.

White Pillowcase: Customizing a white pillowcase with some cute drawings by a sibling is another way to make a meaningful DIY gift for your missionary. 

Christmas Gifts for Missionaries to give away

Another fun direction to go with missionary packages is to gift your Elder or Sister small Christmas gifts they can give to others! 

Nativity sticker scenes Your missionary will love giving away these nativity scene stickers and making other people’s Christmas brighter!

Jesus Loves You Bracelets: A set of 100 silicone bracelets for your missionary to hand out makes a great gift for your missionary. 

20 pack pink and green adjustiblel CTR Rings: Another sweet gift your missionary can hand out. 

Phew! That’s a lot of different Christmas Gift Ideas for Missionaries! I hope some of them are the perfect fit for your Elder or Sister. 

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