Five enlistment gift ideas for your homesick army boyfriend

Here are five lovely gift ideas to show how much you miss your botak boy as he serves the nation.

Aisyah Lyana

Published: 18 January 2016, 10:20 AM

The enlistment day has finally come. In the past week you have gone out with your beloved boyfriend every single day from dawn till dusk, done all the army shopping at Beach Road, and even accompanied him to the barber as he got shaved bald…So now, what should you get as a final enlistment gift before bidding him farewell at Tekong?

Before we even answer that question, here is a heads-up of what you should NOT give him for his enlistment!
1. Bouquet
Guys will feel paiseh when walking around with a bouquet.

Giving flowers is definitely a sweet gesture. However, it is unwise to make it known that he has a plus-one as his higher-ups are sure to pick on him more often.

Also, with 19 days in camp, these withering flowers become a painful reminder of how long he has been in army and how long more he has to endure.

2. All things edible
Save your money from buying expensive meals.

Yes, we all know that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but you would not want your enlistment gift to disappear before his training even starts, no? Given the tough training, he will wolf down everything in an instant!

With these in mind, what would make a great gift for your homesick boy as he gives up his civilian life to race through obstacles and survive harsh punishments from his sergeant?

1. Pre-recorded MP3 with audio notes

With this, you do not even need whatsapp.

Time for phone calls will be limited and you will hardly get to exchange meaningful conversations – perhaps only enough for a goodnight message. Hence, an inexpensive clip MP3 filled with your pre-recorded audio notes as well as your favourite couple songs would mean a lot to him.

2. Handmade cards

To the love of my life…. From yours truly.
Nothing beats genuine handmade cards. A personalised series of letters starting from day one, or an “Open when…” series would be wonderful. Small cards that can be slipped into his wallet or pasted on the mirror in his locker would provide timely reminders of what and for whom he is training for.

3. Polaroid photo 

You can give him a new photo every week.
A physical photo at hand would make a great gift for him as he can take a quick glance every now and then when he misses you. Gift him a few momentous photos in your relationship so that he can reminisce happy times.

4. Couple journal

Diaries are now interactive.
As stated in #1, you will hardly get time to share much about your day. It may sound pretty old school, but you can get him a little journal for him to fill in his days – like a diary – and you can exchange entries once he books out.

5. Army essentials

No such thing as being overprepared. Photo Credits: Instagram
If your boy loves practical gifts, he would appreciate army essentials to gear up for his enlistment. Some suggestions include muscle rub (for frequent muscle aches), pimple cream (breakouts are common), air freshener (the closet can get really smelly) and a spare portable charger (if his bunk mates hog the power points).

There you have it, our five enlistment gift ideas for your enlisting boyfriend. In all honesty though, your boyfriend would love just about anything his girlfriend gives him.

Do you have more ideas on what to give to an enlisting boyfriend? Comment and share with us what you think!

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