How to Make a Jug of Hugs: An Easy, Free and Thoughtful Gift

Looking for a special, very personal gift for someone who is either far away or is going away, like back to college or the miltary? Make a “jug' or box or even a large envelope of “hugs” to warm their hearts and comfort their souls whenever they may need it. I made my first box of hugs for my daughter when she went away to college and it has become a family tradition for anyone leaving home. But it can also be gift for anyone, anywhere.

You will need:

-a container to hold the “hugs”; a decorated jar, box or even a large envelope

-stationary

-small envelopes

-cartoons, clip art, jokes

The idea behind a “Jug of Hugs” is a collection of little love notes, words of encouragement, jokes and cartoons that you have put inside individual envelopes. The person is then encouraged to open an envelope whenever they need a little lift or some words of comfort from someone who loves them. When I made my first box of hugs, I created 30 envelopes-one for each day of the month. I later found out that my daughter opened them only when she really needed to so that she could make them last!

You can decide how much you write. I included memories of things we did together, “Do you remember when we went to the zoo and you were chased by the swan?”. I also added words of encouragement and praise that told her how special she was to me.

For some humor, I cut and pasted cartoons from the newspaper and magazines.

I also added a few envelopes that had some money in them. In one envelope, I placed a five dollar bill and told her to go crazy at the dollar store!

You can also add some pictures of the family, a favorite pet or silly things like a cat dressed in doll clothes. If appropriate, have the whole family contribute some “hugs”.

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