This is  NOT a complete list.  These are just some of the suggested items I have compiled here for easy reference.   

Suggested Snack Food Items
{All food items must be appropriately sealed / and prepackaged}
Beef Jerky / Beef Sticks
Canned Chicken {with easy open pop tops} and/or packs
Canned Fruit
Cappuccino
Cereal Bars / high protein bars / Granola Bars / Energy Bars
Cheese Spread
Chex Mix
Chips
Condiments: salt/ pepper/ spices/ sugar/ sweet & low/ honey packs
Cookies / Crackers / Snack Crackers
Crystal Light
Dried Fruit
Dry Cereal
Fruit Pies
Gatorade
Gum
Hard Candy wrapped (no chocolate in summer)
Hot Chocolate Mix
Hot Sauce / salsa
Instant Coffee / coffee creamer
Instant Oatmeal
Instant Soups / Soups in pop-top containers
Jelly / Peanut butter
Juice Boxes
Kool Aid (sweetened)
Mayo / Catsup
Nuts
Pudding Cups
Sardines
Snack Crackers of all kinds
Sugar Packets / Sweet N Low Packets
Summer Sausage
Tea Bags

Suggested Toiletries
Anti-Bacterial Wipes
Anti-Bacterial Gel
Baby Oil, Baby Powder
Baby Wipes
Body Wash / soap (be sure to triple pack the soap and not put it near the food as it leaves the smell of soap on the food)
Chapstick
Dental Floss
Deodorant
Disposable hand and feet warmers
DUSTING CLOTHS for removing the sand from everything and every surface
Face Soap
Foot/Boot Powder
Insect Repellent Wipes/ non aerosol spray with Deet (need in spring/summer)
Lotion for body and hand
Mouthwash
Packaged Wet Ones / baby wipes
Pocket Size First-Aid Kit
Q-Tips
Shampoo
Sunscreen
Toenail/Fingernail Clippers
Tooth Paste / Tooth Brush
Tooth Picks
Men: Razors, Shaving Cream in a tube, after-shave lotion (no fragrance)
Women: Panty Liners, feminine hygiene products, conditioner, brush/comb hair clips/bands, non-aerosol hair spray, hair gel

Suggested Clothing
Hats, bandannas
Socks
Men's T-shirts and underwear (all sizes) BROWN OR GREEN FOR THE T-SHIRT if possible. {Proper military issue t-shirts can also be acquired at Army / Military Surplus stores.}
Women's sport bras and panties (all sizes)

Suggested Fun Time Materials
Balls: soccer ball, basketballs, football
Batteries: AA- C -D -9 volt
Beanie Babies or stuffed animals (new please)
Board Games
Playing Cards
CD’s
Dart Board with darts
Disposable cameras
DVDs (you can tape from television too)
Electronic/Battery Hand held games (include batteries)
Mailing Envelopes (no stamps) / Pens with Stationary
Frisbee
Greeting Cards they can send back home (Variety packages work great!}

Mag flashlight bulbs,

Magazines {Be careful about content as some magazines can be illegal there.}
Mini Hand-held Fan or Water Misty fan
Nerf Balls
Packaged Poker Sets
Plastic bowls, spoons, forks, knives
Puzzle Books/Word Find Books
Sewing Kits
Small flash light for reading at night
Water guns
Yo-Yo's
Zip Lock Bags & Plastic lock containers for sealing leftovers and personal items

Also if you are creative or crafty many will appreciate something hand made or home made. 

Get kids involved too!  Have them write if old enough.  If not old enough then let them draw or color a picture.  Kids can also be wonderfully creative.  Ask them for suggestions. 

DO NOT SEND PORK, PORK PRODUCTS, ALCOHOL, PORNOGRAPHY.
► Do not send pressurized items – they may explode
► Do not send products in glass containers
► Do not send chocolate in the summertime to the Middle East.
► Package all food items that may leak in zip-lock type bags. Add Tape to bottle tops to better secure them. Put all liquid items in a zip-lock bag so it won't leak.



POCKET SIZE, TRAVEL SIZE: 
For some Marines or other troops the items may need to be kept small: pocket-size, travel-size, sample-size are ideal. Remember your Marine has to pack this around, and if he/she is in a unit that may be mobilized, they're going to travel light.  Some units are more mobile than others.  Just as some have more access to facilities to make purchases than others.  If you do not know then the safe bet is to keep items small.

 

 

 

Most of the stockings contained a letter, stress ball, rubix cube, razors, hand made ornaments, pens, antibacterial gel, nuts, beef jerky, lotion, shampoo, hair conditioner, sunscreen, cards, dominoes, candy suckers/pops, bubble gum,  hard candy, soap, dental floss, tooth paste, toothbrushes, baby wipes, chapsticks, q-tips, and a Christmas CD.  Different stockings contained different items.  There were also boxes that were sent to a person in the unit to share had magazines, snack items, and the yarn angels I made.   I did 2 Christmas stockings per box.  I also had 2  boxes with magazines, yarn angels and misc items for many to share.