A great Christmas present for all of your unprepared family and friends would be an emergency kit. The Red Cross has begun recommending a five day kit, instead of the standard 72-hour kit. However, you can decide the length of the kit. You can purchase an emergency kit for your friends or family or you can assemble one of your own.
In reality your gift will have to be completed once they have received it, since it may be difficult to buy and include extra clothing and prescriptions for each individual. You may want to start off by making a starter kit, and include a list of items which they should include to fully stock the kit.
You should start with something to store the kit in. A backpack would probably be the most convenient way to store and move an emergency kit. You will need to make sure that the backpack is waterproof. You will want to include basic food and water supplies for each person for at least three days. You will also want to include a good first aid kit and manual. A flash light and matches are a good idea as well.
If you are providing emergency kits for children you may want to include fun quiet activities for the children to complete. These activities can include sticker books, coloring books, travel board games, and books to read. You may also want to include snacks that children enjoy. These could include fruit snacks, juice boxes, and crackers.
If you are not including everything in the kit, you will want to be sure to include a list of what they will need to add to make it complete. This should include prescriptions, blankets/sleeping bags, tarp/tent, tools, a radio, extra batteries, and a change of clothes.
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