Frequently Asked Questions

How many boxes are sent?

In 2009 23,000 boxes were sent – one for each member of the Armed Forces and MOD civil servants serving on operational tours of duty overseas over the Christmas period and those in hospitals on Christmas Day as a result of serving on operations.

Which military locations will be receiving the boxes, and in what quantities?

Every location where there are Armed Forces currently serving on operational tours of duty overseas; these include current theatres (Iraq, Afghanistan) and locations such as the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and Diego Garcia.

Each individual member of the military and MOD civil servants serving in these locations will be provided with a box.

How are the boxes being transported?

The majority are moved by sea freight, although some are sent by air. They have all been transported within the existing logistics supply chain. There have been no extra shippings or flights to get them to their required destinations because of the early approach made by uk4u-Thanks!. Boxes have been sent using irreducible spare capacity.

Isn't space on ship and air freight already tight in the run up to Christmas without these boxes having to be transported?

The distribution of the Christmas boxes has been carefully planned far enough in advance to fit in with the existing logistics supply chain to ensure that boxes arrive in theatre in time for the Christmas period.

How much does each box cost and who pays for them?

Each box has an overall retail value of around £50. Generous members of the public as well as a number of different industry and private sponsors pay for the boxes. Every £1 donated to the charity has the equivalent of £3 spending value due to the Charity's buying power.

When was the charity set up and why?

uk4u Thanks! was set up in May 2005. Sending Christmas Boxes for serving military personnel overseas is a 90 year old custom, first conceived in 1914 by 17-year-old Princess Mary, daughter of King George V. The custom was revived in 2004, in which all Service men and women deployed on operations over the Christmas period were issued with a gift box aimed at giving them a lift during the festive season. The gift box in December 2004 was extremely successful with the troops, and uk4u Thanks! was been set up to repeat the event each year.

Who is behind the charity and who are its trustees?

The Patron of the Charity is The Duke of Westminster KG, himself a Major-General in the Territorial Army. The trustees are Allan Simms, Bridget Townsend, Sally Little, Brigadier David Martin and Wing Commander Charles Wookey, who were invited to be trustees as they have direct or indirect links to the military. The charity has official approval of the MOD, who oversees the delivery of the boxes.

How do I contact uk4u-Thanks! ?

Contact details for the charity can be found on the Contact Us page.

Who are the sponsors for the Christmas Box?

Full details of the sponsors who have supported uk4u Thanks! over the years can be found on the Sponsors page.

What is in the Christmas Boxes?

A range of items, including treats, novelties and gifts that vary slightly from year to year. The contents for 2009 were:

A Christmas Hat
A travel kit including neck pillow, eye mask and ear plugs
A key ring torch
A head torch
Juggling balls
A Frisbee
A sewing kit (with military coloured thread!)
A pocket mirror
A flashing LED armband
A multi-tool
Tiger Tail balloons
UK4U playing cards
A padlock
A pack of assorted teabags
A Christmas greetings DVD
A UK4U Thanks! Christmas Card
A British Forces Post Office Christmas Card
A Christmas Carol sheet

How do you decide on the items?

uk4u Thanks! choose a number of different items they think the Armed Forces would enjoy at Christmas. The decision process includes the MOD and feedback from the previous year's boxes. In addition, considerable care is taken not to include items that might cause offence to local communities.

Are there different boxes for men and women?

No. The contents of the boxes are consistent, although there is an element of variety between them as some of the same items come in different colours, shapes, etc. The boxes will be allocated at random by Commanders in theatre. Each box contains a wide range of contents that will appeal to both men and women equally.

What is the advice to people who wish to send parcels to unnamed service personnel who they do not know.

The MOD is hugely grateful for the fantastic generosity and support shown for our Armed Forces by the British public. Our servicemen and women are doing a tough job in dangerous circumstances and the support of the British public means a great deal to them. However, the issue of unsolicited parcels to operational theatres is a tricky one. The truth is that the level of support from the public has been frankly overwhelming, and the postal system to operational theatres has been completely overwhelmed at Christmas in previous years with the net result that some personal mail suffered significant delays. As a result of this experience the MOD conducted a study into post to operational theatres.

The conclusion of the study was that the impact of accepting 'unsolicited' mail on the supply chain is negative. The reasons were:

Unsolicited goodwill parcels place a strain on the logistic supply chain whose primary purpose is to make sure troops in theatre are properly equipped with ammunition, rations, medical supplies and other essential items, to enable them to operate effectively.
The delivery of such mail to forward operating bases also necessitates additional re-supply flights and convoys which places our personnel at additional risk.
According to the MOD's estimates, which are based on a modest 2-fold increase in mail volume, the cost of extending the current system to accept 'unsolicited' mail, would be £19M per year.

It is for these reasons that the MOD is keen to encourage the public to demonstrate their support in other ways, such as by supporting uk4u Thanks!

What's the history of the 1914 box?

The 1914 Christmas box was the idea of the 17 year old Princess Mary, daughter of King George V and Queen Mary. The purpose was to provide everyone wearing the King's uniform and serving overseas on Christmas Day 1914 with a 'gift from the nation'. Each brass box had an embossed head of Princess Mary on the cover, flanked by the bows of battleships and roundels of the names of the Allies.

What was in these boxes?

The contents varied considerably; officers and men on active service afloat or at the front line received a box containing a combination of pipe, lighter, 1 oz of tobacco and twenty cigarettes in distinctive yellow monogrammed wrappers. Non-smokers and boys received a bullet pencil and a packet of sweets instead. Indian troops often got sweets and spices, and nurses were treated to chocolate. Many of these items were despatched separately from the tins themselves, as once the standard issue of tobacco and cigarettes was placed in the tin there was little room for much else apart from the greeting card.

Who received the boxes?

Every man who was wearing the King's uniform on Christmas Day 1914.

What was the box like?

It was an embossed brass box and measures 5" long by 3.25" wide by 1.25" deep with a double-skinned, hinged, lid. The surface of the lid depicts the head of Princess Mary in the centre, surrounded by a laurel wreath and flanked on either side by the 'M' monogram. At the top, a decorative cartouche contains the words 'Imperium Britannicum' with a sword and scabbard either side. On the lower edge, another cartouche contains the words 'Christmas 1914', which is flanked by the bows of battleships forging through a heavy sea. In the corners, small roundels house the names of the Allies: Belgium, Japan, Montenegro and Serbia; France and Russia are at the edges, each superimposed on three furled flags or standards.

Where can I see one of these boxes?

The Imperial War Museum has original boxes on display. More detailed information can readily be found on the Internet.