Shipping meaningful gifts for the holidays
There’s bound to be somebody in your life who can’t make it home this holiday season to spend time with their loved ones. But that doesn’t mean you’re not thinking of them. Holiday packages let a person know you’re thinking of them and they are not alone.
Of course you’ll need to assess your recipient. Are they in the military, traveling overseas or simply can’t afford the time / money to fly? Each person will have a unique situation you’ll need to account for. Note that packages being sent overseas may have restricted items. Check online prior to making a trip to the shipping office.
Military
Send a package that lets them transport their mind away from the stressful situation they may be in. A good book, homemade cookies, their favorite treat. Handwritten notes are a special touch that everybody can insert. Send an actual printed photo or two to let them know how you’re doing. You may get the opportunity to speak with them on the phone quite often but they don’t always get a chance to see your face.
Overseas traveler
Two years ago, on a whim I bought a plane ticket to India. My flight left LAX at 9am on Christmas Eve and I was terrified I had gotten myself in over my head, I didn’t eat at all that morning. The international flights I have been on have been notorious for overfeeding me. There always seems to be an attendant wandering the aisles trying to push snacks and meals in my face. I wasn’t worried about having enough food but when I opened up my carry-on bag I found my dad had slipped a giant piece of our family’s Christmas Day traditional coffee cake nestled in a plastic container. Something so simple but thoughtful nearly brought me to tears.
Travelers are tougher to arrange shipments to. If they’re stable, make sure you’re choosing a fast enough shipping method to reach them in time. If a box full of goodies isn’t an option, send an email with some photos attached their way. They’ll love it all the same. And schedule a time to have a conversation with them over Skype, Facetime or other video chatting service.
Family unable to be with you this holiday season
If they couldn’t afford to visit you this year because of time or money or simply because they had other obligations (maybe going to their new wife’s family side for festivities) doesn’t mean you can’t be there in spirit. While in most states it’s not legal to ship wine, you are able to ship other lovely liquids like fancy olive oil. Have a favorite bakery or deli? Let them pack up some goodies and ship them safely to your recipient.
As we wrote about before, you can use your moving supplies for shipping reasons.
- Make sure you’re following the shipping restrictions.
- Make sure you’re securing everything. More open room in a box means more room for things to get damaged or crumbled in transit.
- Be personal! Have fun.
