<p>Is there some kind of norm for sending care packages? I don’t want to embarrass my kid, but I love to make cookies…Advice from experienced parents? And how fast do cookies get stale? And what’s the best way to send them?</p>
<p>He will make a lot of friends if he shares them ;)…and they won’t go stale.</p>
<p>I agree, you will not embarrass the kid. Son once forgot some brownies in the dorm refrigerator-the kids ate them over a month later. I recommend you use the priority one-rate boxes from the post office-doesn’t matter how heavy. I usually wrap each brownie, and two cookies bottom to bottom with plastic wrap. Fill in spaces with bubble wrap or tissue. I also put m&m’s in baggies to fill corners.
At Christmas I delivered about 10 dozen treats-they all found homes.</p>
<p>I agree–no one is embarrassed to get cookies and the other kids will love it too. </p>
<p>Wrap/cushion as previous poster advised but send FedEx–overnight if affordable, second day if not–postal service is not reliable and for priority mail not that much cheaper than FedEX second day. Brownies and oatmeal cookies or chocolate chip cookies should be fine with two day delivery and they will get eaten fast.</p>
<p>I sent a few packages during the semester. My son welcomed them. He told me that he likes getting packages. He had a hard time getting the first one because as a freshman student he had a lot on his plate in the beginning of the semester. I would wait a bit to send the first one. Also, my son received a package of homebaked cookies from a parent of one of his college friends when he accomplished something special at school! It was so kind, and so appreciated by my son (and by me too).</p>
<p>Oh good! Any ideas about other fun treats to pack in the box?</p>
<p>An I-tunes card is always welcome.
My experience is with a girl - cute socks, sleep shorts or pants, those microwaveable, gooey desserts for one, funky notepads, tiny ice trays for dorm size frigs, Mardi Gras beads, stuff from the birthday party aisle (parachute men were a great hit), thank-you notes, a book, M&Ms.</p>
<p>I try to send a box around a holiday to send themed items for the room.</p>
<p>Here’s a suggestion that I found very convenient for care packages (BTW there’s never too many!). </p>
<p>Go to the USPS site here:
<a href=“Store redirect”>Store redirect;
and order a box of Priority Mail boxes. They are FREE and they will be delivered to your house FREE. I found the 12" x 12" x 8" box perfect for care packages. That box can be found here:
<a href=“Store redirect”>Store redirect;
<p>Be careful about the “Flat Fee” Priority Mail boxes. They are not always cheaper (in fact, I have yet to find a case where they are cheaper). I also ordered a bunch of the priority mail address labels and printed them off on my computer. </p>
<p>So, when I had an urge to mail a care package, all I had to do was run down to the basement, grab a box and a label, set up the box and it was set to go. Then I could mail it at one of the machines in the Post Office lobby (our post office has really long lines…).</p>
<p>Just a suggestion. :)</p>
<p>I’ve sent homemade cookies and holiday packages to nieces and nephews in college and they were always well recieved, both by the recipient and his/her friends. And when I couldn’t bake, candy or holiday treats went out. WARNING - if the student doesn’t live in a dorm, let them know the package is coming. Sent a box of cookies and brownies to nephew at Penn College (Williamsport, PA) where he lived in a house. It was left at the front door which they never used. Several days later I asked him if he’d gotten it. They found the empty box with a critter sized hole in it out front. If I’d known it was going to a squirrel/mouse/raccoon I’d have just bought something generic! I usually just use shoeboxes(started saving them up already for D and her friends, but I’ve also mailed them out in the plastic shoe-box sized containers.</p>
<p>Shipping method may depend on where you are and the destination. For example, for DD this part year (shipping from CT to NC), I quickly discovered UPS ground was my best bet. Every package I sent took 2 days. Knowing that, I only sent things on Mon - Wed so the packages wouldn’t sit in a UPS facility over the weekend. If I sent only cookies/brownies, I would stack up 4-5, wrap each stack tightly in plastic wrap, and put in box w/ lots of packing paper on all sides. (Having recently moved, we have lots.) The key thing is to not have anything rattling around in the box. Everything arrived unbroken. If I was sending baked goodies as part of a larger care package (for exams, Valentine’s Day, etc.), I’d pack them in one of those disposable plastic food containers, and put it in a larger box, along w/ everthing else. Again, the key is to not have anything moving around in the box.</p>
<p>DD loved all packages, and it was never a problem getting rid of the food – her hall was coed. The heart shaped brownies (I used a cookie cutter) were a HUGE hit for Valentine’s Day.</p>
<p>Wife gets a funky catalog regularly called oriental trading. Really a bunch of imported chinese crap, but I plan on ordering a care package for DS after he is in school for about a week or so.</p>
<p>Goofy light up bracelets and necklaces, mardi gras beads, maybe a gross of groucho marx nose/glasses, have him take them to his friends in the dorms and have a ball. SHHH He doesn’t know about it.</p>
<p>Hi Bethie,
I have successfully used UPS over the years. Depending on how far away your kid will be and whether you have access to a UPS facility nearby, you will be able to figure out exactly how many days delivery will take. (Just go to the UPS web site to figure this out.) I have been shocked at how far they will take packages in one day, whereas the post office says 2-3 days. If I bake brownies, I just wrap them individually in plastic wrap and fill up the rest of the box with bubble wrap or newspaper. With UPS, I was able to bake brownies one morning and my kid would have them the next morning. They will last for quite a while, and I never heard anything from my S akin to, “Gee, why did you send those? No one had any interest in them.” ;)</p>
<p>Well, I wouldn’t send one on a daily basis, but other than that I think that if you are motivated to send care packages it will be fine and appreciated . At least you aren’t showing up yourself - I know someone whose mom brought food every week - in person. Nobody minded since she made enough for everyone. THAT"S a bit much, barring extenuating circumstances!</p>
<p>I got a bunch of the USPS boxes, they aren’t huge, but big enough for some treats</p>
<p>I am planning on sending some new underwear, socks, tea, a little wind up toy, cookies, a national enquirer, some gloves, and the like</p>
<p>Oh, and near a holiday, something relavent, for instance, D pprobably won’t be back for Thanksgiving, so some turkey napkins, or something to set the scene if they go eat </p>
<p>I also plan on sending hair products, school stuff to fill the box if I find her stuff on sale, there should be room, its not that she can’t get them herself, but often we get two for one sales, so the cost of shipping would be cheaper than her buying some of the stuff herself if I get a good sale</p>
<p>and yes, her hair needs the good stuff, believe me</p>
<p>I have 2 kids in college and initially averaged sending each one about 1 package a month, expecially when a freshman.
I agree with sending it EARLY in the week, hoping they will pick it up before the weekend. My problem isn’t getting it there quickly----it’s getting D or S to actually go get it!</p>
<p>I have sent baked goods, other treats, newspaper articles/funnies from home, small gifts, etc. I’ve never received any complaints about sending them, but occasionally would have liked a more timely thank you or acknowledgement. </p>
<p>I stopped sending for awhile to S who sometimes didn’t bother to acknowledge the gift. As they’ve been away longer, I’ve cut back a little, but always send one for “holidays” (ie Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter, St Patricks)</p>
<p>This might sound strange, but (if you are sending to a girl, of course!) feminine hygiene products, cotton balls, etc. also make good packing and that’s a nice way to save the student some money.</p>
<p>Since the hygiene products are individually wrapped, I took them out of the outer plastic wrapper, lined the bottom of the box with the little wrapped items and covered with a layer of tissue paper. They provided a perfect nest for the homemade cookies I sent to my niece, and she really appreciated it. And her mom told me that she was glad for her daughter to have one less reason to have to run out to a store.</p>
<p>Even <em>I</em> wasn’t thinking about daily! These are all such great suggestions–thanks!</p>
<p>I’ve never had a problem with USPS and have made great use of the flat rate box on a number of occasions (but I usually have a variety of boxes at home and confirm the weight before I seal things just in case it’s better to switch boxes). I can get things to North Carolina in 2 days, priority, from WA state most of the time. </p>
<p>I’ve been sending care packages to S#1 for 2 years, never a complaint. Home baked goodies are a can’t miss. Other favorites are a small loaf of sweet bread from his favorite local bakery, See’s candy, his favorite gum or mints, his preferred deodorant since he can’t always find it at school, a new t-shirt or pair of boxers…just about anything is good! Practical items sent this way saves time and energy (and money) the student can put to much better use! (Oh, boy, THAT’S a good one!) I’ll stick in the local newspaper if there is a story I think he’d be interested in reading (especially the sports section in the fall).</p>
<p>Right before finals I send a brain package - oatmeal cookies, energy bars, some sharpened pencils, his favorite tea, and usually some silly good luck charm. Also a local post card with words of encouragement (and looking forward to having him home soon!!).</p>
<p>D has watched this process for 2 years. She’s looking forward to getting her own care packages this coming fall. We’ll see how good priority mail is to her more rural campus.</p>
<p>Cd’s, cheap DVDs, I bought some girl socks on sale and put away, somehow those little socks disappear into some washer/dryer black hole, so a couple of new pairs well be welcome</p>
<p>I also will probablly send some earrings once in a while, barrettes, stuff that makes life fun…</p>
<p>Last year I picked up some halloween stuff- tails, ears, etc and hid them away, when halloween comes, she will get a care package with stuff to share, bought them 1/2 price, so well worth the 8dollars or so so ship out</p>
<p>At Christmas, I have a really tacky shiney tiny tree to send off she can decorate with whatever</p>
<p>At St Patricks day time, have some fun stuff I got last year as well</p>
<p>ps- Grandma can’t wait to add stuff in, she has been sending her granddaughters packages for years, and to me too, so the process will continue</p>
<p>I tended to send goofy stuff - dollar store quality - to keep things lighthearted. At Halloween I sent her this amazing rolling brain that would stop and snarl - the perfect toy for the dorm. At her request, I also sent many, many boxes of Girl Scout cookies.</p>