<p>If your sending anything perishable to a male let him know to look for it. Many students rarely check their mailbox.
Also look into the flat rate boxes from the post office.
Also know your kid. With my D I sent room decorating items. For example- prayer flags, halloween decorations. My son on the other hand would probably never take the decorating items out of the box.
My D loves getting packages. My son could really care less.</p>
<p>Funny how kids differ. I sent my younger son a box of cheezy Halloween decorations last year and he and the guys in his suite had a blast putting them everywhere.</p>
<p>Definitely true that you should know your kid when making these choices. If I’d sent that box to his older brother, it would have gone under the bed for a while and then gotten tossed out.</p>
<p>Haha, last year, especially first semester, I probably sent a package every week or so. Usually I didn’t pack it while husband was around, because he’d wonder why we were spending money to send such silly stuff… it didn’t care how stupid D thought it was…it made her laugh. I’d save goofy stories from the newspaper, pick up things at Target’s $1 bins, and those buy-at-impulse-at-the-cash-register things. It made me feel better about missing her, and her friends looked forward to the packages as much as D did!</p>
<p>Of course, depends on the child but yes, my D and her friends had were THRILLED when I send holiday decorations and art supplies for them to make more - construction paper, sparkly stickers, crepe paper, etc. - on Friday nights they would all get together do Hip Hop Abs, watch What Not To Wear and make crafts!!! (don’t you love it!)</p>
<p>Older d requested green chile. Younger d has already promised a couple of fellow New Mexicans that when her case of chile arrives in 2-3 weeks, they will meet up for quesadillas w/ real green chile. (I think there are 5 kids of NM at the school. D knows 2 or 3 of them.) Taste of home for the homesick. Now if they can only find tortillas locally, they’ll be all set. </p>
<p>Also gave both d’s a subscription to their favorite magazine. (Weekly/monthly mail guaranteed.)</p>
<p>And on a practical note: toothbrushes.</p>
<p>on the silly side, I had a friend in Iraq and sent all the usual items like toilet paper, chapstick, etc. I also put in a couple packages of punch balls, those balls with a rubber band attached that you bounce off your hand. I got raves from the whole group about the 99 cent punch balls! So really anything can be fun for a group in a silly mood.</p>
<p>Glowsticks are fun as well, and can be picked up in the dollar store.<br>
A board game is fun too (they often have college-opoly for whatever school).<br>
Decorations for the next upcoming holiday. Buy cheap because they will probably be trashed and thrown away.
Pens/pencils</p>
<p>You all are the best! What great ideas…I can’t wait to make yet another Target run!</p>
<p>The one game that my D and her friends played time after time after time (and is great for large groups AND is small enough to send) is CatchPhrase!</p>
<p>Great for getting to know people too!</p>
<p>Apples to Apples is really popular at my college.</p>
<p>Yep, Apples to Apples - 2nd fav after Catchphrase!!</p>
<p>my kids and their friends/cousins, etc. LOVE Apples to Apples, i was thinking of getting an new copy to send (or maybe send the old, keep the new at home!) to D.</p>
<p>Thanks for the wonderful suggestions! I’m putting together a list for the care package #2.
My first “care package” will include the items DD forgot to put into her bag when she packed: her favorite sunglasses, dress socks and tights, swimming goggles, bodywash, software disks, etc.</p>