Sending a Surprise Package — Affordable and Easy-to-Mail Gift Ideas
Do you want to send a birthday or Christmas present to someone far away or a care package to a loved one who is traveling or living abroad? Unfortunately, some items are just too bulky and heavy to lend themselves to mailing. Also, if you are sending perishable items, they might not make it to your recipient in time and could go stale or spoil before they are received.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should stop sending people gifts in the mail! Everyone loves to receive a lovely gift, especially something thoughtful sent in the mail rather than just another gift card. Here are some ideas for easy-to-mail items.
Jewelry
Jewelry is a great gift to send because it is relatively light-weight and can sent in a flat package. A beautiful piece of jewelry can be a very valuable gift and will be something that your niece, cousin, daughter, aunt or grandmother will cherish.
However, don’t just throw the jewelry into the envelope by itself, as it could get damaged in transit. If you are sending something small such as a pair of earrings, they could be put inside a birthday or Christmas card and sent within a padded envelope. A large piece of jewelry could be placed inside a cushioned jewelry folder and then slipped into a larger padded envelope.
Photographs
Do you have a beautiful photograph of you and your friend, or a gorgeous landscape shot from a holiday that you took together? You could have the photo enlarged and send it as a gift. Many drug stores and even supermarkets offer photo services and will print an enlarged and high-quality version of your photo. If the photo is small enough to fit in a large envelope, you can package it between two pieces of cardboard and mark the envelope “Photograph: Do Not Bend.” If the photo print is larger, you can roll it up and send it in a tube.
Journals and Stationery
Beautiful journals, art supplies and stationery can make great gifts, especially for your loved ones who enjoy writing, drawing and making crafts. Because most journals, sketchpads, stationery packs and other art supplies are flat, they are easy to send in the mail. Make sure that you send them in a sturdy envelope with cardboard backing around them to keep them from getting bent.
You could even send packages of watercolor paints, pencils, paint brushes and other supplies. Make sure that these are cushioned with a padded envelope, so that they are not cracked or broken in transit.
Seeds
Do you have a friend or relative who loves gardening? Why not send them some seeds for beautiful and exotic plants for their garden? You could send a selection of flowers for a decorative garden or even some seeds for fruits and vegetables that they can grow and eat. Seed packets are very lightweight and they are easy to slip into an envelope. You could also slip in a new pair of gardening gloves and even a poem about spring flowers. The best thing about this gift is that the seeds will grow into beautiful flowers and delicious, healthy, fresh foods. Your friend is sure to enjoy such a gift.
Clothing
If you want to send a gift to someone far away, another great option is to send clothing. Clothes can be folded up to be quite small and they are usually very lightweight, so they will not be very expensive to send in the mail. If you are traveling or living abroad and you want to send back a souvenir, a t-shirt sent by international shipping could be a great gift for someone in your family.
Of course, in order to send clothing as a gift you will need to know the clothing size of your recipient. If you are sending gifts for babies or small children, it is better to estimate slightly larger rather than smaller, because little ones outgrow clothing quickly.
These are just a few ideas for what you can send in the post when you are looking to mail a gift to someone.
About the Author: Eleanor Garrison is a blogger and mother of three. She loves to send her relatives Christmas gifts in the mail and she often sends stationery, handmade cards, jewelry and clothing.
