Friends! I mentioned to my friend Staci that I was writing a weekly Holiday Gift Guide  and she generously offered to help! And because I have, on one or two occasions, been on the receiving end of her incredible gift of gifting–I would have been a fool to decline. So here we have, just in time to employ the USPS for our gift delivery needs, a list of Easy To Mail Items from My Friend Staci!

Hey guys! I’m Staci. I normally write over on my own blog, but since I’m not doing a gift guide series this year and Libby is, I thought I’d just lend her a hand over here. The season of giving, right?

With friends and family living far away from me, and running etsy/ebay shops on the side, I find myself mailing packages more than the average person. So, I know what’s expensive to mail and what isn’t. Please take a few tips from my extensive experience… (tip #1… just don’t mail breakables unless you truly must!)

Give something cozy. Cloth items are perfect to mail because they can’t break and they don’t weigh too much. You can fold nicely and slip them in a padded mailer instead of hunting for a box. I used padded mailers when I sold a few dresses on ebay and the shipping was so low! Now I am much more likely to gift something soft and personal.  Saylor Claire makes “origami” totes and the cutest ever baby boots, and they have become my go-to gifts since mailing is a cinch and the items are so unique. You could also knit a beanie or a scarf or buy one at a local craft fair, and ship. Just make sure your recipient doesn’t already own 400 scarves like I do 😉
Saylor Claire Origami Tote
Connected Fair Trade Sari Throw
Hand Knit Mittens

Give something little. When it comes to the mail, small is great. Obvi! Enamel pins are so ubiquitous right now I’m sure you can find the perfect pin to suit your loved one. Pins and jewelry can be shipped in a bubble mailer. Maybe push the pin (or earrings) into a piece of foam so they don’t get smashed/bent during the mailing process. Just make sure to pick out something unique that reminds you of your person. No need to go through the effort to send something generic 🙂
Noodle Bowl Pin
Cherry pie lapel pin
Stay Home Club lapel pin
Sloth Pin – Enamel Sloth Enamel Pin by boygirlparty

Give something to read. Last week Libby posted a detailed book gift guide, so definitely take her up on some of those suggestions. Books are great because they are virtually indestructible. If you have kids, I’m sure you could put together a yearly photobook using some of the fun and intuitive tools from Snapfish, Artifact Uprising, or even Target or Staples. You can order three or more copies—one for you and pass some along to grandparents.
blurb.com
Alexander Hamilton
Sanctuary: Living Spaces Coloring Book
Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders

Give a gift that keeps on giving. When you give a subscription box or an introductory box, they ship for you. I signed up for Naturebox all on my own and have been getting my monthly snack packs for over a year. If you want to self-gift you can totally sign up for a monthly subscription. You can gift someone a subscription or for a more affordable option you can send one of their best-selling snack combinations. I highly recommend the blueberry yogurt covered pretzels, honey dijon pretzels, and the strawberry carrot fruit stars. Other great gifts-that-keep-giving are magazines (I love Sunset and Bon Appetit)
Sunset Magazine
Naturebox
Birchbox

Last but not least, why not let someone do the shipping for you? If you’re ordering from Etsy or eBay, go ahead and put the recipient’s address in when you ship it. You can call your friend and tell them not to open the package when it comes, or just let them get their gift early 😉

Thank so much, Staci! These are great ideas! If I may, I’m going to tag on just one more suggestion. Have you heard about Greetabl? I don’t know if I can develop a quick explanation–I just hope you click on this link and learn about it. It’s a great, personal treat for people that you love so much but who might live far from you.

What about everyone else? Any tips on shipping stuff? What’s the favorite gift you’ve ever received in the mail?

XOXO, Lib