Muttichen Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Help me decide what to do for my dd, who is in Morocco for the year, for Christmas. I know I could fall back on an Amazon gift card or something, but that's boring. I want to send her a fun Christmas package or two and I need some ideas. Here are the constraints: - It can't be junk that she'll have to tote around with her and bring back. - I'm not sure how quick and/or reliable the mail will be, so it can't be anything perishable or very valuable. - She doesn't have an oven, so baking things are out. (When she was in Paris for Christmas, I sent everything she needed to make pumpkin pie in one package and cookie cutters, sprinkles, etc. in another.) She loves travelling and is going somewhere exciting almost every weekend. Here's a link to her blog if you're interested: http://teachinglearningliving.wordpress.com/ If this matters at all, she is planning to get married as soon as her time there is up in July. She'll be spending Christmas in Kenya with her fiance's family. (He's currently in the states, so I could send something small and expensive with him....) Ok -- any ideas?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 What an exciting year! I would definitely send something with her fiance if you could. When my daughter was gone for the year, I sent her a necklace. I think the necklaces on this site are pretty and kind of unique: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/search.jsp?q=necklace#/ I've also seen some really cute ones on etsy. :) I believe I also sent her a plain white cotton t-shirt, in a brand that she really likes. I knew that was something she needed. I also sent her collapsible travel headphones. Your daughter is a great writer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Without spoiling the surprise of what the gift is, I suggest that you ask her if there is a reliable way you can send her something and her actually receiving it, without it being stolen, and without her having to bribe the people who work in Customs. We have a 6 pound carton that will fly from Miami to Bogota tonight, hopefully be cleared by Customs tomorrow, sent in a truck overnight from Bogota to Cali and delivered to our house on Thursday or Friday. Sadly, I doubt that your DD has that kind of service available where she is. So, ask her how people there have small packages sent to them from the states and if you are going to do this, do it ASAP and hopefully she will receive it before Christmas. Also, ask her what taxes she will need to pay after the package arrives there. There may be an exemption for low value items. We can have things sent up to USD$200 value (CIF which is Cost Including Freight) and they are exempt from the 16% VAT (Value Added Tax). But, we needed to pay 10% Duty on the carton they will ship form Miami today. If we had to pay both, that is 26% of the CIF value... We can bring in certain things without paying any taxes, such as books and laptop computers. :hurray: GL ETA: I reread your post and this time I picked up about her Fiancee going to visit her. Yes, if you can send something with him, there is no shipping cost and hopefully he will be able to get thru Customs with it after he arrives from the states. Possibly a Tablet (we have an inexpensive Android clone, it was about USD$100 here which includes tax) since she travels frequently. Or, possibly an unlocked GSM cell phone that works on the GSM bands in the country she is in and visits. (2 or 3 of our phones are Quad Band GSM phones and they will work in most countries in the world). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttichen Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Thanks! A necklace is a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muttichen Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Without spoiling the surprise of what the gift is, I suggest that you ask her if there is a reliable way you can send her something and her actually receiving it, without it being stolen, and without her having to bribe the people who work in Customs. We have a 6 pound carton that will fly from Miami to Bogota tonight, hopefully be cleared by Customs tomorrow, sent in a truck overnight from Bogota to Cali and delivered to our house on Thursday or Friday. Sadly, I doubt that your DD has that kind of service available where she is. So, ask her how people there have small packages sent to them from the states and if you are going to do this, do it ASAP and hopefully she will receive it before Christmas. Also, ask her what taxes she will need to pay after the package arrives there. There may be an exemption for low value items. We can have things sent up to USD$200 value (CIF which is Cost Including Freight) and they are exempt from the 16% VAT (Value Added Tax). But, we needed to pay 10% Duty on the carton they will ship form Miami today. If we had to pay both, that is 26% of the CIF value... We can bring in certain things without paying any taxes, such as books and laptop computers. :hurray: GL Those are good points. I was thinking of mailing a low-value, fun Christmas package this week -- you know, candy canes, etc. I'm just kind of stuck for what to put in.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 What about stuff she needs but can't get over there - the brands. Like soap, shampoo, favorite cosmetics. New washcloth, sheets. Something she will use up like stationary. It's not necessarily fun stuff, but it's stuff that would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I like it when people send food when I'm overseas. I know they're thinking about me, I can eat something I usually don't get, and I don't have to carry it around. Supplies for a gingerbread house could be fun, or just some food or candy she likes that isn't available in Morocco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I enjoyed browsing through your daughter's blog. Thanks for sharing that link. I too like the idea of sending something with your daughter's fiance. My daughter is currently living in South Korea. We've had good luck sending food items through iherb.com (there's a four dollar charge for a package up to 15 pounds to Korea) and books through BookDepository.com (free shipping to many countries worldwide). My daughter misses foods such as refried beans, peanut butter, and goodies from Trader Joe's. Does your daughter have a favorite food or treat that she cannot get in Morocco? You might pick up some magazines or books from the used book store that she can read and leave. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer132 Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 My dh grew up overseas, and the best thing he remembers in care packages is candy/sweets. Brands they couldn't get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 So my sister that lives overseas always asks for particular brands/items they cannot get there. She also always asks me to make pancakes or pie when she's here ;) So...creamy peanut butter? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I made lots of origami cranes (on the good patterned origami paper) and strung them together for my son to hang in his room. A few kazoos is fun. Sidewalk chalk is kind of fun. I've sent micron pens, different sizes, and a few zentangle ideas. Jan Brett Christmas books or TinTin or Astrix are fun. Candy canes. A CD of Christmas music if she doesn't have internet. Tell her to look for an especially bright Christmas star on Christmas Eve if she's homesick and think about what Christmas really means. She's closer to where the story really happened than we are. That is something fun. : ) Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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