College Care Package Ideas

[J'aime Paris]

I am sending my DD a halloween care package but I completely forgot about sending it in a plastic pumpkin!

I did that for my DD, it was a hit!!

Sent a sparkly neon pink pumpkin. I was amazed at how much stuff fit inside. They decorated their dorm door with the items inside the pumpkin, had candy to munch, plus a few inexpensive Halloween jewelry items.
Plus, area kids trick-or-treat in the dorms (safer than their neighborhood). Now DD will have candy and a welcoming door for the kiddos!

I'll definitely stuff a 2 liter bottle and send that sometime, how funny!

Our postal worker commented that on one occasion, a customer mailed a raw potato!!

 

[gemini2727]

I did that for my DD, it was a hit!!

Sent a sparkly neon pink pumpkin. I was amazed at how much stuff fit inside. They decorated their dorm door with the items inside the pumpkin, had candy to munch, plus a few inexpensive Halloween jewelry items.
Plus, area kids trick-or-treat in the dorms (safer than their neighborhood). Now DD will have candy and a welcoming door for the kiddos!

I'll definitely stuff a 2 liter bottle and send that sometime, how funny!

Our postal worker commented that on one occasion, a customer mailed a raw potato!!

Sending a pumpkin also!
It's all stuffed, but could you share your packaging technique? Did you just wrap with packing tape?
TIA!

 

[robinb]

I did that for my DD, it was a hit!!

Sent a sparkly neon pink pumpkin. I was amazed at how much stuff fit inside. They decorated their dorm door with the items inside the pumpkin, had candy to munch, plus a few inexpensive Halloween jewelry items.
Plus, area kids trick-or-treat in the dorms (safer than their neighborhood). Now DD will have candy and a welcoming door for the kiddos!

I'll definitely stuff a 2 liter bottle and send that sometime, how funny!

Our postal worker commented that on one occasion, a customer mailed a raw potato!!

Thank you! I knew I read it here on the DIS .

 

[J'aime Paris]

Sending a pumpkin also!
It's all stuffed, but could you share your packaging technique? Did you just wrap with packing tape?
TIA!

Sure!
I cut out a circle of cardboard to fit the opening at the top of the pumpkin. I tucked the handle inside the pumpkin, put the cardboard over the opening, and duct taped it closed. I used that flat surface to make a label with DD's address and my return address.
Hope that helps!

 

[aprilgail]

I was in college then too and always felt left out when other people got care packages and I never did. .

My daughter told me she felt bad because she was getting all these care packages from me and her room mate did not get a single thing from her family so the last package I sent I filled it with things my daughter liked and also with things her room mate liked and I addressed it to both of them!

 

[gemini2727]

Sure!
I cut out a circle of cardboard to fit the opening at the top of the pumpkin. I tucked the handle inside the pumpkin, put the cardboard over the opening, and duct taped it closed. I used that flat surface to make a label with DD's address and my return address.
Hope that helps!

Thank you so much!

 

[sksjasams]

@J'aime Paris Can I please ask how much shipping was? I would love to send pumpkins filled with candy to DS and his roommate, but may consider just bringing them along next weekend when we visit for Family Weekend if shipping is too pricey. Thank you!

 

[J'aime Paris]

@J'aime Paris Can I please ask how much shipping was? I would love to send pumpkins filled with candy to DS and his roommate, but may consider just bringing them along next weekend when we visit for Family Weekend if shipping is too pricey. Thank you!

It was around $11. I bought stamps as well, so I don't remember an exact amount.
Totally worth the FUN FACTOR!!!! DD sent me pics of her getting it from the mail room, with her roomies, unpacking the goodies, decorating their door, etc.

 

[xjillianpaige]

I went to school 20 minutes from home so I didn't get a whole lot of care packages, so anything I got I was excited for! It really was just about getting something in the mail. Food was always nice, letters. Whatever. My dad once hand-delivered chocolate covered strawberries to me and my roommates for Valentine's Day (most of my "care packages" were brought to me in person.)

I often delivered care packages to myself... full of clothes I bought online!

 

[NYCgrrl]

Pre-Fed EX, my Nana, used to get dressed up in her best going to the city outfit ( included gloves that matched her shoes and pocketbook), go to the bus terminal in NYC, peruse the various bus drivers, decide which one looked God fearing and sober (her words, LOL) and give him a hotel pan ( nowadays we call it a roasting pan) filled with homemade potato yeast rolls to deliver to my sister who attended college in Boston. A telephone call was made to a local minister (also pre cell phone and the belief that every person needed a phone) alerting my sister that she needed to get to the Boston bus terminal to pick it up. My sister ate her fill and then traded rolls for toiletries, good will and life long friendships.

By the time I attended college, life had changed (what a difference 6 years made in this country?!) and Nana sent me a Harry and David 6 month Fruit Club membership instead; part of me still wishes I got a pan of rolls.

Flash forward, 20 odd years, and I sent my oldest to college with packets of homemade granola, oatmeal cookies,a yogurt starter and ginger tea concentrate. Since he had an phone he'd call when he needed more or was coming home with a 1/2 term's worth of dirty clothing- err which he STILL needed to wash ( Mom wasn't his personal slave anymore) but did have free washing supplies and electricity.

 

[dreamin_disney]

I sent out my DD's pumpkin head. I paid $8 for priority 2 day. I sent out two packages. One was a regular box and the 2nd a pumpkin head. I sent out both 2 day priority(which was sent out on Monday. was to arrive Wednesday). The box arrived the next day and the pumpkin arrived a day late on Thursday :/
It was a big hit she loved it! I sent candy, fruit rolls, $1's, mini almond snacks packs, almond, walnut and cranberry mini packs, Hot fry chicks, breast cancer hair tings, mini rice crispy squares, and a few other things. It was full!

 

[dreamin_disney]

I jst sent my DD a birthday package with little gifts wrapped for each day until her bday. I also send some treats. She has no idea I sent her a package. I got 2 day priority for $9.85 . I just wrapped up a few little gifts nothing big or expensive since we will drive out take her out to dinner on her birthday, we will have a family party for her and she's having a party with just friends here at our house. The package included some $1.50 items from Walgreens mini body lotion, scented nail polish remover wipes, 2 packs of mini lip loss gel, mini brush, scented face wipes, scented hand sanitizer with snowman holder, penguin lip balm. I also bought a cute little ceramic heart that says "Hello Gorgeous"(from Ross), I also included a cute clear clipboard with a saying, some matching cute post its and sticky things and few other stuff. I wanted to put in some mini balloons and stick $1 bills inside but worried if some popped post office might freak out!

Next package will be Valentine's. Any ideas or plans?

 

[Poohforyou]

I sent the final care package for the semester a few days ago - mint oreo bon bons (a huge favorite), a chocolate advent calendar, a bunch of dollar store Christmas/winter decorations for her to share around the dorm (I got mostly things with penguins, snowmen, and polar bears), a card game that I thought might be a fun exam stress reliever, and a mini gingerbread house kit that I thought might be another exam stress reliever (I got this at Target and I think it was $3).


My daughter loves crazy socks so for Valentine's Day I'll get her a few pairs and stuff them with candy. I'll probably make a little surprise deposit into her checking account.

 

[J'aime Paris]

I sent my DD a package for St. Nick.
Door decorations, candy, warm/fuzzy PJ pants, a xmas scented air freshener for their bathroom, etc.

My mom has sent her a card a week since September, always including a note of what her and grandpa are up to. I think that's sweet!

 

[mom2rb]

I send my son meat. He goes to school in Erie, PA, but I taught him to cook in Houston. He had a hard time finding the same meats to cook there. So I buy fajita meat, chorizo, Andullie sausage, shrimp, crawfish and uncooked tortillas. I freeze them and pack them up in dry ice.

He couldn’t come home for Thanksgiving, so I sent him cornbread dressing and gravy and a Reese’s cheesecake.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Food - my son likes to get baked goods and his favorite snack foods. Every fall I also add in a new pair of lounge around pj pants for him. I send one package per month and usually add in a card that has jokes I've written in it. He told me they make good ice breakers with new people. LOL

His first year I also added some microwave dishes - one I can't remember the name of but you could microwave soup or make ramen in. He is in his 3rd year of college and still uses that. I need to get the name of it from him when he comes home so I can get one for our daughter who goes away to college in fall 2018.

 

[MomofKatie]

I usually send boring stuff like snacks and personal care stuff.

At Halloween each year, I buy a plastic trick-or-treating pumpkin and fill it with candy, bubbles, makeup, and Halloween themed t shirt or pajamas. I use packing tape to tape the top closed securely, then slap a mailing label on it- no box, just the pumpkin. The Post Office will send it that way! DD gets a kick out of coming to the mail center and seeing a pumpkin waiting for her.

Another fun care package thing to do is get together with other parents for a "care package filling" party. Each parent brings one or 2 items for the packages, but enough for every parent to have one.

If you have at least 15 or so people come, you will end up with a great selection of stuff (have everyone list what they will bring, so you won't end up with everyone bringing granola bars or something similar). The hosts usually provide the USPS flat rate boxes, packing material, and refreshments.

I am part if a Facebook group for parents in our area with kids that attend the same university. We had a fun packing party a few weeks ago- we ended up with lots of fun snacks and candy, school supplies, and stress-relieving toys (Play Doh, stress balls, bubbles, Silly Putty) to send to the kids. The parents had fun, too, getting to know each other and having a few cocktails.

 

[dreamin_disney]

anyone working on Valentine Day care packages??? I need to get started on my DD's package.

 

[tcufrog]

What about candy she can eat and share, pink or red nail polish and a manicure/pedicure kit, fun Valentine socks or infinity scarf, a box of silly/cheesy Valentines she can hand out if she wishes and some sparkly gel pens.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I got some stuff at dollar tree for her to share with friends-little notebooks, pens, bubbles,candies. They had cute wall clings. And whack a packs-you hit them and cute little balloons inflate.

DD doesn't go back til Jan 21st so I'll be sending it about a week after she leaves.