Suggested items for a Burning Man midweek care package?

August 20, 2009 4:22 PM

Suggested items for a Burning Man midweek care package?

A friend of mine goes to Burning Man, and a couple of years ago she gave me her camp address to send mail to. So I made up a bunch of silly pictures that fit with her camp logo and mailed them on Monday or so for a midweek arrival, which were enjoyed. Last year I hit the dollar store and bought glowsticks, cheesy paper costume props, bubbles, silly stuff like that that was a HUGE hit.

So, it's a third year, I don't know how to top the dollar store of awesomeness, and there's more people in her camp than just her and the hubby-- her over-18 son and his friend are going along too. Yeah, I should probably hit the dollar store again and I probably will, but I'm kind of stumped on what else to do. I'd rather not have to mail big boxes o' crap, just have a little fun pack going on, and not necessarily to leave out the 19-year-olds with it.

Any suggestions?

posted by jenfullmoon to grab bag (9 comments total)

Watermelon and ice cream and strawberries, packed in dry ice. Probably too much trouble but you will become a living legend.
posted by PercussivePaul at 4:36 PM on August 20

Presuming you're using the playa mail service? If there was any way to ship them a crate of fresh ripe peaches, they would surely be amazed. And not have trash to have to haul out again.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 4:36 PM on August 20 [1 favorite has favorites]

Wet Wipes.
posted by turgid dahlia at 5:48 PM on August 20

Ice cream in dry ice, totally, or popsicles. Clean socks.
posted by jessamyn at 8:34 PM on August 20

How about gifting items like a couple packages of temporary tattoos? Or non-melty cookies? Something that makes bubbles. A kite. A fake tiara. A tutu.
posted by HeyAllie at 9:03 PM on August 20

Oh gods, yes, clean socks. I'd always stick a few pair in a sealed bag so I could have them midweek... otherwise..Anything cold. Fresh fruit. Lip balm that isn't crusted with playa dust.

Something that lights up and is a little more personal than glowsticks-- a tutu with christmas lights woven in, or maybe a few light up tiaras (playing off of HeyAllie's suggestions here).

Package of new masks (again, that aren't already covered in playa dust).
posted by nat at 11:44 PM on August 20

Electroluminescent wire with a belt clip (the "Instant Fun Light" here)

Minnie Mouse ears (cheaper)

Light up jewel princess wand

I'm guessing they'll have brought bandanna/scarves as dust masks, but a nice new clean selection of colors would be fun. Hobby Lobby sells them in store for 87 cents to a dollar a pop in every color of the rainbow.

Party Supply Stores are a good bet along with the dollar store.

Fabuless less a bunch of tacky crap for less than $2 a pop; think rubbery raver bracelets to stack up to the elbows, sparkly hair clips to keep dusty unwashed hair back, etc...

Sunscreen

Disposable camera, unless each person has their own digital

Cute kid's Band-Aids (just in case! Target has a huge selection)

Peanut butter and crackers

Lemons (pretty sturdy fruit) and miraculin
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:04 AM on August 21

Heh. Yeah, I wish on the frozen stuff...

Thanks, y'all. *prints out list for shopping trip*
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:51 PM on August 21

Fresh EL wire. By midweek, half of mine had already stopped working, and dammit, you want people to see you at night.
posted by Afroblanco at 11:32 PM on August 21