Fun, flat gifts!
October 1, 2013 5:05 PM Subscribe
What fun goodies can I put in a flat rate envelope headed for Japan? I'm sending my friend a care package and I want to cram it with as much happiness as possible.
I'm sending my friend in Japan a care package. There's a flat rate for the envelope (which is approximately 8.5 x 11), so I figured I'd stuff it with as many goodies as I could think of. What are some fun, flat things I could pop into an envelope for her? I've already sent her stickers and a pair of feather earrings. A hearfelt letter has already been written. What more could I put in there to brighten up her day? Bonus points for things she might miss from home (CA, USA).
Thanks everyone!
I'm sending my friend in Japan a care package. There's a flat rate for the envelope (which is approximately 8.5 x 11), so I figured I'd stuff it with as many goodies as I could think of. What are some fun, flat things I could pop into an envelope for her? I've already sent her stickers and a pair of feather earrings. A hearfelt letter has already been written. What more could I put in there to brighten up her day? Bonus points for things she might miss from home (CA, USA).
Thanks everyone!
Canon has an extensive collection of papercraft options. Of course the papercraft ideas do already come from Japan, so I'm not sure if this makes sense as something to send to someone in Japan. That said, they look like a lot of fun.
posted by sciencegeek at 5:21 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by sciencegeek at 5:21 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Bookmarks, note cards, blank postcards, photos, brochures/info about your town/city, mini notepads, charms, tea (check customs), mixed CD, recipe cards, comics, newspaper/magazine clippings, magnets, cute post-it notes, stationery
posted by KogeLiz at 5:40 PM on October 1, 2013
posted by KogeLiz at 5:40 PM on October 1, 2013
Those envelopes, in my experience, bend out of shape pretty nicely--bulging towards the middle is no big deal. I've successfully sent yarn, candy (bars and then hang-bags you get in supermarkets), tea, Lipton Sidekicks (don't ask), boxes of medication, and decks of cards in them. I suspect that you could find a lot of things that would fit.
I can't eat them, but it seems a lot of overseas Americans are desperate for Reese Cups, which I think would fit the envelope just fine, as would other favorite candies. Various prepared taco/guacamole/Mexican/southwestern seasoning blends would work, as well, and are (from what I can tell) difficult if not impossible to find in other parts of the world.
posted by MeghanC at 5:52 PM on October 1, 2013
I can't eat them, but it seems a lot of overseas Americans are desperate for Reese Cups, which I think would fit the envelope just fine, as would other favorite candies. Various prepared taco/guacamole/Mexican/southwestern seasoning blends would work, as well, and are (from what I can tell) difficult if not impossible to find in other parts of the world.
posted by MeghanC at 5:52 PM on October 1, 2013
Is your friend from your local area, and visiting Japan for awhile? Or is your friend from Japan?
Printed photos are always nice - fun to display in your office or fridge.
Hometown newspaper or cutouts.
Crossword puzzles.
posted by barnone at 5:52 PM on October 1, 2013
Printed photos are always nice - fun to display in your office or fridge.
Hometown newspaper or cutouts.
Crossword puzzles.
posted by barnone at 5:52 PM on October 1, 2013
Peanut butter! At my local grocery store, they sell single-serve pouches, and you could easily fit a few of them into the envelope without bulging it out too much.
posted by decathecting at 6:02 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by decathecting at 6:02 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: My friend is from CA and she's just starting her second year teaching in Japan. Love the idea of temporary tattoos and mixed CDs! All these ideas are great!
posted by chatongriffes at 6:03 PM on October 1, 2013
posted by chatongriffes at 6:03 PM on October 1, 2013
when I lived in Japan I desperately needed someone to send me over the counter meds (in packages I could read!), Tylenol, Benadryl, Athletes foot cream, that sort of thing... ask her! Not necessarily fun or a surprise, but I would have been SO grateful.I also super desperate for high absorption tampons (they are smaller in Japan, and again.... tricky if you can't read).
She can get most things she'd miss if she's in an urban area, but if she's rural... peanut butter, or anything with PB in it.
"Peanut Cream" is awful ;-)
posted by jrobin276 at 6:05 PM on October 1, 2013
She can get most things she'd miss if she's in an urban area, but if she's rural... peanut butter, or anything with PB in it.
"Peanut Cream" is awful ;-)
posted by jrobin276 at 6:05 PM on October 1, 2013
Things I've sent to friends and expats:
Paper copy of Tiny Beautiful Things.
Funny things like this Mini Crime Scene Tape though Japan has so many little stationery supply options
Cute bandages: Abraham Lincoln Bandages
Foodie Bandages
Peanut Butter Pouches
Ranch dressing packets
Tex-Mex Spice packets
Good chocolate bars (or even Dove chocolate)
Mini Halloween candy bars!
A magazine in English that she might enjoy?
Marshmallows
Maple syrup, but that sounds messy
Hot sauce?
(Keep in mind I'm not exactly sure what you're allowed to mail to Japan specifically)
posted by barnone at 6:30 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Paper copy of Tiny Beautiful Things.
Funny things like this Mini Crime Scene Tape though Japan has so many little stationery supply options
Cute bandages: Abraham Lincoln Bandages
Foodie Bandages
Peanut Butter Pouches
Ranch dressing packets
Tex-Mex Spice packets
Good chocolate bars (or even Dove chocolate)
Mini Halloween candy bars!
A magazine in English that she might enjoy?
Marshmallows
Maple syrup, but that sounds messy
Hot sauce?
(Keep in mind I'm not exactly sure what you're allowed to mail to Japan specifically)
posted by barnone at 6:30 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
I once sent tauceti tortillas so that he could make quesadillas in rural Japan, in just such a package.
posted by deludingmyself at 6:38 PM on October 1, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by deludingmyself at 6:38 PM on October 1, 2013 [4 favorites]
(Because I am the beeeeesssst.)
posted by deludingmyself at 6:39 PM on October 1, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by deludingmyself at 6:39 PM on October 1, 2013 [3 favorites]
Is your friend in a larger city or in the middle of nowhere? Larger cities will have foreign food stores which will sell many of the food items in more reasonable quantities than what you'll be able to fit in an envelope. If there is a Costco near her then she'll be able to get a lot of things from there as well. You could get her either a Costco membership or gift card. That would be quite nice I think.
Japanese condoms are quite small and imported condoms are much harder to acquire than imported foodstuffs. It may be useful for her, or to give to friends. Birth control pills are also hard to come by.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:48 PM on October 1, 2013
Japanese condoms are quite small and imported condoms are much harder to acquire than imported foodstuffs. It may be useful for her, or to give to friends. Birth control pills are also hard to come by.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:48 PM on October 1, 2013
Peter Payne is an American who has been living in Japan since the mid 1990's. Because of his business (he owns JList) he comes back to America once or twice a year, to visit conventions and suchlike.
He says that one thing he always does when here is to visit Taco Bell and grab a handful of their taco sauce pouches to take back to Japan.
That would be perfect for you, except that I'd worry about some of them breaking during shipment, and arriving a mess. It would depend on the outer envelope that you're going to use.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:11 PM on October 1, 2013
He says that one thing he always does when here is to visit Taco Bell and grab a handful of their taco sauce pouches to take back to Japan.
That would be perfect for you, except that I'd worry about some of them breaking during shipment, and arriving a mess. It would depend on the outer envelope that you're going to use.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:11 PM on October 1, 2013
Get a nice big balloon and blow it up, but don't tie it off. Draw pictures, write notes, jokes, whatever with a sharpie, and then deflate it before you stick it into the envelope.
posted by bricksNmortar at 7:18 PM on October 1, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by bricksNmortar at 7:18 PM on October 1, 2013 [2 favorites]
Be sure to use a padded envelope rather than a regular paper one. I've had people try to send me things heavier than a paper envelope that arrived damaged or didn't arrive at all because the paper had torn.
posted by brujita at 9:36 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by brujita at 9:36 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
I always like to round out a care package with fun "party" stuff: loose confetti or sparkly bits, tinsel, that falls out when she opens it. Along this line you could include things like: honeycomb balls or tissue flowers or make/buy some fun garlands. All these things pack flat.
Other misc. flat items:
--embroidered patches (maybe commemorating CA sites?)
--bumper or other larger type stickers (again, maybe from places/businesses she likes?)
--friendship bracelets
--Emergen-c type packets, or other drink powders if she's into that
--fortune-telling fish
Is she a halloween fan and do they have much halloween accoutrements where she is? I know I got very excited about halloween stuff when I was living abroad where it wasn't as readily available. Things like themed candy, stickers, confetti, etc. Oh oh, maybe hot apple cider mix? Pumpkin pie spice mix!!! If you can't find it in envelope form you could buy the little jar at any grocery store and put it in a baggie or little wax paper/glassine envelope (though I would label it clearly, I don't know if customs would look askance at that).
posted by dahliachewswell at 10:39 PM on October 1, 2013
Other misc. flat items:
--embroidered patches (maybe commemorating CA sites?)
--bumper or other larger type stickers (again, maybe from places/businesses she likes?)
--friendship bracelets
--Emergen-c type packets, or other drink powders if she's into that
--fortune-telling fish
Is she a halloween fan and do they have much halloween accoutrements where she is? I know I got very excited about halloween stuff when I was living abroad where it wasn't as readily available. Things like themed candy, stickers, confetti, etc. Oh oh, maybe hot apple cider mix? Pumpkin pie spice mix!!! If you can't find it in envelope form you could buy the little jar at any grocery store and put it in a baggie or little wax paper/glassine envelope (though I would label it clearly, I don't know if customs would look askance at that).
posted by dahliachewswell at 10:39 PM on October 1, 2013
Last year Seiyu sold Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, then stopped. Depending on her tastes, sriracha packets and peanut butter packets. Also, stickers that look more American cartoony than Japanese.
posted by betweenthebars at 10:54 PM on October 1, 2013
posted by betweenthebars at 10:54 PM on October 1, 2013
It's kind of weird, because I normally never even think about them, but I really enjoyed receiving some Atomic Fireball candies when I was living in Japan. Not exactly flat, but I'm pretty sure a couple would fit easily into that kind of envelope.
posted by caaaaaam at 12:53 PM on October 2, 2013
posted by caaaaaam at 12:53 PM on October 2, 2013
Is this a Priority Mail flat rate? If you can, grab the padded version. I believe it's the same price internationally and it is *really* roomy. I fit coffee mug boxes in them all the time.
posted by clango at 10:25 PM on October 2, 2013
posted by clango at 10:25 PM on October 2, 2013
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posted by belladonna at 5:16 PM on October 1, 2013 [3 favorites]