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I have a sad story to tell. Last year, my brother (serving in South America) requested a box of our family’s homemade Christmas toffee. I lovingly collected the ingredients, and found an adorable cookie tin for packaging. With Christmas music blaring over the stereo speakers, I melted down chocolate in my double boiler, chopped walnuts and poured molten caramel. Just look at the result:
Mouth-watering, no?
The day before I was going to write a blog post about it, my brother emailed me, saying he’d received the tin of toffee. Here is a picture of how it arrived:
In my brother’s own words: “megan’s toffee, huddled, hiding in the corner of the tin”
Needless to say, the toffee didn’t make the blog (although my brother ate it anyway). Since then, I’ve brooded over which is the best method for sending homemade treats. Do certain baked goods hold up better than others? Is there a type of packaging that is best for protecting the goodies over which we’ve slaved? What do they really look like when they arrive?
In this spirit, I’m declaring October “Cookie-Mailing Month” here at Missionary Ideas. In addition to regular Halloween-themed posts, I’ll be testing recipes, as well as packing & shipping methods. Hopefully, I can get to the bottom of this.
It is also my pleasure to announce this blog’s very first giveaway. Going along with our cookie-mailing theme, one winner will receive a Reynolds 00590 Handi-Vac Vacuum-Sealing Starter Kit, which I will be testing this month as well. Just in time for packaging and sending Christmas cookies to your missionary!
To enter the drawing, you have several options: 1. Get my new button for your blog, 2. Make a comment with a question or suggestion about sending homemade treats, or 3. Announce this giveaway (and include the link) in your Facebook or Twitter status. Each contestant can get up to three entries; just let me know how you’ve entered in your comment below!
Let the Month of Cookie-Mailing begin!
One of my favorite flavors of Autumn is caramel. YUM. I love caramel apples, and so does my brother on a mission, but you can’t exactly ship that to South America. A cute alternative? Send caramel apple pops! Lightweight and inexpensive, these sturdy hard candies will be able to make the trip. I can get them at my local grocery store, but I’ve heard of others having trouble finding them. Is anyone else in the same boat?
I love this album. My mother-in-law, who sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, gave this album to me for Christmas last year, and I have listened to it hundreds of times since then. I will never tire of hearing it! For those of you unfamiliar with the artist Sissel, you can get a taste of her voice, and of the album itself on Amazon:
Be sure to play track 11, “Like An Angel Passing Through My Room.” When my grandma heard this song, she made me promise I’d sing it at her funeral!
My sister and I are sending this album to my brother this Christmas. It is the CD that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir recorded with the King’s Singers, an AMAZING choral group, which you can read more about at the following website:
This has a very bright and classical tone to it, very upbeat and jolly. You can listen to some clips on Amazon:
The King’s Singers are phenomenal, and combined with the Tabernacle Choir, this compilation is completely awesome.
Colored or White -- You Choose!
I picked up a set of Christmas lights at Walmart for $2.00, and the extension cord was less than a dollar. This is a very inexpensive idea, which will spread a lot of cheer! I included the ruler in the photo that I took, so that viewers can get an idea of size. There were several different color options, and each box is lightweight. You could send more than one, if you like.
Courtesy Danilo Alfaro
Nothing says Autumn like freshly-baked cornbread, drizzled with honey. Delicious! And while I’m sure our grandmothers made this treat from scratch, our generation can cheat a little with store-bought mixes. My personal favorite is Marie Calendar’s — just add water. This is a fun treat to send to your missionary when the weather gets a little chilly. Just be careful: though some box mixes are light (like Jiffy), others may be more expensive to ship. You be the judge. And don’t forget a little bottle of honey — carefully sealed, and non-breakable, of course.
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