Care Package for the Kid
The college kids have just gotten back in the grind after the holidays. Mine is where it's cold and dreary so I thought I would brighten her week by sending her a sun-shiny care package. I started sending packages to my kids when they were at summer camp, so I have created a system to make it cinch. Being a creative, I appreciate being given a jumping off point for a project. To make things easier when assembling a care package, I opt for the unifying element to be color. That makes it easy especially around holidays.
This one was yellow like the sun, get it?!
It's important to keep packing supplies on hand. I keep a stash of the large flat-rate post office boxes around. They seem to be the perfect size, plus it's easy just to print out the postage at home and drop it off without having to wait in line. The brown craft packing shreds will go with anything (you can always get white) and packs of colored tissue are easy to pick up anywhere.
I try to put something in that's homemade. That pudgy bag with the green pipe cleaner tie is Quinoa Granola with Olive Oil and Maple Syrup from Gwyneth Paltrow's new book "It's All Good". FYI: that recipe goes from almost-done to setting-off-the-smoke-alarm in about 30 seconds. This was my second batch.
Don't forget to tuck in a note!
For this one I added a few flowers with the packing to make it more festive. No guarantee it will look like this when it arrives. If you are sending one to a boy you could probably do without all the frills.
I try to limit my items to things that are consumable since dorm rooms are tiny and don't need additional clutter. I pack a few extra things for sharing. My college roommate's mom would send enough for both of us and I appreciated the thought so I encourage my kids to pay it forward.
If you are into Valentine's Day that would be a fun one to put together. Here's a shot from my daughter's Instagram of the one I sent to her last year for St. Patty's Day.
Even if you don't have a college kid in your life, you probably have someone that could use a little pick-me-up. Let me know if you do this and send me a picture!
