pleasure in simple things

Do you remember the best Valentine gift you ever got?  Mine was from the first man I ever loved – my Dad. 

It was a heart-shaped sugar cookie frosted in red.  I can’t remember what the white icing on top spelled out, but I do remember that my mom thought the message made the gift totally inappropriate for a dad to give his daughter.

Maybe it said “lover” or something similar…but it didn’t matter…any sense of inappropriateness went over his head – and mine.  I was just thrilled to get a Valentine…and, I was thrilled my Dad thought to give me one.

Even now, with my Dad gone over twenty five years, his cookie Valentine to me remains my favorite Valentine’s Day gift of all time.

Maybe it is because of the significance of that gift from my Dad that I always show my kids some love on Valentine’s Day.  It isn’t ever anything grand – a card…a favorite treat…something to show I am thinking of them with love – like my Dad did for me so long ago.

For a daughter in college, this is always a care package to arrive on the 14^th. 

As I assemble my daughter’s Valentine, I am sharing three easy ways to give your care packages some special ‘care’ this Valentine’s Day…and help create a lasting memory.

Think personal, not expensive.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money to send some great gifts.

Any favorite baked items that can survive the trip serve as great gifts!   Whether you are sending a package to your child in college or to a special someone – you know which items you bake that the recipient likes best – make their favorite!   Maybe there is a specific food item in your area that is not available in the area the recipient lives – a perfect item to include!

If your package is going to a college student, there are some things every college student appreciates.  Socks or underwear help delay the dreaded laundry run and are always appreciated – fun patterns for Valentine’s Day are available in all the stores.  Find a pattern that relates to the recipient of the gift.  Coffee or k-cups are always welcome for the apartment coffee maker and are sure to be available in the gift recipient’s favorite blend.  (I found that Target sells a two-pack so it is not necessary to buy a large box.)  Flash drives are used by all students and can be found shaped as items to reflect the recipient’s personality – I have found ones shaped as surf boards and sushi!  Fun!

Add humor.  Adding humor is always required when creating a care package.  Find something fun to tuck into the package.  After a long, hard day of studying (or work), anything that can bring on a little smile is a great addition.  For my package, I found some chip clips in the dollar store that were shaped like lips – so fun, so perfect for Valentine’s Day, and so practical!

Chip clips shaped like lips, found in the dollar store, add some humor to a Valentine’s Day care package.

Create some packaging flair.  Decorating your package – both inside and out – makes it special for the recipient.

For my package, I painted a 69 cent unassembled brown box with messy pink stripes.  Then I found a decorative packing tape – packaging tape now comes in many different colors and patterns and adds so much more flair than using something traditional!  For a sports fan, this can be school colors or colors of a favorite team…be creative…the large selection at the hardware or craft store is sure to spark your imagination.   I chose a pink polka dot packaging tape to seal my daughter’s care package.

Messages can be written on both the inside and/or outside of the box to make it personal.  When my son was in college,  it became a tradition that I would always write the address for a cool new website on the inside flap of his care packages.  If the gift is for one of your children, write a favorite saying or song lyrics from a song you both enjoy…or write something you always say before bedtime. :)

My daughter is a nursing student and I once decorated the outside of a care package, to arrive before a big anatomy test, with body part stickers.  Hey, it must keep the delivery person amused!

Create flair with your packaging material as well.  For my Valentine’s Day care package, I purchased some inexpensive neon pink tissue paper and put it through my home shredder…so easy and inexpensive.  Try using old book pages, newspapers, sports or fashion magazines, etc.  There are so many options…and, so many ways to make the gift personal…the stock pages from the Wall Street Journal for a finance major recipient, for example.

Add flair to a care package by using a home shredder to create packing material. Use tissue paper, newspaper, old book pages, fashion or sports magazine pages, etc. to personalize the gift.

I won’t show you the gifts I included in the care package I created, since I don’t want to spoil the surprises!  ;)  Just remember that the gifts you select should be unique to your recipient…a sure way to make the package personal and memorable.  My kids have exceptional senses of humor, so anything related to an inside joke is always a perfect choice!

Have fun with it!  I would love to hear some ideas inspired by this post and also some memories about your favorite Valentine’s Day gift! 

Send me an email if you need some help with ideas for your personalized care package.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie