<p>Just curious... do parents still send care packages? What do you put in them?
My mom always used to send me cookies and a $20. :)</p>
<p>I don’t think cookies and a $20 ever go out of style… ;)</p>
<p>I just ordered from a website. I think my son would be happy with cookies and $20. We just gave him a few $ when he visited for Thanksgiving so I skipped the $ for the care package.</p>
<p>I will say I’ve done a couple for my niece… microwave mac and cheese, micro popcorn, girl scout cookies, gum, hot chocolate packets. Basically junk that sounds good and is easy when you’re tired at 2 a.m. ;)</p>
<p>Since my daughter is always watching her weight I send an Edible Arrangement package. All her roommates love it. Sometimes I’ll also send some silly wind up toys or glow in the dark toys or just something silly and non-fattening to break up the study sessions.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on your kids but the cookies and $20 works well with our kids so far. A few times we have gotten some from the school. Usually one group uses these as a fundraiser. The kids were not impressed with offerings in the boxes. DD loves the edible arrangements so we will probably send something like that for her.</p>
<p>Timely thread – I’m working on a care package today, to get in the mail on Monday. So far I’ve got a new deck of cards, a bag of poker chips (surprisingly heavy!), some mardi gras beads, and a box of mini-Twix bars. Hot chocolate, and silly wind-up toys are definitely going on my shopping list. Thanks!</p>
<p>Keep in mind, any non-consumables that you send have to come home with you again in the spring :D.</p>
<p>Phillips has these little lightup Christmas trees that you plug into a USB port and also battery-powered small strings of Christmas lights - Target carries these. They also have a foam Christmas tree (in their crafts/office supply area) with stickers for decoration that folds flat for shipping. I added some gingerbread cookies and candy canes.</p>
<p>DS and DD have always done little ($1 or $2) Advent gifts for each other on alternating days leading up to Christmas. DS couldn’t come home for Thanksgiving and won’t be done until 12/19, so we sent him a package of wrapped goodies and funny little toys, each with a number on it, counting down to his last final and when he comes home. I have to admit this was as much for me as him. We haven’t seen him since August and I can’t wait! </p>
<p>You can never be sure with teenager boys how they’ll react to things, but he loves it! Food items and flingy toys you can attack hallmates with are especially popular.</p>
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<p>They really are like giant toddlers aren’t they?</p>
<p>I am loving these replies!</p>
<p>A string of Christmas lights for their dorm window looks cute in December, and is easy to throw out in January.</p>
<p>Just sent lots of cookies via Amazon; I have been told by my DS that homemade ones get stale too quickly 
Must be the preservatives I don’t add! He’ll be happy; that’s what counts.</p>
<p>Some schools offer care packages, sponsored by student groups, or even by dining services. Check the school’s website; info might be posted there.</p>
<p>Just sent alot of stuff from Costco back with son after Thansgiving so need to send anything now. But in the past have sent stuff from Cheryl’s Cookies and Utz (specifically a box of 60 snacks that can be mixed and matched but they have lots of stuff ). [url=<a href=“http://www.utzsnacks.com/]UTZ[/url”>http://www.utzsnacks.com/]UTZ[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Freshman year , Some of the moms from my son’s group of HS friends got together and all brought something to add to the boxes.</p>
<p>We had santa hats (usually available at the bookstore for your specific college), Christmas socks for the girls, lipton soup cups, “smart” popcorn, andes mints, granola bars, squeeze stress balls, homemade snack mixes, hershey’s kisses, etc.</p>
<p>One of the mom made “mom’s stress tabs”. She ordered M&M’s in each kids school colors and put them in a bottle with a little homemade label. </p>
<p>This year, at Halloween , one of my S’ roommate received a box with a $5 Jimmy Johns card for each of the boys in the apartment.</p>
<p>I’ve also sent post it note tabs, gum, girl scout cookies,etc.</p>
<p>Has anyone ever tried sending a cake/bread (like zucchini or banana bread)? I am thinking of sending one as a birthday cake. If so, how did you package it?</p>
<p>I have not had their breads but their lemon or almond pound cakes with lemon curd are delicious. They sell zucchini bread. [Breads</a> - Shop](<a href=“http://www.rowenas.com/shop/breads.html]Breads”>http://www.rowenas.com/shop/breads.html)</p>
<p>My wife is great at sending a package every month to six weeks. She tries to mix it up and sending snacks is top on the list of items… sour gummi worms, popcorn, home made beef jerky, venison jerky, cookies, and cherry sours are just some of the snacks she has sent in the past.</p>