<p>If you know when they might want to eat, you can call a local pizza place and order a pizza to be sent to the dorm. You just pay by credit card. I think Papa John's even has online orders.</p>
<p>Great idea - I wish someone would surprise ME with an unexpected pizza. </p>
<p>You can pack a helium-filled mylar balloon in a packing box with other stuff, and it just floats right out when the box is opened. (You'll want to be pretty sure the kid won't open the box outdoors, though; not in a high-ceilinged room, either.)</p>
<p>Most popular among my kids - gift cards to Starbucks or Panera.</p>
<p>my D started using lint rollers in 3rd grade, we have 4 dogs, soooo...</p>
<p>anyway, my D told me her friends mom sent new underwear, and copies of magazines like People, Star, US....went over big</p>
<p>my D, she will want a special chocolate she loves and pictures of the dogs</p>
<p>WONDERFUL IDEAS!!! </p>
<p>Our college sent out a mailer with "pre-made" care packages that cost an arm and a leg! I think the ones we make up ourselves are so much more appreciated!!</p>
<p>I am excited to send D her first surprize package and will probably include some Halloween candy and small decor for the dorm room! {Purple mini-light sets are awesome!! LOL!} </p>
<p>The mini-photo frame recorders are wonderful too!
Daughter already has one of us so I am thinking of sending her another with a picture of her pet Cockateil and recording him giving "kisses" and saying "Pretty bird"!</p>
<p>I send 'Party in a Box' care packages - and try to include the roomies as well - I collect things thru the seasons and then package it up as special as I can....... like for Mid-terms - Halloween - Pre-Holidays, etc..... the best ones Halloween and the infamous ''21st B-day'' - including the cake - complete with decorations - candles - etc....... and the pan to cook it in too LOL.</p>
<p>I try to include funky and funny stuff for the holidays - decorations - lights - sweet treats - costume stuff for Halloween - funny shirts - glow stuff - squirt guns - bubbles - whatever I find that fits the holiday.</p>
<p>They are usually a huge hit - and fun fun fun</p>
<p>Several cheap kites. Half the floor had fun with those. Strings of holiday or goofy lights for the room. Water balloons, a slinky, any cheap toys you think would be good for a laugh. I have found party and dollar stores are great - just walk the aisles and something will jump out at you. </p>
<p>I send local newspaper articles about his friends, school, or anything I think he jmight enjoy, plus comic strips I know he'll like.</p>
<p>I think that my favourite care packages were:
1) Peet's tea, box of chocolate, and a stuffed lab (my dog was sick and 700 miles away)
2) Godiva chocolate & two tins of hot chocolate. </p>
<p>Now, for those who don't mind Fed-Exing, cookies are fantastic. Trust me. Anything that can be shared with the dorm is great - so send more than she can eat. </p>
<p>Anything that she likes that is hard to get or expensive (yes, perfume!) is great. Is she a Body Shop or a Bath & Body Works girl?</p>
<p>I sent my D a dozen bagels during finals week last year and she loved those. There isn't a good bagel place in her college town. We picked out some different flavors and sent them next day delivery.</p>
<p>I sent a Halloween package her freshman year that turned out well: a Halloween mug filled with different orange items (lots of different candies, orange-flavored lip gloss, an orange highlighter, orange gel pen, orange nail polish).</p>
<p>I send holiday care packages - there is a holiday every month or so, you know ;). Also, that lets me patrol Target and send seasonal socks, my D's collection is the envy of the dorm. I also tuck a couple of things into the occasional "send me X shirt I forgot".</p>
<p>Don't completely discard the pre-packaged gift box. At her school, a campus org - usually a womens' sports team - does a box for finals time as a fundraiser. It is usually similar in cost to mailing, particularly since it is full of heavy snacks, and it gets delivered to your room, a plus during a hectic time.</p>
<p>May 15 is National Chocolate Chip Day, a perfect excuse to send chips and anything made with them.</p>
<p>Starbuck's gift card</p>
<p>S2 is going to be in an apartment (we hope... Either that or the subway station) and can only fly up with 2 50 pound bags. He has a bunch of stuff in storage at school, but I'm expecting to need to mail stuff, or order things on line to have delivered. These ideas are great additions.</p>
<p>We lived overseas during his first two years of school, so this is my first op to send a care package. However, I started sending frequent postcards from overseas, and will probably continue that tradition here, just so he gets some mail. When I visited him at the end of freshmen year I was delighted to find that his wall was wallpapered with every postcard, greeting card, photograph, and newspaper clipping I had sent. The funny thing was that he never mentioned getting any of them (unless I asked point blank.) He doesn't like a lot of sweets (doesn't get it from me! :) ) and doesn't have a lot of space for extras, or a lot of time for things like non-required reading. </p>
<p>One thing my oldest S really loved was the Nerf basketball and over-the-door hoop. He also can never have too many decks of cards.</p>
<p>Another item my D. liked was Bert's Bees products. She wouldn't buy for herself, but really likes them. As she is outdoors alot of time their hand lotions, lip protector products were very much appreciated.</p>
<p>Parents of Service Academy students have put this list together. I absolutely LOVE the Fairytale Brownies - they were on a Food Channel show -as well as the everyday fruit. That site has quite a few healthy alternatives. </p>
<p>Fairytale Brownies
<a href="http://www.brownies.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.brownies.com/</a></p>
<p>Gift Baskets
<a href="http://www.goodiebaskets4u.com/carepackages.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.goodiebaskets4u.com/carepackages.htm</a></p>
<p>Popcorn Factory – patriotic line
<a href="http://www.popcornfactory.com/popcor...2&body_sc=1002%5B/url%5D">http://www.popcornfactory.com/popcor...2&body_sc=1002</a></p>
<p>Aspen’s favorite jerky with military discounts
<a href="http://www.bigjohnsbeefjerky.com/ca...litary+Specials%5B/url%5D">http://www.bigjohnsbeefjerky.com/ca...litary+Specials</a></p>
<p>Awesome Care Packages
<a href="http://www.awesomecarepackages.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.awesomecarepackages.com/</a></p>
<p>Garrett’s Popcorn (fabulous!)
<a href="http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/</a></p>
<p>Fruit Leather
<a href="http://www.stretch-island.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.stretch-island.com/</a> </p>
<p>Jamzmom’s favorite southern treats
<a href="http://www.rednecksnackbaskets.com/baskets.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.rednecksnackbaskets.com/baskets.html</a></p>
<p>Healthy Treats
<a href="http://www.healthy-eating.com/cereals_sweets.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.healthy-eating.com/cereals_sweets.html</a></p>
<p>Fruit Leather and more
<a href="http://www.everydayfruit.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.everydayfruit.com/</a></p>
<p>Honey/Trail mix bars (my cadet’s favorite after the brownies)
<a href="http://everydayfruit.com/honey_bars.php%5B/url%5D">http://everydayfruit.com/honey_bars.php</a></p>
<p>bzzzt’s favorites
<a href="http://www.stewleonardsgifts.com/home.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.stewleonardsgifts.com/home.cfm</a></p>
<p>Yet more brownies…
<a href="http://www.fatwitch.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.fatwitch.com</a></p>