When was the last time you sent a package through the post to brighten up someone’s day? In a recent survey, only 7.6% of people said they sent parcels to family overseas. I know that since I’ve been living overseas the past 14 years that seeing something in the post for me always brightens up my week! And I like to reciprocate as well and send a little piece of where I am back home.
There’s nothing like getting a ‘real’ package by mail. it’s one of my favourite things! And it’s even better if it’s from a friend or family and not just something I’ve ordered for myself online. When Parcel2Go.com asked if we’d be interested in trying out their service to send a package to my family, we were delighted to participate in their campaign that asks, ‘Why Don’t People Send Memories Anymore?’
I’ve been sending letters and packages through the post since the ’80s. With the development of electronic forms of communication, it can be easier to keep up to date as things happen. But I still like the anticipation of not knowing what will arrive from Japan, Canada, Germany, or elsewhere!
With our Uncle passing away recently, it really makes me want to reconnect with my family back home and I wish we could be closer for each other. Time seems to go faster each year, and there’s always something that needs to be done. But really, I just need to slow down and take the time to write a letter or take a photo and send them to those that matter most in my life. Mom and Dad visited us earlier this year, but my sister and nephew have never been over to visit.
I do so wish that they could come to visit us over here. I had hoped that I could have paid for Andy’s ticket when he was a teenager, but having my own children and not having a job since Tristan was born 11 week early, it hasn’t been possible to save up for it. So although they can’t, fly here, I wanted to send them a little piece of our world.
My children love to do arts and crafts, and one of their favourite memories when they met my sister 3.5 years ago in Canada was doing these with her. They made some artwork just to send.
Tristan and Kallista had so much fun they even decorated the box on every side! Why send a plain old boring box if you can turn it into a work of art instead? When you’re in the mood for creating art, go with it!
I hope that the happy pictures helped to brighten the day of everyone who saw this parcel along the way.
What did we decide to send to Canada? Far too much it would seem! We had to take some items out of the box and will post them another time (so watch out for another box!).
- An Irish scented candle to help relax at the end of a hard day of work or study.
- Irish breakfast tea (tea is its own food group here-everything is better with a cup of tea!) to help them unwind.
- Jaffa cakes to enjoy with a cup of tea in the afternoon.
- Chocolate bars. The chocolate tastes different here, and there are also different varieties available. And the world seems better with chocolate on a bad day.
- Crisps (Potato chips) in flavours that aren’t found in Canada.
- A re-usable shopping bag with photos of the Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle on it.
- Some toffees.
- Some homework samples so they can see what the children are learning.
- Barbecue mug coasters for their summer (or winter) grill-ups.
After all of the contents were packed up into the beautiful box, we made the arrangements with the international parcel courier service to come and collect our parcel. The children were very excited for the truck to arrive.
In less than 45 hours, this box went from our home to Belfast,Northern Ireland to Belguim, to Toronto, Canada, then to Montréal, and finally to its destination with my sister and her family in their town! Now that’s what I call fast!
Everything arrived safely and nothing was damaged along the way.
I do hope that Coralie and her family will enjoy their little piece of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It’s not the same as visiting in person, but we just couldn’t get Post2Go.com to agree to send a box big enough for us all to fit in!
