Although I certainly count brown paper packages tied up with strings as one of my favourite things, I am even more thrilled when the packages are dressed up with more than just strings. Really, who doesn't like to receive a thoughtful little parcel in the middle of a cold dreary day?
The weeks leading up to the holiday season is a busy time for me, not only baking, but also to flex my arts and crafts muscle. One of the things I enjoy most is to giftwrap all my homemade gifts before sending them off to friends and family. This year, I find myself in a curious position. I am a bit behind for my typical big baking extravaganza. Yet, because of all the regular cooking and baking that I do, I have a bunch of ready-made gifts as early as the first week of December. That means I beat the holiday post office rush for the first time and friends from afar can actually receive my gifts before Christmas...imagine that!
Last week, I spontaneously pulled together a few parcels filled with Sweet & Salty Brownies and Peanut Butter Blondies. Bar cookies are great candidate for mailing since they are sturdy and stay fresh for a few days. I first individually wrapped each piece of brownie/blondie in wax paper. Each of these 3x3x3 inch boxes comfortably fits two bars with crumpled patterned tissue paper for shock absorption. The key for mailing baked goods is to pack them tight to avoid jostling. A good check is that when you shake the box, nothing should move around. To pretty up these plain brown boxes, I cut a square of pale colour cardstock the same size as the lid. Then I used my punch-around-the-page paper punch set to create the floral border. I love the lacy effect of this overlay decorative touch. I colour-coordinated the brownie box to have a white overlay with brown ribbon and the blondie box to have a grey overlay with lavender ribbon. Coincidentally, I have some pink floral stickers that exactly match the border to seal the ends of the ribbon.
I used cardboard mailing boxes measuring 8x4x4 inches to fit in two boxes of bar cookies. Again, crumbled tissue paper ensured everything sat nice and snug. I also included a pink and brown greeting card with a personalized note for each recipient. After all, holiday cheers is not just about the decadent goodies. It's the thought behind the gift that counts most. It is an opportunity to express my gratitude to people who made my past year wonderful.
This is part of my holiday gift 2010 series. See what other goodies I came up with this year! I hope my little parcel brightens up your day as much as it did mine.
