Mailable Holiday Gifts

By Hklbrries

Recipes in collection associated with this article: Nuts and Bolts; Mailable Brownies; Flavored Cafes (Coffee); Gala Gifts

Thanksgiving is behind us and the leftovers are tucked away in the fridge. Now's the time to begin planning for the holiday gift-giving season, with a little help from the Dorothy Dean Homemakers Service!

The Spokesman-Review invites you to get a jump on what to send the toughest people on your gift-giving list with these easy-to-make, easy-to-mail treats for family and friends. Act now and send early! If you have additional questions about how to mail your gift, contact the United States Postal Service or your local mailing center.

Reprinted here is material taken from Dorothy Dean Homemakers Service leaflets from the years 1975, 1980 and 1982. The Dorothy Dean Homemakers Service was a staple for Spokesman-Review readers from 1935 to 1983, providing kitchen-tested recipes that never go out of style, as well as helpful hints to make any gathering, special occasion or household chore go off without a hitch. Merry Christmas to one and all from the Spokesman-Review, gift-givers!

Food Gifts to Mail:
Cookies, candy, popcorn balls, gum, nuts, dried fruits; snack cracker varieties, cheese, instant coffee, tea, milk, cocoa and fruit drink powders; canned foods... meat, poultry, fish, fruit juice, nuts; pickles, olives, frostings. Avoid foods in glass containers.

For short-distance mailing within the boundaries of the United States: Glazed or frosted (avoid sticky frosting) cakes, cupcakes; angel food, sponge, chiffon cakes. It is best to mail these first class or send by bus or air freight.

How to Pack:
Containers should be sturdy and airtight. They'll get a warm welcome if reusable, such as plastic boxes or decorative canisters. Pack containers in heavy cardboard or corrugated cardboard boxes. Fill all vacant spaces with shredded paper or popcorn to prevent shifting. Enclose an address slip inside box. Over-wrap for mailing with heavy paper and twine. Address carefully and clearly; be sure to include return address.

Consult Post Office with regard to rules for mailing packages: weight, size allowances and mailing date deadlines for holidays. If mailing to a foreign country, rules often depend upon the destination.

Cookies that Travel:
A box from home is heartily welcome! When you send cookies, use a good-sized, sturdy container and fill it well; but make sure your gift arrives as cookies, not crumbs. Here's how:

1. Bake travel-wise cookies that can stand a few knocks... long-lived drop cookies and easily packed bars and squares (bake these in disposable foil pans; mail right in the pan, over-wrapped with aluminum foil or tucked into a plastic bag).

2. Use a generous cushioning layer in the bottom of the container; unbuttered popcorn or dry cereal or crumpled wax paper or Saran or shredded paper.

3. Wrap flat drop cookies in pairs, back to back, with paper between; wrap other cookies individually. Use Saran, waxed paper, aluminum foil or plastic bags.

4. Arrange cookies snugly. Place in layers in straight rows, heavier cookies at the bottom. Tuck popcorn into each nook and crevice to keep cookies from shifting. Top the layer with crumpled wrapping or waxed paper.

5. Repeat the process. Continue snug arrangement of cookies, plugging holes and adding cushioning and padding until box is filled to 1/4-inch from top.

6. Finish with another cushioning layer; you should have to gently push the box cover to close. Tape box shut. Play safe; print address on box.

7. Wrap box in heavy brown paper (over-wrap a lightweight box or odd-shaped container with corrugated cardboard before adding brown paper). Tie securely with cord. Label with name, address and return address printed legibly. Mark "perishable" and "fragile."

8. For overseas mailing, use air express or parcel post, if possible. Keep in mind that packages mailed to an overseas US military base require postage to the stateside APO or FPO only. If box is a Christmas gift, be sure to check mailing date deadlines.

Ingredients

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Preparation

Step 1

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