Re: Christmas parcels
 

Well depends....we make 'em as they're cheap and fun...home made frames with pictures the kids have made...well scribbles...that and the missus hand spins yarn as my mother knits, but so does the missus, so my mum makes her stuff too.

Anyway, for surface mail from the UK to the US, the deadline is 15th October to be guaranteed it'll get here by Christmas.

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Yeah, but that requires buying them, rather than making your own :D

It is a great site though :)

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Not going the other way, sending parcels to the UK.

3rd December is the last day to guarantee parcels sent the cheapest option from the US will reach the EU by Christmas.

It starts to get stupidly expensive there after for quicker delivery.

Re: Christmas parcels
 

My mum (lives in the UK) is supremely organized. She is the kind that gets Christmas present in the January sales and then saves them for a year; but that's not the point.

Anyway, she posted her International Christmas Cards by Oct 15th using surface mail. We received it here on the West Coast on Oct 26th! She was more than a little embarrassed when I told her it was our first card, probably by at least a month!

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Should have signed it and sent it back. ;) :D

Re: Christmas parcels
 

I buy gifts from this website http://www.gonedigging.co.uk/ - esp soccer gifts - really good quality and based in Harpenden, Herts where Mum lives - still have to pay the shipping though! Just bought a bunch of personalised star tree decorations and soccer diaries yesterday.

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Of the 8 parcels my mum sent, only received the one yet :D

Definitely hit or miss this surface mail stuff.

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Your mum sent 8 parcels. Wow. Can she be my mum too? :)

We have two more parcels on the way, posted today. I'll see how long these take, but since I want the contents, I am sure it will take weeks! :frown:

(My mum is also a serious John Lewis shopper, and since we have 3 of their grandkids, we are often the thrilled recipients of her little 'investments'. Who needs Father Christmas when you have generous grandparents?)

Re: Christmas parcels
 

It was only meant to be 2 parcels but the postie woman told her it would be better and much cheaper if she sent them in smaller, uniform parcels as it would get much better rates, so she repacked them.

Mostly stuff for the girls, a pair of coats are two of the parcels :lol:

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Does anybody know about sending homemade food from the UK to the US? I tried looking on the US Customs page and the USPS page for information, but I got a little bogged down in all of it. I THINK a homemade Christmas pudding should be okay. My mother-in-law wants to send us one, but wasn't sure if she could send her own homemade one or if she should send a prepackaged one.

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Fruits and veg are a no-no, unless it's prepackaged.

With the booze in it, it's probably asking for some jobsworth to give it a bit of extra attention...

Re: Christmas parcels
 

I have been sent a couple in previous years. It probably comes down to whether anyone opens it to look or not.

Re: Christmas parcels
 

two more parcels arrived from my mother and they were battered to shit.

Re: Christmas parcels
 

Is that a Glaswegian specialty like the Mars Bars?