As long as you can fit things into an 8 by 10 padded envelope, the US post office has a flat rate shipping option- the padded envelope is free and the cost to mail it (weight doesn’t matter) is 7.50. If you are mailing to a family of, say, four and everything you buy is small and lightweight you can cram as many things in the envelope as you wish so long as it can still be closed with the adhesive strip it comes with (meaning no extra tape to extend the size.

Cute or pretty or fancy costume jewelry is lightweight. Try shopping for this at department stores. Discounts can be really deep this time of year. Socks, scarves, gloves etc. are all really light. Even wrapped in Christmas paper you can get several such items into one of those padded envelopes.

AND if you can do this idea ASAP, the post office also has Media Mail which is super cheap and is for mailing books and music. Mailing a CD is around 3.00 and the average book is only 3.50 or so. Goodwill sells books in my town for 1.00 each (this could be different in your town) and I often find first editions that haven’t been read on their shelves. With dust jackets and with no writing- you just have to look.

I, just this weekend, bought my son-in-law, who loves to read, three books for Christmas for 3.00. One is a vintage first edition Dashiel Hammett- his favorite author. It’s beat up and doesn’t have a dust jacket but he will love it.

I mention doing this ASAP because Media Mail can be slow- with all of the priority packages going through the mail right now Media will take a back seat but there is still time before Christmas if you do this today or tomorrow.

Do not put anything else but books in the package and I wouldn’t put bows on anything as any kind of lumps etc. gives the PO cause to open the package and then the shipping will be delayed (not to mention they will ruin your wrapping).

Cookies are always a good idea. Who wouldn’t love a platter of various kinds- and you can send it to an entire family. Don’t use that padded envelope for this though