For expats, presents and food parcels sent to and from home are intrinsic parts of the holiday season, making them feel a little closer to their loved ones.
Sending Presents
During the holidays, families beautifully wrap presents and send them around the globe, from one home to another. It all costs time, money and thought so when you are making your gift list, think about shipping costs and how you can send the parcels most efficiently to your family. Choosing a present for your niece but finding it will cost you more to ship it than the gift itself is worth is frustrating to say the least.
One answer is to purchase gifts from an internet store based in the same country as your family and friends. Often, choosing such a service will provide you with free shipping and you can get the items wrapped on your behalf. Alternatively, sending gift vouchers electronically or gifting money through an international transfer service are other options that avoid the need for shipping.
Shipping Food Items
If your local expat shop does not stock all the goodies you need for your family Christmas dinner, then chances are you will ask your family or friends back home to ship items to you, or you will use an internet shop to get those elusive mince pies or plum puddings. However, make sure you know exactly what food items are permitted to be shipped to your host country and ensure that the items you order are not perishable should your parcel be unexpectedly mislaid or delayed.
Lost Items
When you post your parcels, or when you engage a shipping service to take care of your items, read about the process and financial coverage for lost or damaged items so that there are no nasty surprises in the event that something goes amiss with your shipment.
Insure valuable items when you dispatch them and do not be tempted to cut costs by underinsuring the item.
General Shipping Tips
Make sure you know the postage deadlines for the countries you are shipping to so that you minimise costs and ensure packages arrive on time.
If your parcel is fragile, ask at the post office for stickers or a stamp to be clearly displayed on the parcel. It may cost you more but sending fragile items in separate packages, instead of bundled together with larger, heavier items, could ensure that presents arrive safely and avoid disappointment and additional cost during the festive period.
If you are using a shipping company, ask for a tracking number and be sure to let the recipient know the package is on the way so that you can trace the arrival of a package and chase up in the event that the parcel is delayed or lost.
Ensure that there are shipping labels on the inside of the package too in case the outer box is damaged and if you are reusing a box make sure any old bar codes or stickers are unreadable or removed so that the parcel ends up at the correct destination.
Make sure the items you are shipping, or have ordered for delivery to you, are not forbidden in the destination country and ensure that the parcels you are sending are securely wrapped and safe to ship. Buy plenty of packing materials to wrap them in and use newspaper, foam, bubble wrap or peanut packing in the box to act as a cushion so that items cannot move around and knock against each other. Remember to remove the batteries from items to avoid leakage and damage to the goods, or an item accidentally switching on in transit.
Consider also the value of the items you are sending and if they will be liable for import duties or taxes. An unexpected letter or phone call to your recipient from the customs authorities asking for a payment to cover import taxes on the gift you sent is probably not quite the Christmas joy you intended to spread with your gift.
More Expat Resources
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