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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Christmassy treats to send abroad to girls 10/12 without a mum

23 replies

Pansypath · 25/11/2020 11:34

My friend died a couple of years ago and I would like to send her daughter a christmas card and some silly inexpensive gifts that are christmassy. I met her daughters but mostly I was friends with her, so I don't have a direct relationship with them, and they have plenty of other adults looking out for them - godparents, grandparents, their dad etc, so I am not trying to muscle in at all. But I thought it might be nice to send a few little bits that you don't get abroad and that a dad might not think of - so the more silly, glittery stocking filler type stuff. I am part of a group of friends that promised my late friend we would always keep an eye on them and stay in touch with christmas cards etc. I know my DH would be fine on getting bigger gifts for example but he wouldn't even think of the silly stocking fillers. Any suggestions for what type of thing this might be? Needs to be able to send easily by airmail.

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BadgertheBodger · 25/11/2020 11:35

Bath bombs, nail varnish, stickers, pair of silly Christmas socks, chocolate orange, notebook, pen, hair bobbles, mini hairbrush?

73kittycat73 · 25/11/2020 13:47

Try [https://www.claires.com/?lang=en_GB Claires] for girly bits. They've got 40% off to at the moment! :)

73kittycat73 · 25/11/2020 13:47

Link fail, doh!

73kittycat73 · 25/11/2020 13:48

Sorry the link works, just my attempt to shorten it failed. Forgot to put two brackets. Anyway, I'll stop spamming your thread now!

mamawithfive · 25/11/2020 15:25

We live abroad, and have seen lots of posts on social media from people buying fun Xmas bits at pLaces like home bargains & b&m, and it’s all things we just can get here!
There were some melting hot chocolate bears or some hot chocolate melting spoons. Chocolate Christmas lollipops. Any Cadbury’s Xmas chocolates as chocolate is usually expensive abroad so not something often bought or sometimes not available in many places!

Fivemoreminutes1 · 25/11/2020 17:19

Bomb cosmetics have a great selection of festive bath bombs.
M&S have a pack of 3 Christmassy bath jellies and iced berry bubble foam
Multicoloured Christmas dinner lip balm from New Look

TicTacTwo · 25/11/2020 17:31

Where does she live abroad? Toronto would be very different to Tokyo for instance.

InTheLongGrass · 25/11/2020 17:36

A selection pack each, if they used to live in the UK.

katy1213 · 25/11/2020 17:50

It does rather depend where they live. Pretty iced biscuits, eg from Biscuiteers. A gingerbread house kit? Traditional English Christmas stuff like selection boxes/chocolate orange/Quality Street? Pungent smellies from Lush?

TheRubyRedshoes · 25/11/2020 19:09

Oh goodness - yes - what about fancy biscuits like the fortnum and mason xmas biscuits? They also have bars of chocolates with interesting names? For about £6 each and chocolate frogs in boxes....

You could add in some xmas decs from there too....

thisislovelyme · 25/11/2020 19:25

Advent calendars? Body shop / Lego friends... naughty chocolate ones....!

Pansypath · 25/11/2020 20:04

They used to live in UK. Now in small town France

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Catflapkitkat · 26/11/2020 04:19

Are they girly?

My daughter is of a similar age and we live in a small town in Sweden. My DD loves stocking fillers from Tiger - stationery bits, glittery hair bands and grips, we struggle to get good quality chocolate coins up here.

sashh · 26/11/2020 05:28

Xmas crackers are virtually unknown in other places, you can get them without the explosive so you can send in the post. As they are from the UK they will know to pull them not unwrap them.

I had a friend take some to Jordan!

Make up, can you get urban decay in France?

Small bits of jewelry, earings or a bracelet. Magazines and or a book or two.

HotelliFinlandia · 26/11/2020 05:35

Ok don't send chocolate if they're in France. Really nice biscuits though are a British thing that isn't so common in France. The dark chocolate ginger biscuits from borders, M&S biscuits. Naice biscuits basically.

Another thing would be a mini Christmas cake - doesn't exist there. Hard to send, but could get one that isn't decorated (like the wedge of cake with marzipan and icing) and add a couple of decorations so they could stick them on themselves.

Mince pies!

If she has people there looking out for her, I'd bet that she'll have all the glittery sparkly things she wants, if she wants them.

Sending something uniquely British is a way to add in a touch of something special in a different way. And if you do it every year, then it will become a sort of tradition for her too. I'm not sure if her mother was British or French living in the U.K., but either way, Britain was a part of her, so this is a nice way to keep her alive and show her something her mother knew that those around her presumably can't.

And it doesn't need to be a Christmas present. It could be an advent present or "Christmas time" present. So it's something she gets in the run up to the big day when no doubt she'll be thinking if her mother.

HotelliFinlandia · 26/11/2020 05:38

I went back and edited the post to "she" after using "they" throughout as suddenly thought there was only one DD!

So for two you, you could make a "British Christmas time box".

Pansypath · 26/11/2020 08:57

Thanks. Both parents British. Usually they would be back in UK for Christmas but not this year because of virus. Non explosive crackers a good idea.

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Pansypath · 26/11/2020 08:58

Where would I get them though?

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InTheLongGrass · 26/11/2020 09:11

I would go on britishcornershop.co.uk and send the crackers - plus any other food treats you want to send.
They will deal with the customs issues of the explosives. Just watch the P&P - it goes in blocks of weight. Make sure you dont tip into the next weight bracket.

Thedarknightsaredrawingin · 26/11/2020 09:17

Joma jewellery have lovely Christmas bracelets in cracker style packaging. Super light to post and something they can use for years.

ImNotReallyHere · 26/11/2020 11:13

I wouldn’t send chocolate. My MIL tried to send us Easter eggs from abroad one year and they arrived in 1000 smashed up pieces. I’d avoid bath bombs for the same reason.

My Dd is 13 but has liked stationery for years and is easy to post quirky notebooks, pens etc. Also pastel highlighter pens are popular this year. Try paperchase or typo. And add some American or Japanese candy. Or jelly beans Grin

Howmanysleepsnow · 26/11/2020 14:53

Lush fidget spinner bubble bar
Hot chocolate melting snowman (homebargains or Aldi)
Chocolate coins
Colour change nail varnish (boots)
One night ultimate werewolf game
Chocolate orange
Journey bracelet www.wildlifecollections.com/products/the-journey-bracelet

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