Inexpensive gifts that can be posted!

[TheNationalExpress]

I sadly won't see many of my lovely friends this Xmas as they are scattered all across the UK and Ireland. I'd like to send them and their children lovely gifts that can be posted, so nothing hugely bulky or heavy. I'm at the end of mat leave so have no money coming in, so they'd need to be pretty cheap gifts too.
Does anyone have any ideas or am I searching for a unicorn? I'm pretty time limited too so although I am very crafty I might struggle to make lots of things in the time between now and Xmas but I could do some things I think.

I think a really nice email, text or call wishing them and their families a lovely Christmas and giving them a little update from you and yours. If you really want to send something a card with the above.

So much more thoughtful to receive than any gift.

If you really really really think you need to send gifts maybe a nice medium sized chocolate bar for families with kids (like a bar of Tony's Chocaloney). But I would advise against gifts for many reasons. 1. You need the money (as a friend I would much prefer you keep the money, especially when in a cosy of living crisis and on mat leave/with kids of your own) 2. Most adult friends don't buy for each other or each other's families 3. Anything you start doing or continue doing feeds an unnecessary expectation for you to carry on doing the same in all future years. As your little one grows up you simply won't want the cost or hassle of this 4. It also might make your friends feel they need to do the sale back and therefore puts an unnecessary burden on them.

WhTs your budget?

How about a card with a voucher for something they can do as a family - perhaps cinema?

Easy to post, element of choice from them - not too time consuming for you!

I would think your friends are aware you don't have much coming in and would be horrified if you put yourselves in a worse financial position in order to send them gifts.

As PP suggested, I'd send a lovely card.

If you’re about to go back to work, how about a promise of meeting up in the Spring for tea and cake or a sandwich in a nice garden centre or something?