You’re a 20 yr old, studying in a foreign country, and your DM sends you a care package……

[Cockahoophappy]

What would you want to be in it?

So far I’ve got new knickers, a face mask, Halloween biscuits, cashews, and the leggings she forgot to take with her.

Any other ideas please?
Nothing too heavy.

TIA

My mum sent me 500 teabags!! (Yes, I did get through all of them in my time abroad lol)

Oh I just love this, after coming from the sad sad thread about the mum who is asking whether to cancel the theatre at the request of her anxious dd waiting to go into labour alone :(

My mum always used to put a toothbrush in our stocking and I think that would make me smile in a care package. Also after one of my babies, my sister sent a care package with similar stuff you’ve mentioned, but she wrapped them individually and labelled with little notes, like chocolate ‘to be opened during the 4am feed when you feel like you’re the only person awake in the world’. So thoughtful, and really helped me during times like that, knowing I was cared for!!

tea bags
chocolate

biscuits

i did go to a lot of trouble finding plastic pots of marmite, quite expensive, but where dd was they didnt have the same sort of bread so it didnt really work.

Chocolate 🍫
Pjs
Fluffy socks
🥰

I sent a box to DD who studied in the US for a year. I remember sending some herbal teabags and cup-a-soup type things that she liked as well as her favourite sweets, chocolate and crisps. She had told me that some things were incredibly expensive over there so I sent a few items including 2 big boxes of Tampax...not very glamourous but she was very grateful! I packed all the spaces with stuff like socks, tissues, cotton buds, stuff that was useful. I sent a few first aid items too as she is very accident prone!

You're asking the wrong people - we're a different generation. Letters are not better than Whatsapp messages to a 20 year old. Books in english can be downloaded. 20 year olds don't buy magazines. You may as well send her a mixed tape. It's a lovely idea to send a care package but you'll have to ask someone closer to her own age for ideas.

Things she can't easily buy where she is. There's no point at all in sending her something she could buy in Walmart (as you said she's in the USA).

I've lived outside the UK most of my adult life, but most of my childhood in the UK. I miss Yorkshire tea (or failing that other strong tea blends in teabags easily bought in bulk from UK supermarkets) - the blends sold as "English breakfast tea" in most other countries are so weak that you either need to use 3 twabags, or let it stew 'til it's too cold - and even then they taste wrong, often too floral.

When I lived outside the UK in my late teens and very early 20s I missed Cadbury chocolate - but the recipe has changed now and it's a bit rubbish too. Still American "chocolate" richly deserves the inverted commas - it's "candy" not chocolate. So send her whatever chocolate she loves.

My mum always tried to send "better" versions of anything I missed - she would buy some independent tea brand and send a decorative pack of 6 overpriced hand tied teabags when I actually craved a catering pack of Yorkshire tea. What your daughter misses abroad are probably the things that are everyday basics at home but impossible to find in exactly the same form where she is. Don't send her gifty, "elevated" or gimmicy things, send her big packs of the everyday basics she can't get.

I echo teabags and chocolate for the States. Weetabix and baked beans too, if you can.

It's a lovely idea OP but I really don't understand why you'd send her new knickers. What 20 year old wants their mum to buy their knickers for them?! I find this very odd.

But lovely that you want to send her some nice things.

My fave sweets...

i buy knickers for my adult dd, i ask what they like and buy them

Lip salve, fluffy socks, eye mask, chocolate, moisturiser.

Well, I always sent my dcs pants and they were always pleased! Surely no one can have too many pants?!

Definitely English chocolate, US chocolate is revolting.

And I used to send the dcs one of the dog’s toys - slobber (dried) an’ all.

I absolutely love this. I bet his face was an absolute picture. Thank you for sharing.

I used to like getting practical stuff like new knickers and socks from my mum (although when I hit 30 and it suddenly switched from posh thongs to sensible big knickers I was not impressed!). A nice soap / shampoo/ conditioner bar?

Also things that I missed and appreciated were UK teabags and chocolate buttons or mini bars (also great for sharing with new friends who may never had tasted non-American chocolate!), facial moisturiser with SPF, lip balm and fruit squash (can't get it in the US), if she drinks squash at home perhaps once of those ultra concentrated squeeze bottles of squash.

Also, love the idea of letters/ postcards/ photos from friends or family members ❤️

Because it’s a lightweight little luxury that you might not buy for yourself if you’re short of money.

I have lived abroad a number of times throughout my life and in each location, I wanted/missed different things. Right now, I'd love a big parcel of risotto rice and breakfast cereal because we currently live in a country without decent supply chains so products will be all over the place at one time then they dry up and you won't see it again anywhere for 6+ months. In other locations I have lived, I would want different things.

What does she talk about missing? Or what does she ask people to bring when they come to stay (or have you not got to that stage if she's doing a year abroad?) ... that will give you an indication of what she's lacking. If in doubt something like decent tea bags and the really concentrated mini squash bottles (if she drinks both/either) have always been a staple on my lists. I have seen others have mentioned baked beans - they're far too heavy to post ime but I do ask people to bring them over... also brown sauce and Branston pickle.

Fizzy vitamins. Favourite sweeties. Lip balm. Expensive mascara. Cashmere socks.

Anything and everything that are unavailable there or too expensive because of import fees! When I was abroad, I wanted all kinds of food items that reminds me of home.

Chocolate
Crisps
Pyjamas
Fluffy socks
Shampoo/Conditioner
Shower gel
Gift card for a takeaway

You need to say where as many places are a "no" on any liquids, seeds or plants (so anything with something in it that could grow). Also foodstuffs ( anything that could be considered fresh). I would also avoid anything that could be mistaken for drugs - so nothing white and powdery or tobacco looking!

[ETA, just seen it's US - so Cadbury's choc, tea bags, and maybe a bit of money to go somewhere near here she is - like a cat cafe, or to have a massage or something. Liquids will be a nono, you will only be able to send packaged food with no seeds in it. Fluffy Socks - yes for North, no for South!)]

Actually the tampons are a good idea.

It is the one thing my Dads still want to the US.

DD1 is in her 5 th year there are still doesn’t like American tampons

Yorkshire tea bags
Photos printed
Pickled onion monster munch(what I miss most about the UK!)

Years ago I worked abroad. My British colleague's mum sent him a care package containing a pork pie. She sent it in the post. To eastern Europe. It took 10 days to arrive. It was not in a cool bag. He ate it and was unbelievably ill. Make sure your care package is safe for transit. Don't be like his mum.