Show How Much You Care with a Care Package

I remember the day well. It was the morning after a horrendously long night spent rocking my newborn as she was suffering through her very first cold. I had called my sister-in-law very early, wanting to hear a seasoned mother’s advice on using the dreaded nasal aspirator. We spoke briefly, hung up, and I went about my aspirating. A few hours later the doorman knocked at my door with a large brown shopping bag that had been dropped off for me – a care package from my sister-in-law. Words cannot express how much this simple, kind act meant to me. My daughter was still sick, and I still hadn’t showered or slept, but now, just like pennies from heaven, I had pastry and the latest People magazine. Oh sweet, sweet relief! Never underestimate the power of a little sugar and some mindless entertainment to revive a person’s spirit. So the next time you have someone in your life that is need of a quick, little pick-me-up, here is a checklist of some basic ingredients to make your own care package so that you can play fairy godmother to your own Cinderella in need.

Care Package Items – – The Basics:

Soup: The ready-to-heat-and-serve variety is best. And if you spend a bit more and choose one of the gourmet-ish jarred soups it will be even better. Traditional chicken noodle soup is always a good choice. Even if the recipient is not ill, chicken noodle soup just makes you feel better about life in general. (Black Bean Soup is a good vegetarian option.)

Snack Crackers: There are so many delicious cracker options on the market that you really can’t go wrong. A tried and true favorite like “Chicken-in-a-Biscuit” (which I received) or Ritz crackers may conjure up some pleasant childhood memories and feel a little more nurturing than some of the newer options out there. The call is yours.

Fruit Cups: The recipient of this exceptional care package is in crisis – you can’t possibly expect them to be preparing healthy fruit snacks, can you? Of course not. Single serve containers of mandarin oranges, peaches, pears, mixed fruit, or even applesauce are on every grocer’s shelf. Something a little bit healthy and already prepped and ready to eat will definitely be appreciated.

Candy: In my opinion, sugar helps most situations. So add a box of the recipient’s favorite candy (yes I said box, preferably the movie theater size) to their package. I received the 1 lb. family bag of Twizzlers strawberry licorice myself and couldn’t have been happier.

Pastry: Doesn’t pastry just say “life is good” like no other baked good can? It’s a step above a muffin in the fanciness category and is just one of those food items you rarely have just sitting around on the counter at home. Pastry = special treat. Pastry = Love. The pastry I received was a lovely cherry variety with oodles of that white-zigzagged frosting. Yum!

Flowers: Pick up a small bouquet of some cheerful brightly colored flowers. No need for anything too over the top here, in fact, my bouquet consisted of yellow carnations and baby’s breath, and I couldn’t have loved them more if they had been a dozen tulips imported directly from Holland. Flowers tend to make people feel a bit more special and this is exactly the feeling we are going for.

Magazine: You can buy that special person their favorite magazine, though chances are that they already have it, or you can buy them a magazine that relates to a topic they are interested in and, yawn, that would be okay too, yawn, chuckle, cough, but if you really want to provide some relief to their troubled mind, buy them the magazine that you know they want, but maybe just don’t allow themselves to buy for fear their inner gossip-monger will be exposed for all to see. Yes, I’m suggesting you buy them a magazine dripping with the latest and largest quantity of celebrity gossip, photos, and exclusives you can find. This is just the type of mindless brain-candy needed to turn their attention away from the trials at hand and out toward Britney Spears and her ilk.

Lip Balm: Dry lips, whether from illness or from anxiety-induced lip biting, are a very bad thing. Give them lip balm and they will use it.

Bottled water: Throw in some “fresh from a sparkling stream” bottled water for good measure. We all need to be hydrated, after all. Spend a bit more money and buy a beautiful bottle of Fiji water. I truly believe this is the best tasting bottled water on the planet. And even though the recipient of this beverage will be stuck here in reality, their taste buds will be basking on the warm Fijian sands.

Kleenex, Diapers, toilet tissue, etc.: When trouble’s afoot, paper products of all kinds disappear quickly. Choose the most fitting product to suit the particular needs of the situation at hand. Just be sure you buy the softest, most luxurious version of whatever you choose.

The whole of a care package is more than the sum of its parts. Think of this as salve for the weary soul. Your act of kindness will have more healing qualities, both physically and emotionally, than you can ever imagine. Case in point: I am still talking about my care package nearly 5 years after the fact. And you know, now that I mention it, I think I feel a little cold coming on.