Preventing Broken Christmas Presents

My family members live all over the country. Since I must send gifts via a delivery company or the US Postal Service, I must take care to package breakable items so that they arrive in one piece. If you take the time to properly package your items, with the right materials, chances are that your gifts will arrive safely.

A few years ago I decided to give jar candles as Christmas presents to a few co-workers. After wrapping the candles with pretty wrap, I placed several inside of a used plastic grocery bag, and drove to work. Dangling the bag from my hand while walking into the building, the candles knocked against each other, and one cracked. I didn't discover the crack until the recipient opened the gift in front of me. Had I taken the proper precautions to prevent the broken Christmas present, I would have saved the recipient from being sorely disappointed, while saving myself from the humiliation of the situation. Always take the added steps and precautions to prevent broken Christmas presents, even if you're only placing them beneath your Christmas tree.

Whether you ship presents to your recipients or you have breakable items beneath your Christmas tree, follow these tips for preventing broken Christmas presents:

• Pad the container. Layer the bottom of the box with Styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap, wads of newspapers, or even an old towel. After placing the item inside, layer more of the same on top.
• Wrap the item. Securely wrap the item with bubble wrap or other protective materials that provide strength and cushion.
• Double-box the item. After packaging your item, place the box inside of a larger box, and pad the outside box, as well, before closing.
• Mark the package. If you are shipping your package, mark it with large letters as fragile.
• Don't stack. If you are shipping a set of glasses or jars, never stack them. Instead, wrap each piece individually in bubble wrap and place inside of a padded box.
• Secure the item. Never allow a fragile item to touch the inner walls of the shipping container. Create an environment of cushion for the item with layers and layers of protection.
• Secure the shipping container. You can never use too much tape when securing a shipping container. Use packing tape to shut the box instead of standard 3/4-inch tape for everyday use, and make certain that you tape every corner. Reinforce the bottom flaps by taping the length of the box as well as the width of the box.