The holidays suck if you deliver; there’s no way to sugarcoat it. If you’re a postal worker, UPS, FedEx or DHL package delivery driver, heck, even if you’re delivering pizza – the holidays are brutal.
These folks work insane hours in the run-up to Christmas. They’re out late in all sorts of weather. They take their life into their own hands in traffic that isn’t watching out for them. And they deal with some less-than-pleasant personalities along the way.
If anyone could use a bit of kindness and holiday cheer, it’s these folks.
Two years ago, I started putting together a snack basket for all the delivery people that came to my door. Read on and join me in showing some appreciation for the folks who make Christmas morning possible.
How It All Started
Like many people these days, I do a lot of Christmas shopping online. Two years ago, while I was away with family for Thanksgiving, I hit up all the great cyber sales. When I got back home, I found this outside my second-story apartment door.
It left me feeling a little guilty. I made up my mind to do something for all the folks out there slinging packages. As friends and family will attest, my love language is food.
“Snacks,” I thought—a little something to keep them going during the mad holiday rush.
I grabbed a basket, lined it with some Christmas tea towels and filled it with snacks, Christmas candy and a few bottles of water. I made up a sign, letting all the delivery folks know to help themselves, and I put it at the bottom of the stairs in our building.
It was a huge hit.
This will be my third year doing this, and I’ve learned a few things. I want to get this idea out there, as I know these hard-working couriers would benefit from finding a few more of these baskets throughout their long days.
What to Put in Your Basket
I use a simple apple basket lined with tea towels. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s festive. Use whatever you like as a container, keeping in mind that it will be outside. Place your basket where it will be out of the elements but visible to delivery drivers.
Snacks
A good mixture of healthy and not-so-healthy snacks works best. Christmas candy is always popular, too. Make sure everything is in individually wrapped packets. These folks are on a deadline, so they need to be able to grab something quickly and be on their way.
- Mini Kind Bars
- Granola Bars
- Cookie Snack Packs
- Trail Mix
- Cheez-its
- Bags of chips
- Bags of nuts
- And, of course, Christmas candy.
Bottled Water
I buy small half-pint-sized bottles. They take up less room in the basket, and they’re the perfect size to slip into a pocket on the go.
Signs
Here are a couple of signs if you’d like to print them out to use with your snack basket.
Timing – When to Start Your Basket and When to Wrap It Up
I put my basket out at the beginning of November, as that’s when many folks begin Christmas shopping in earnest.
After a discussion with my postal carrier about when package delivery begins to abate for the season, I decided to leave my basket out until the end of January.
But, even if you can only do this for a week or two, it’s still appreciated by everyone who benefits from your basket.
Critters and Freezing Temperatures
Whether you live out in the country or a city, critters can be a problem if you leave food unattended out in the open. If critters are a concern where you are, consider putting your goodies in a cooler with a tight fighting lid. You can tape the sign to the lid of the cooler, letting delivery persons know what’s inside.
As most foraging animals are crepuscular or nocturnal, you can bring your basket indoors at night and put it back out again in the morning. This will also prevent water bottles from freezing solid in colder climates.
If you find that a four-legged critter has raided your goodie basket, it’s best to keep everything indoors from that point on. Once animals know there is food, they will keep coming back to that spot as long as there is food there.
Basket Theft
Unfortunately, there are some folks out there who may try to ruin this experience by stealing. Please, don’t let that take away from the good cheer we’re trying to spread.
I’m a firm believer that each of us is doing the best we can with what we’ve got. We can never truly know what other people are going through or what they need. So, if you find your basket missing, trust that, for whatever reason, someone really needed those snacks.
If this is something you’re concerned about, don’t use a container you wouldn’t mind losing. Consider putting out a smaller selection at a time and refreshing your basket more often. Or, if you’re able, keep your basket by the door and offer it to delivery persons as they drop off packages.
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