What do you give to someone who helps you out all year long but you don’t actually know on a personal level, like the mailman? Choosing gifts for mail carriers may have been challenging in the past, but this idea makes gifts for the mailman easy and fun! They are sure to enjoy it.
There are some people that I struggle to give good gifts to every year: the newspaper delivery person, the guys who collect my trash every week, and our mailman.
Gifts for the mailman can be hard! They do so much for you during the year, and then they work extra hard during the holidays. Unfortunately, their jobs are often pretty thankless. I always try to give them a little something to show them how much I appreciate their help but it isn’t always easy.
Do you struggle with gifts for your postal carriers at the holidays, too? Well, I’m sharing an idea with you today that they will really love!
These grab-and-go gifts for the mailman are easy, cute, and perfect for someone working long hours.
Of course, you can always give cash or gift cards, if that’s what works for you. Those gifts will never be unappreciated 🙂
But, if you know me, I love to personalize gifts. I’ve always had the opinion that homemade gifts are more meaningful than money and gift cards! So, here’s what I put together for my mailman this year!
Note: If you love this idea but want to dress it up differently, check out my Holiday Gift Bags with Duck Tape, Custom Gift Bags with Chalk Couture and Lumberjack Plaid Painted Mason Jar ideas.
How To Make These Gifts For Your Mailman
The first task in this project is to shop for the items you need. We decided to make a simple snack mix (the recipe is down below) and pair that with juice boxes, so we bought:
- Smartfood popcorn
- Rold Gold pretzels
- General Mills Cheerios cereal
- Walnuts
- Dried cranberries
- Capri Sun organic juice drinks
- Plastic sandwich bags
Feel free to replicate this snack mix or choose other items to mix in. This recipe is super easy to customize and completely up to you!
Other snack mix ideas could include Christmas Crunch Snack Mix Recipe or Muddy Buddy Recipe with Reese’s.
Once you have your snacks ready you can start mixing up some fun! The recipe is super simple, so it’s a great one to get the kids involved in making. They’ll benefit from helping because they’ll learn about making someone feel special during the holiday season.
Simple Snack Mix Recipe
Start by mixing the following in a large bowl:
- 2 cups walnuts
- 2 cups Smartfood Popcorn
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups Rold Gold Pretzels
- 2 cups General Mills Cheerios Cereal
Toss your ingredients until they are completely mixed. Now, this snack mix is ready to eat but we are going to turn it into great gifts for your mailman!
Putting Together Gifts For The Mailman
Here’s what you’ll need to pull this gift together. I suggest you start by downloading and printing the files using the links at the top of the list (no email sign-up needed!).
- Bag Top Labels
- Sign for Gift Container
- Printer paper (and printer)
- Stapler
- Scissors (or paper cutter)
Step 1
Fill your resealable sandwich bags with your snack mix.
Step 2
Cut the bag toppers to the size you need to fit the bag and attach them to sandwich bags filled with the snack mix using a stapler.
Step 3 – Fill Your Tub (Or Bucket)
Tape the printed sign to the front of a large tub. Then, add your snack bags and drinks (Capri Sun Organic Juice Drink and some bottled water) so that your mailman can quickly grab what he or she wants and go. 🙂
Make A Few…Or A Lot Of Gifts For Your Mailman
This project is so easy that you can make as many or as few of these as you want!
The beauty of having the snack mix in sealed bags is that it will last a long time. But, it’s nice that the recipe itself is so easy to whip up that you can just mix up some more whenever you get low.
I love finding ways to get the kids involved and aware of giving to others, and this project is the perfect way for them to jump in and help. Helping to create a gift like this helps teach them meaningful ways to celebrate the holidays.
FAQs
Here are a few questions I regularly see about making gifts for the mailman. If you have a question but don’t see it answered down below, please leave it in the comments so I can answer it for you.
Where should I put the tub of treats?
This probably depends a little on the setup of your mailbox and front porch.
Basically, you just need to place your tub on your porch or anywhere where your mailman can see it and access it.
Your postal workers or package delivery persons can grab a treat or drink whenever they need it!
If your mailbox is on the street instead of near your porch, maybe you place your tub out by the mailbox so more mail carriers see it.
It’s totally up to you!
How long will these treats last?
Everything is sealed up, so they will stay fresh for 2-3 weeks and maybe even up to 4 weeks (which is perfect for the holiday season).
Although this setup should be fine sitting out during the day (unless you live in a remote area where there’s lots of wildlife), I would bring it inside at night so that raccoons and other critters don’t help themselves to your gifts for the mailman!
Then, just put it back out each morning.
I started doing this several years ago and make these gifts for our mailman every year because my carrier absolutely loves it. He makes a point of thanking me every year!
This is just one simple way to show your appreciation for those hard-working individuals that do so much for you all year long.
More Grab-And-Go Gift Ideas
Meaningful gifts can be simple! If you love this simple gift idea, be sure to check out these other ideas too.
- Gourmet Popcorn Gift in a Jar
- Easy Soup in a Jar Gift Idea
- Healthy Holiday Gift in a Jar
- Christmas Elf Mason Jar Gift Idea
Supplies
- 2 cups walnuts
- 2 cups popcorn
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups pretzels
- 2 cups Cheerios
- Bag Top Labels
- Sign for Gift Container
- printer paper
- stapler
- scissors
Instructions
- Toss your ingredients until they are completely mixed.
- Fill your resealable sandwich bags with your snack mix.
- Trim the bag toppers to fit the sandwich bags and attach them using a stapler.
- Tape the printed sign to the front of a large tub. Then add your snack bags and drinks.
I want to try the White Chocolate-Raspberry Cookie Balls.
Chocolate chip Christmas cookies.
I did give my mail carrier a gift for Christmas.
Dinner rolls would be my choice.
What a fabulous idea! Have the page saved for next year! Thanks!
I would like to make the chocolate chip Christmas cookies.
I would love to try the White Chocolate-Raspberry Cookie Balls. They sound very delicious.
I’d like to try the chocolate chip cookies.
Caramel pecan balls
Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies.
I would like to try the White Chocolate-Raspberry Cookie Balls. They look delicious!
Last year my 2 fur babies Hunter & Sasha gave him a card with pics of them & a gift card from Tim Hortons. He gave us a thank you card & let us know he keeps thief pic in his mail truck. He loves them especially Sasha.