Did You Know? Postal Facts Day 2

On the 10th September 2003, 25 year old Charles McKinley managed to ship himself from New York to his parents’ home in Texas as air cargo. He was trying to save on plane fares by both mailing himself and by sending the shipping fees to his employer, as he was previously a Shipping Clerk. He’d gotten the idea from a friend, who suggested that simply mailing himself as a parcel to Texas,would be cheaper than purchasing train tickets.

As there was no history of it happening previously, the Transportation Security Administration interviewed McKinley to better understand how he had bypassed security, in order to ensure it never happened again. Considering these events happened only a few years after the disastrous 9/11, it was surprising that a man managed to post himself by air mail at all. It turned out to be more expensive in the end regardless, as he could have flown first class for the price he paid to post himself.

We at RAND Logistics would not recommend that you post yourself, and instead send your friend abroad or relative a thoughtful present, at extremely competitive rates. Use our quick quote service to find out how much you can save with RAND Logistics.

New Year’s Across the World #5

It’s the last day of recognition for the New Year on our blog and we take a look at how New Year’s is celebrated in our last country, Greece. There are plenty of Greek traditions that are carried out on New Year’s which makes Greece a wonderful tourist destination at the change of the year. Here are a few notable events that take place on the New Year’s celebrations in Greece.

The most notable of traditions in Greece is the kremmida decoration, the process of hanging an onion on a door. This bizarre tradition is immensely popular in Greece with strict traditionalists and it represents the birth of a New Year. For the Christians that are preparing for church on New Year’s Day, parents will tap the heads of their children with the kremmida to wake them up. This is also regarded as a traditional act. To symbolise good fortune for the coming year, Greeks will place a pomegranate on the doorstep of their home before entering on the 1st January.

Are you planning on shipping a gift to Greece in the New Year? If so, make sure you take full advantage of the services RAND have to offer. Get your quote here and discover our attractive shipping rates.

New Years Across the World #4

Our fourth day of this week commemorating the New Year focuses on celebrations in the Czech Republic. The Czechs are known for putting on gargantuan firework displays on New Year’s Eve. It is also an extremely popular tourist destination for times such as New Years Eve when the clubs and pubs are at their most jovial. Here’s what to expect from a New Year’s celebration in the Czech Republic.

In the capital city of Prague, the famous Charles Bridge hosts a wondrous fireworks display every year to celebrate the start of the New Year. Once the clock strikes midnight, the fireworks begin and they attract tourists from all over the world.

As is the case in the UK and in many other countries across the world, drinking, eating, partying and celebrating are all high on the list of priorities to locals in the Czech Republic. You can find all sorts of lively places once the night life kicks in and New Years proves to be a truly memorable experience. Some of the celebrations spill out to the city squares where there is likely to be evening entertainment to accompany the unforgettable atmosphere.

Are you planning on sending a parcel to the Czech Republic in 2014? If so, RAND Logistics has all the necessary services to get your shipment from A to B in no time! Make sure you check out our services in the near future.

New Year’s Across the World #3

Today we look at how New Years is celebrated in Spain and how it differs to other nations across the world. Many countries have their own distinct traditions and ways in which they celebrate New Year’s. Spain is no exception and they have a range of different traditional approaches to the big day. Here are a few notable traditions carried out in Spain to symbolise the start of the New Year.

The general Spanish approach to New Years is similar to that of many other countries. Late night partying and celebrating is promoted across the country with the main celebrations taking place after midnight and through to the early morning. Before this, there is a traditional dinner held amongst the family to represent the coming of the New Year.

A more traditional and bizarre approach to New Years is the consumption of twelve grapes which match the chimes of the twelfth hour. The eating of each individual grape corresponds with each chime and Spaniards are encouraged to make a wish in time for the New Year during this process. This tradition spans over 100 years and began when vineyard farmers needed a selling point for their left over grapes.

If you need to send a parcel to Spain in the New Year, be sure to make the most of RAND Logistics services throughout 2014. Take a look at our services for more of an insight into what we can offer you.

New Years Across the World #2

It’s the second day of our analysis of the celebration of New Years and today we are focusing on Denmark and the traditional ways in which New Years is celebrated there. The wintry weather in Scandinavia during this time of year often spills over to New Years, resulting in a celebration similar to that of Christmas. Here’s what to expect if you’re celebrating New Year’s in Denmark.

A traditional belief in Denmark is that smashing plates and other pieces of china on people’s doorsteps ensures that they will have a successful year full of social benefits and newfound friendships. This particular routine is carried out at both midnight and throughout New Years Day itself.

In addition, Denmark highlights the New Years Eve celebrations by baking a huge cake known as a Kransekage. This cone-shaped cake is decorated and eaten as a dessert by those who attend the specific event. It is often accompanied by miniature flags, candles and other dramatic decorations to help liven up and represent the day.

If you know someone who requires a gift sent to Denmark in 2014, RAND Logistics can offer you an outstanding shipping service. Have a look at our shipping rates and get yourself a quote today.

 

New Years Across the World #1

It’s the final week of 2013 and the start of a brand new year, so what better way to represent the huge event than to analyse how it’s celebrated across the globe. Many countries have their own distinct ways of celebrating New Years and the first country we are focusing on is Japan.

The Japanese believe that New Years Eve welcomes the God of the New Year, Toshigami. The Buddhist temples across the country symbolise the arrival of the New Year at midnight by ringing the temple bells 108 times precisely. This is seen as a fitting way of welcoming Toshigami and the start of a new year.

With Buddhists welcoming their New Year’s God, the rest of Japan treats the occasion as any other special event. Cards and gifts may be exchanged between friends, family and loved ones, whilst many people will give their homes a thorough clean in preparation for the New Year in a traditional manner. The cards that are exchanged are often a particular form of thank you card that acknowledges the affection shown throughout the year.

If you want to send a parcel to Japan in time for New Years, RAND Logistics can help. Take a look at our services and get a quote for the shipping of your New Years gift today.

Handmade Gifts for Christmas

On the last day of our Christmas week, let us discuss handmade gifts. When done well, with time and effort put in, a handmade gift can be a really sweet way of showing someone you care about them.

handmade

Before you decide to make the gift for your recipient, make sure you know that they would like this type of gift. Like it or not, some people aren’t the sentimental type, so a handmade photo frame might not be the best idea. Handmade gifts can be a heartfelt alternative to buying things off the rack. A necklace or a gold watch might seem romantic, but other people your recipient knows could have received the exact same gift, which makes theirs seem less special.

Put a lot of effort into it, even if you have no experience with making gifts. Try your hardest with your gift, whatever it is, as your recipient will probably see the effort put into the gift, and will be more likely to appreciate it. It helps if your gift is practical in some way, or an accessory, like a pair of warm gloves or a keychain.

Whatever your gift giving ideas are, make someone’s day with a parcel delivered by RAND Logistics. With our competitive rates throughout the world from parcels to Australia, to packages to the Ukraine you won’t need to use any other service for sending parcels internationally.

Gifts to Avoid This Christmas #2

Continuing with our week of our top tips of gifts not to give, we’ll look at some top tips in learning what doesn’t count as a good present.

plates

A great tip is to think about how you would feel getting a gift that you are planning to give. If the prospect of opening a set of neon orange dinner plates or a wooden coat hanger fills you with dread, then those are probably not ideal gifts to give someone else. Unless they have specifically asked for them, who knows, someone could be into neon crockery.

Know your audience! There is nothing more embarrassing than a gift of flower to someone who is allergic, or a bottle of bubbly for someone who is teetotal. Just take five minutes to do a little background research into your recipients’ likes and dislikes, and avoid the awkwardness when they open a present they can’t really use.

Whether your present is good, bad, or intentionally ugly, have a look at RAND logistics for competent, professional shipping anywhere in the world.

Gifts to Avoid This Christmas #1

We’ve had a week full of helpful advice on what you can give people for Christmas. Now here are some prime examples of what you probably shouldn’t gift people, whatever they are celebrating.

amish doll
Quirky money boxes such as cats pawing at money you put on a cream saucer? Yes. An eerie face set into a wall that chews excitedly as you approach it with your money? Definitely not. A Face Bank is a Japanese toy that was quite popular if you are sending a parcel to Japan.

The lower half of the wall contains a sensor that alerts it to nearby money, and the mouth moves as if it is trying to chew and swallow the money you feed it. Some trends don’t translate so well, it seems.

Dolls. Dolls can be a very touchy subject. Normally when gifting someone a doll, you will know whether or not it is the right sort of gift for that person. However, there are some dolls that would never go down well.

A traditional Amish doll is a doll that lacks a face, to symbolise that we are ‘all alike in the eyes of god’ however in today’s modern shock society a faceless doll serves as less of a biblical present and more of a creepy horror icon.

I guess you could always stick some googly eyes onto the doll if you really wanted.

Once you’ve decided on a better gift for your international relative, have a look at RAND Logistics competitive shipping rates.

 

Christmas Gift Ideas: Day 10

It’s the final day of Christmas gift ideas before the big day and what better way to top it all off than give you the top 5 gifts for all this December 25th. We’ve covered all sorts of different gift addressees in the last month so it’s time to wrap everything up with a top 5 of Christmas panic-buys and homemade items. Here’s what to do if you’re still stuck for ideas with just a few days remaining!

Chocolates

This shouldn’t just be an ordinary chocolate bar. Search around for some truly special chocolate treats, whether it’s to do with a theme your loved one might like or just something a bit more expensive than usual.

Scented Candles

They offer a great service over Christmas time so a pretty-looking candle with a pleasant aroma could be the road to go down.

Custom Cushions

If you’ve got sewing skills at hand, why not try and make something comfortable from a spare scarf or hat you don’t need? It would be decent to wash the scarf beforehand of course…

Hat & Scarf

If you’ve got time, why not try and make your own gift in the shape of a warm hat or scarf? Otherwise, hats and scarves are great gifts that are more than necessary for the upcoming winter.

Gift Box

It’s a kind of treasure trove where you collect a selection of treats and store them in a nicely wrapped present box. It’s a gift that might seem small but portrays a huge amount of kindness and effort.

Got last minute gifts to send to someone this year? RAND Logistics are prepared for you whether you need an international service or something a bit more local. Have a look at our services for more information.