How to Ship Cookies and Other Treats for the Holidays

If you've ever received a box of Christmas treats that were stale or reduced to crumbs, then you know how disappointing it can be. If you're mailing homemade cookies, cake, or other treats across the country, do it right! Chow tells you how to package and ship goodies, but first, make sure you've selected the right cookies.

Unless you are spending big bucks to ship with an overnight service, plan to mail baked goods that will taste fresh and stay crisp for about a week. "When you bake at home, you don't think about shelf life," says Jenna Park, co-owner of Whimsy & Spice bakery in Brooklyn, New York. "But definitely for shipping you have to." You don't want to ship any cookie or baked good that won't hold up for three to five days sitting around your house in the container you plan to ship in. Not sure? Do a test batch and see what happens.  

And there's a bonus: shipping deadlines for various carriers. Link -via Metafilter