Many Filipinos are very happy this holiday time of the year because they received at least one Balikbayan Box from relatives abroad. Many foreigners refer to the famous Balikbayan Box as the BBB. There is not a better way to ship goods to the Philippines than by the Balikbayan Box. You do not pay a shipping fee by weight but rather by the size of the box.
In Gainesville, Florida, a Filipino shipper has two sizes of boxes. One costs $49 and the larger box costs $89. This shipper will ensure that your Balikbayan Box is delivered right to the door of your Filipino family or friends in the Philippines for the one low cost.
Goodies For Everyone
The items sent in a Balikbayan Box from abroad are pretty common. Canned meats and seafood, chocolates, pasta, fruit cocktail, condiments, toothpaste, PH items, cosmetics, clothing, shoes, toys, small electronics and special requests. Foreign corned beef and foreign tuna are especially popular and everyone in the Philippines loves chocolates.
It is best to include things that can be shared by several or you will have some hurt feelings on your hands. “Why did they forget about me?” You can imagine everyone in the Philippine household gathered around a newly arrived Balikbayan Box and being handed items from the box. Now imagine nothing being handed to one of the household members or even to a helper.
Before our permanent move, 3 of us in my family traveled from abroad every year to the Philippines during a 6 week vacation. So we had plenty of space and weight allowance in our luggage. No need to ship a BBB to the Philippines. We also went over our list several times to make sure we remembered everyone. Even a package or 2 of foreign cigarettes is much appreciated by smokers.
Everyday is Christmas
We always arrived in the Philippines in January, after Christmas, to hand out our goodies to friends and families. However, Christmas can be in January. Any day can be Christmas in the Philippines! I know many foreigners, still living abroad, who ship several Balikbayan Boxes to the Philippines every year. April is also Christmas time all over again if that is when the Balikbayan Box arrives.
I greatly enjoyed seeing the excitement, the happiness and the big smiles on family and friends every time a suitcase filled with goodies was opened and the goodies were passed around. We have also been around when a Balikbayan Box arrived for family, after being sent by relatives abroad. Nope, they didn’t forget my wife, or son and I, as we always had some goodies.
Our technique was to start buying things well in advance and not waiting until the last minute for the pasalubong, or gifts, to pass around when we returned to the Philippines. This is the best technique if you are also buying for a Balikbayan Box shipment. Watch the sales and hit the Dollar Stores!
It is too late now to get a Balikbayan Box to the Philippines before December 25. However, you can send your Balikbayan Box next month and it will be Christmas in the Philippines all over again when it arrives.