In a long-distance exchange, nearly everything depends on the courier: the gift has to arrive on time, wrapped, and without giving away who sent it. These are the steps to manage that.
Getting the gift there
Ship with a week to spare
Courier delivery times are estimates, and in December they stretch. For domestic shipping, send the gift at least a week ahead. For international, two or three weeks, because customs can hold a parcel for several days.
Wrap before you ship
Wrap the gift, then put it in the shipping box. That way the recipient opens gift wrap, not a box with a courier label. If you order online and ship it straight to them, check whether the shop offers gift wrapping.
Include a card
A few handwritten lines make a parcel feel like a gift. Sign it “your Secret Santa” or leave it unsigned. If the shop ships directly, most let you add a message.
Time the arrival
Ideally the parcel arrives one to three days before gift day. Much earlier and it may get opened too soon. If it's going to be late, tell the organizer so they can plan around it.
If nothing physical can be sent
If shipping something physical isn't practical, some gifts arrive by email: a gift card for a shop or restaurant near the recipient, ebooks, an online class or a subscription. Add a longer message than usual to make up for the missing parcel.
Track deliveries in Cuchumbo
Each participant has a page with their result, the budget, the date and a button to mark their gift as delivered. The organizer can see which gifts arrived, even when the group is spread across countries.
