Tis the season for packing boxes of love and light to send to people we care about around the country (or world)! My family doesn’t live close to the Gem City – in fact in our 11 years of marriage, we have spent only one year close to any family at all. No matter where we live, I’ve tried to put together a box that features some local finds that my family might not be able to get, or perhaps have never even heard of! I thought I’d share some of the things I ship out to spread the word about what a hidden treasure the Dayton area really is.
- Buckeyes! My personal favorites to ship are the mini buckeyes found at Dorothy Lane Market. They’re a generous-sized container, and I always get requests to send more.
- Mamma DiSalvo’s Pasta Sauce – The first time we tasted their signature sauce, we were hooked. It’s like homemade, but better because you don’t have to put in the work!
- Trinkets from the Air Force Museum Gift Shop – If you haven’t visited the museum, use this as an opportunity! It’s free, and right at the front is a large gift shop featuring many unique airplane-related gifts. Airplane pencil sharpeners, small gliders, and astronaut ice cream have all been fun things to pop into a box coming from Dayton, the home of the Wright Brothers!
- Chili – Whether you grab Skyline or Gold Star doesn’t matter, this was something so unique to our area that we had no idea it was a thing before we moved here! Sending some to our relatives and telling them how to serve it up usually gets a laugh.
- Fresh Roasted Coffee – There are so many great ones to choose from in Dayton. Boston Stoker, Winans and Reza’s are just a few that come to mind. Make sure you wrap it in foil and seal it in a plastic bag to keep in all that good coffee flavor.
- Art from Yellow Springs – Go wander around Yellow Springs and see all that its local artists have to offer. There are unique pottery pieces, small paintings, textile art, so many different things to choose from. It doesn’t have to be large or pricey, just local!
- Mikesell’s Chips – Make sure you grab a bag for yourself, too, or they might not make it into the care package (not that I know from personal experience or anything).
- Fiona the Hippo Books – Fiona isn’t totally local to Dayton, but Cincinnati is pretty darn close and there are a number of cute children’s books out right now featuring the famous baby hippo. Buy them from the zoo itself, or you can even order online through Amazon.
- Fruit Butter from 2nd Street Market – There are several vendors that sell apple butter, or grab a jar of my son’s favorite, pumpkin butter!
These are just a few suggestions to get you started. I’d love to know what your favorite local things are to share with faraway relatives! Leave your favorites in the comments below.
