Make Sweets a Gift for Loved Ones

The next best thing to being with someone you love might just be sending your honey something sweet.

Taking the time to bake something and ship it lets the one you love know he (or she) is special.

Your edible gift could be a family favorite, such as my mom's oatmeal cookies, a standard in my family. One bite can send back people back to the comfort of a good time in life. It also seems to trim the miles between us.

Many college students have hoarded a package of homemade cookies under his bed to avoid having to share even one of the treasures with anyone else. But you don't have to be a kid to appreciate marbled peanut butter brownies and they are particularly well suited for shipping. Chocolate batter is swirled through a peanut butter base to form bars that are made of one of America's favorite flavor combinations. To make them special, cut them into heart shapes with a cookie cutter.

Another good mailer: chewy tropical cookies. Macadamia nuts, coconut, dried papaya and pieces of white chocolate lend an exotic flair to these cookies. A package will send the recipient on a culinary trip to a far-away island.

Don't have a honey to bake for? A lovely way to thank a host or hostess is by sending them a package of baked goods. Tie a pretty bow around a wrapped loaf of fruit-nut bread for the perfect thank-you solution.

The holidays are good time for mail-order sweets. Because much of the United States is cooler during the winter months, it is the best time to ship food via the U.S. Post Office, United Parcel Service (UPS) or Federal Express. In all cases, mark the outside of a package containing food with the words ''perishable'' and ''fragile'' and label the inside of the box in case the outside label is torn off.

Rates vary depending on distance involved, but the cost of shipping from New York City to Los Angeles may get pricey.

It's also important to take special pains to properly prepare the inside of the shipping box. Never ship any fragile baked item. Thin, crisp cookies do not hold up well. Choose moist-textured items. Bar and drop cookies pack well as do loaves of bread and sturdy cakes such as fruitcake. Bar cookies, such as brownies, stay fresher if wrapped individually in foil before packing in airtight containers or freezer-weight plastic bags. Wrap soft and crisp cookies separately so both retain their textures. Using plastic wrap or aluminum foil, wrap cookies in pairs (flat sides together) or in small stacks before packing in non-crushable containers with tight-fitting covers.

Pretty tins or plastic boxes make your gift special. Other good shipping containers include: potato chip cylinders and coffee or shortening cans (you can cover them with adhesive paper or gift wrap, if desired). Make sure to insulate the top and bottom of the container with crumpled waxed or tissue paper, plain popcorn, plastic bubble wrap or plastic foam pellets. Pack the cookies closely together so that they don't jostle around during transit. If sending more than one type of cookie, pack the heavier cookies at the bottom. Use additional packing material to fill all spaces snugly. To avoid crushing, pack food-filled containers in larger boxes that have been filled with cushioning material.

If you are a cookie-dough eater, these oatmeal cookies are exceptionally delectable. As was my habit when I came home from college, almost before I had put down my bags, I ransacked the cupboards, refrigerator and freezer. On one particularly fruitful exploration, I discovered a big bowl of oatmeal cookie dough with a note taped to it that said, ''Welcome Home, Barby! Love, Mom.'' Needless to say, there are a lot of memories attached to these moist, cakelike cookies. A package of these cookies is sure to delight any recipient.