If you are still shipping gifts, here are some things to keep in mind.

• One way to protect gift baskets when you ship them is to shrink wrap them.  You don't need any fancy equipment to do this.  You can buy rolls of shrink wrap at craft stores.  You tape it loosely around the basket and then use a blow dryer on low heat to shrink the plastic around the basket.  Add a bow and it looks very professional.
• Priority Mail from the US Postal Service is fairly efficient and inexpensive. Even cheaper is their flat-rate service.  It's one fee for anywhere in the nations for as much as fits in a box of a given size.  This is an especially good value if you are sending heavy things a long way.
• Many shipping services will let you pay for and print shipping labels online.  In many cases, you can even arrange for a free pickup from your home or offce, saving a trip to the post office and the linses you'll find there.
• It is illegal to ship alcoholic beverages unless you are a licensed vendor.
• Make sure you know if the shipping service you choose includes insurance or if it must be purchased separately.  Some people pay extra for insurance when its already included or assume the shipment is insured when it isn't.
• You can buy bubble wrap at some big box retailers or at office supply stores.  It's generally much cheaper in those places than if you buy it at the post office or other shipping place.
• If you are using a shipping service and you are sending things with a regular shape (like books or clothes), packing them yourself can save you a lot of money.  If they pack them for you, the price will go up.  Of course, it's worth it if the gift is an irregular shape or fragile.