Gift Etiquette: When & How to Send Cookies Internationally

🍪 The Joy of Sending Cookies Across Borders

A box of cookies isn’t just a snack—it’s a warm message that travels further than words. Whether you’re thanking a client in Sydney, celebrating Christmas with family in Toronto, or surprising a friend in Hong Kong, cookie delivery has become a universal gesture of care.

In recent years, more people are choosing to send cookies overseas rather than bulky gifts. Cookies are light, personal, and—if you pick the right bakery—arrive fresh, beautiful, and intact.

To make sure your next shipment of all-butter shortbread cookies arrives perfectly, it helps to understand global gifting etiquette and a few practical shipping rules.

🌍 1. Understand Cultural Gifting Customs

Gifting rules differ widely around the world. In some cultures, food is considered the most thoughtful present; in others, it must follow certain traditions.

• New Zealand & Australia: Simple and sincere. A box of butter shortbread cookies or a shortbread cookie tin is considered classic, especially during Christmas or company events.

• China & Hong Kong: Presentation matters. Always ensure your cookie tin looks elegant—think gold details, red accents, and the Lowrey Butter Cookies gift box for festive occasions.

• Japan: Small packaging and balance are key. Matcha-flavoured cookies are admired because green tea symbolizes peace and respect.

• USA & Canada: Gifting is personal. Sending gourmet shortbread cookies online with a note or custom message is the preferred approach.

 → Shop All Butter Cookies

Understanding these customs not only prevents cultural mistakes but also makes your gift feel genuinely thoughtful.

📦 2. Choose the Right Cookies for Shipping

Not all cookies travel equally well. Butter shortbread cookies and shortbread rounds are ideal—they’re sturdy, low-moisture, and stay crisp for weeks when sealed properly.

Avoid overly delicate pastries or those filled with cream; they don’t handle temperature changes well. At Lowrey Foods, each tin of gourmet shortbread cookies is double-sealed and cushioned in a protective carton, ensuring it arrives just as pretty as when it left New Zealand.

Buying point: Firm edges + rich butter content = fewer crumbs and happier unboxings.

🚚 3. Plan Shipping Timing by Region

Cookie delivery times vary depending on distance and customs processing:

• New Zealand → Australia: 1–3 working days.

• New Zealand → Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan): 3–4 working days.

• New Zealand → USA / Canada: 5–7 working days.

• New Zealand → Europe: 5–7 working days.

To ensure freshness, aim to order two weeks before the occasion—especially during Christmas, Lunar New Year, or Valentine’s Day when couriers are busiest.

 Free Worldwide Shipping Policy  (DHL)

🎄 4. Holiday Gifting Etiquette Tips

During Q4—the peak season for cookie gifting—thoughtful timing and presentation make all the difference.

1. Include a message. Write a note such as “Made in New Zealand with 42% cultured butter—hope this brings you a sweet holiday moment.”

2. Mind religious or dietary details. All Lowrey Butter Cookies are vegetarian and alcohol-free—safe for most recipients.

3. Don’t send perishables. Avoid fresh fruit or cream fillings with short shelf lives.

4. Add something seasonal. Pair your cookies with a hand-written card or festive ribbon.

If you’re sending corporate gifts, ensure your logo or company card is neatly placed inside the box, not on the tin itself.

Lowrey Butter Cookies as Corporate Gifts

✈️ 5. Know Your Destination’s Import Rules

Before you send cookies overseas, check import restrictions for each country.

• USA: As of August 29, 2025, under the new Trump Administration import rule, all small parcels are now subject to import duty, even if the declared value is under US $800. This replaces the previous de minimis exemption. Most commercially packaged cookies remain permitted if they’re sealed and clearly declared as “baked goods (non-perishable).”

• Canada: Applies import duty and tax on any parcel valued over CA $50, even for gifts. Commercially packaged, sealed butter cookies can still be imported if labeled correctly and declared as non-perishable food.

• China: Applies VAT on parcels exceeding RMB 360 and does not allow personal imports with a declared value above RMB 2,000. All shipments require clear bilingual (Chinese + English) labels and accurate HS codesfor customs clearance.

• Australia and Japan require ingredient labels in English and/or the local language and may inspect dairy products.

Lowrey’s export packaging already complies with these international standards—each tin includes full ingredient lists, production dates, and best-before details in both English and Chinese, ensuring smooth customs clearance worldwide.

💌 6. DHL & Global Courier Tips

When it comes to international shipping, reliability is everything.
Lowrey Foods partners with DHL Express for fast and traceable worldwide delivery.

Why DHL works best for cookies:

• Climate-controlled warehouses to avoid heat damage.

• Fragile-item labels and priority clearance.

• Real-time tracking so recipients know exactly when to expect their gift.

Pro tip: If you’re ordering multiple gifts to different countries, contact Lowrey’s customer support for a custom shipping plan.

🌸 7. Choosing the Right Moment to Send

Gifts mean the most when they match the moment.

• Birthdays & Anniversaries: Choose a shortbread cookie tin in the recipient’s favourite flavour—coffee, matcha, or chocolate.

• Corporate Milestones: Send bulk shortbread cookies with a thank-you card.

• Festivals: For Chinese New Year or Christmas, red or gold tins carry good luck and celebration energy.

This timing isn’t just thoughtful—it’s smart. Every year, more people search for cookie delivery and send cookies overseas around December and February, right before Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Sending your gifts during these months means they’ll arrive just when people appreciate them most.

🧈 8. Why Butter Cookies Make the Perfect Global Gift

Butter cookies are universally loved. They cross age, culture, and season. Every tin from Lowrey Foods tells a story of craftsmanship and comfort:

• 42% New Zealand cultured butter creates the melt-in-your-mouth texture.

• Simple ingredients (butter, flour, sugar, corn starch) appeal to minimalist tastes.

• No preservatives means natural flavour and clean label transparency.

For international recipients, these qualities inspire trust. People around the world see New Zealand as a place known for purity, quality, and honest craftsmanship—values that make every tin of Lowrey cookies feel even more special.

🌐 9. How to Order Step by Step

1. Visit the Lowrey Butter Cookies Collection.

2. Choose your flavour and size (tin or Value Pack).

3. Add recipient’s address and gift message.

4. Select DHL Express Worldwide Free Shipping if your order meets the threshold.

5. Track your delivery online and wait for that happy “thank you” message.

🎀 10. Final Thoughts

In a world where gifting is often rushed or digital, hand-selected butter shortbread cookies bring something rare—authentic connection.

They carry a sense of place (New Zealand’s pastures), a sense of craft (handmade baking), and a sense of emotion (“I was thinking of you”).

So the next time you need to say thank you, congratulations, or Merry Christmas across borders, choose a gift that travels beautifully and speaks for you without words.

Send cookies overseas.
Send kindness.
Send Lowrey.