Every year as Lunar New Year (Tet) approaches, demand for shipping Tet decorations to Canada rises. Golden apricot blossom branches, artificial peach blossoms, plastic five-fruit trays and red lucky envelopes are must-haves that ease homesickness for the Vietnamese community abroad. However, these items break, shed and dent very easily in air transit if they aren’t packed properly.
Here is a practical 4-step process to prepare, pack and declare your Tet decorations so they reach Canada safely and intact with Soleil Transportation.
Step 1: Sort and prepare items before packing
Tet decorations come in many materials and shapes. Before putting everything in a box, sort them clearly:
- Artificial flowers and apricot or peach blossom branches: These usually have a wire core. Gently bend long branches to make them more compact, so they aren’t bulky and don’t snap at the plastic joints.
- Plastic five-fruit trays and model banh chung or banh tet: These are hollow and dent easily under weight. Stuff newspaper or bubble wrap into any hollow spaces (where possible) to make them stronger.
- Hanging scrolls, lucky envelopes and window decals: These are flat and crease or tear easily. Sandwich them between two pieces of cardboard before boxing.
Step 2: Wrap in bubble wrap and pack the carton against impact
For air shipments to Canada, a good-quality carton is essential. Soleil Transportation includes basic packing in a strong carton. Pack your items following these principles:
- Wrap each item: Wrap fragile details such as plastic petals and artificial fruit in at least 2–3 layers of bubble wrap and tape it firmly.
- Heavy items at the bottom, light items on top: Put model banh chung and heavy plastic fruit trays at the bottom of the box. Place artificial flower branches, light hanging strings and lucky envelopes on top.
- Fill every gap: This is the most important step. Use foam, packing peanuts or scrunched-up newspaper to fill all the space in the box. When you shake it gently and hear nothing moving, it’s done. This stops the box collapsing when stacked in the aircraft hold.
Step 3: Declare the goods to customs in detail
When shipping Tet decorations to Canada, a clear customs declaration helps your order clear quickly instead of being held for a long inspection.
- State the material: Instead of a vague “decorations”, write “Plastic artificial flowers” or “Foam mock banh chung”. Stating plastic, fabric or paper helps CBSA see straight away that the goods aren’t prohibited food or fresh plants.
- Watch out for accessories: Some fruit trays or Tet lanterns come with AA or lithium batteries installed. Remove all batteries before shipping, as lithium batteries are subject to strict flight safety rules.
Step 4: Measure the box and choose a shipping service
Once the box is sealed, measure its three dimensions (length, width, height) to calculate the cost. Tet decorations are usually light but bulky, so the price may be based on the airline’s volumetric weight.
- If you’re only sending a few small gifts, lucky envelopes or small flower branches to family, ePacket from just $8.50 CAD per parcel is a very economical choice.
- If you’re sending a full, heavy, large set of Tet decorations, our dedicated Vietnam–Canada door-to-door air service from $16/kg (import duties included) gives you complete peace of mind, with no duties to pay on delivery.
- Average transit time from Vietnam to Canada is 7–14 days (7–12 business days on average depending on location), so ship at least 3–4 weeks before Tet to have time to decorate for the new year.
For more advice on packing large flower branches compactly or an accurate quote for your Tet decorations, contact Soleil Transportation on +1 888-998-5199 or email info@soleiltransportation.com. Our warehouse staff will check your packing before it ships.
