When I was in the Navy 50+ years ago, my mother would send me cookies packed in coffee cans. They almost always came through in very good shape. Everyone around always enjoyed them. As for the birthday cake, I have seen one that arrived in Vietnam in perfect shape, it was packed in a sturdy box with a see-through window in the top. All of the people who handled it could see what it was and didn't "through" it across the room.

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