Shipping small Christmas gifts to US

Mod- sorry if this should have gone somewhere else...


I've never shipped anything UK to US before.  Was just looking for some guidance...

1.  Is there a list of things that can not be shipped to the US (ex: food products like tea)

2.  For those that have shipped from UK to US for Christmas, when should package be posted by?

3. Again for those that have shipped from UK to US for Christmas in the past, how much was your shipping (ex: for 10 lbs small box).  I'd like to know what I'm getting myself into beforehand.

4. Is it ok to have them wrapped or will US Customs remove the packaging?


Side note: I do plan on buying my family's main Christmas present (s) on Amazon, however thought it would be nice to get them each a small British gift, and that's why I was wondering your experiences with shipping Christmas gifts to the US.  Thanks!!!

1. http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content2?catId=19100182&mediaId=19100263 <-- That is their restricted items list (for royal mail) and here is usps's http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c6_001.htm (you have to keep clicking next, but that's the international section).

Can't answer the rest, sorry!

I just posted my christmas gifts to the US last week.  The heaviest of my parcels weighed 2.00kg and cost me £23.26.  To send four parcels (ranging from 300g to 2.0kg) I paid around £60 in postage this year.  That was a huge savings over the year that postage came to a whopping £300!!  I've since learned my lesson about parcel sizes and weights.  

The Royal Mail International postage cost tables are here:  http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?mediaId=53800712&catId=400036

The Royal Mail last posting date for USA is 10 December this year.

I can't help with other mail services - DHL, FedEx, etc - I have always just used Royal Mail for Christmas parcels.

HTH

Thanks for the tips to you both!!!