US Post Office and Custom Fees to send parcels to UK?

Hello, recently I found out that in the UK, you can be charged "custom fees" on a parcel I posted from the US that only weighed 1 lb 5 oz and included the customs form as well, sent as a gift and value $25 US dollars.  When my fiancee received it at the post in the UK, he was told he owed a 81 pound fee for customs on it.  The package contained some cigarette and a dog bone for the dog, nothing more.

In the future I will be sending more of my small personal belongings over to the UK due to me moving there and getting married. There will be no furniture or anything like that, just parcel boxes.

Are there any suggestions as to a list of what is "allowed" to be posted to the UK without having severe customs fees applied? 

Mark them 'personal items-no commercial value' when you send them. May work?

The package contained some cigarette and a dog bone for the dog, nothing more.

Alcohol and tobacco products get charged an excise duty, as well as customs and handling fees (see here for excise rates:  http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/tax-and-duty.htm).  The cigarettes are probably part of the reason why the parcel you sent incurred such high charges.

Thank you, yes it was the reason.  Found out they changed the regulations in June this year about any tobacco products, you can't send them over anymore without imposing fees.  Prior to that, it was ok to do so without any custom fees.  So thank you for your tips.