Typically (unprocessed) food. We have successfully gotten home made cookies etc. but technically it is not allowed. 

Who told your family it is being destroyed, I would be surprised anyone at their local post office (considering the level of details about what country it is being sent from is low) has no clue as to what Chinese customs would do. 

Note. If you ever receive a package via China post, you'll again ask "Why was it destroyed?" because a lot of the stuff I've gotten have looked like it's been used for batting practice. 

Merry xmas, hope you get at least a little thing from home

. 

It was destoryed is common china post/ customs talk for " We ate your shit"  Sorry man, it happens, just sucks that its for xmas.  My momma got tired of it and just transfers money. Kinda ruins the spirit of xmas.  I would take some cookies and cards over cash any day.

Did they say where it is being held?  Usually GZ, im kinda close, if you give me the info i can make a call or something. My company is always sending stuff back and forth.

Don't actually know where it is at the minute, think Beijing. As my family send it through a company they work for  , And they wont deal with anyone but the company they sent it through.

Yeah i presume they'll eat the food. 

It sucks alright!!! I was looking forward to some real chocolate !! 

Maybe some food not allowed ? I got wine, picked olives, chocolate, cookies, ingredients for cake preparation shipped from France, always went without a ich. I think non-pasterized cheese would have been more of a problem.

sometimes it is better but more expensive to us somebody like UPS for this type of thing

My stuff makes it alright from Australia and that is usually filled with particular foods I have requested and certainly chocolate. That's China Post and they deliver to the apartment door unlike other companies to whose depot I have to go to pick up.

I have lost one in 3 years which I presume was eaten.

Next time have them put ricin in the cookies. Send it to China and let customs "destroy" it.

Some China Post workers have 'sticky fingers' when it comes to personal mail coming into the country. Colleagues regularly have had things taken from incoming parcels. Some parcels have 'disappeared'.

i had to fight for 8 weeks for a DLH box containing some winter clothes and teaching material (all pre-used). Thankfully i advised customs officials i had a complete list of what was in the box. 

My last three parcels from home have gone missing, my mum won't send anything anymore : (

Best to send via FedEx or UPS or DHL. They are operating in China so your things will be able to be traced easily and 99% of the time they will help you get things through. You can also check prior to sending with them what is ok and what is not ok.

The standard mail in China doesn't have tracking, they will just take your stuff and say it got lost or there were things that couldn't be allowed into the country. I bought some weight loss pills from the States that managed to get through customs ok but on the USPS website they are still at the customs, even though they've been with me for more than 4 months!

Spend more on shipping is the bottom line here, it's worth it when it comes to gifts from home.