Import Taxes do suck...heres a trick, and you didnt hear it from me...
this is if you know the vender pretty well, and they ship USPS. Have them mark the package as a gift and send the invoice seperately (email, fax, regular mail). It works good around the holidays and a lot of the time customs will only glance at it. If they open the package and there is no invoice then you are good. If there is your both in trouble...I believe you can insure a gift package as well...other than that, find a friend near the border and drive there to pick it up.