Your cutest Mishloach Manot ideas

bandcm

Sat, Jan 24 2009, 7:05 pm

Raisin wrote:

I'm also not into themes, but I enjoy other peoples. Where I live people indeed give a recycled veg container containing a mini mashke, an apple, orange and a hamantashen. and these are not poor people. however b4 rh we get huge fancy fruit baskets and so on.

freidasima, you could apply your q's to all the minhagim of purim. Why was mm instituted - its a waste of money! dressing up - its a waste of money and energy. Why a big seuda - give the money to tzedaka instead!

Here people have never even heard of mishloach manot, so we are the ones wrapping up a hundred mishloach manot and giving them out at the Purim party, and instructing eveyone to exchange them with the person next to them.
Because of that, I see Shalhevet's and Freidasima's point.
But if I was living in Boro Park or wherever, I would likely be very creative with mishloach manot.
So doesn't it just depend on the way you were brought up and the society around you? Without there bneing a right and a wrong way to do things?

chillax

Sat, Jan 24 2009, 7:19 pm

shalhevet wrote:

Aribenj wrote:

And yes, I put this much effort into Yom Kippur as well. We bake yummy special Yom Kippur Seuda Challos, we make our special yom kippur soup and break the fast with dulce de leche crepes...

I think you mean erev YK and motzai YK.

Are you kdiding me with this comment?
This whole thread got ridiculous a while ago but seriously?

YALT

Sat, Jan 24 2009, 8:08 pm

So the people who begin in Teves are ridiculous, huh? I'm afraid what I would be called. (Please don't respond!)
Did you see DS' costume last year, that I bought for him on Chol Hamoed sukkos?
I paid $4.99, and I was able to wash it and save it for future uses. If you wait until Purim, the cheapest you can find something is $20, and then you need to dryclean it, or dump it.

It doesn't mean that for the next half a year all that we deal with are preparations for Purim. It means we put in 10 minutes here/there to get some things now, that will make less time/money/effort or whatever when Purim does come around.

Mimisinger

Sat, Jan 24 2009, 8:42 pm

I see where everyone is coming from. I wish I was organized (and talented) enough to start early. MM and costumes, etc. stress me out because I just don't have the creativity to come up with ideas, so I'm always scrambling right before Purim.

I would love to have beautifully themed MM but I also see that some people def. take it too far. Otoh, that's for them to decide.

Also Freida, et. al. in Israel you have the same gashmius, maybe not as much and maybe not in your circle, but there's plenty there. I've never seen MM like in Israel. Walking in Geula and seeing in the MM stores Purim time, wine racks, shtenders, clocks and lamps in the MM. That to me is way too much. Otoh, if it's for your boss or something like that, who am I to say anything?

First Lady

Sat, Jan 24 2009, 9:39 pm

My cousins once did an adorable theme which I want to do with my daughters once they are a little older.
They were dressed up as a stewardess and their Mishloach Manos resembled an airline meal. I haven't been on an airplane in a while but for those who remember what they serve it was set up like that.
It was adorable!!

gonewiththewind

Sun, Jan 25 2009, 12:56 pm

If people enjoy thinking of cute ideas for mishloach manos, I don't see the harm, especially when it doesn't cost more. It's totally not my thing, but for each her own. Why is it better to put a few random objects in then a few that connect? Yes, there are lots of problems now, but putting in unconnected shalach manos items won't help solve them. If people are spending a lot to be impressive, with wasteful expensive ribbons, boxes, and bows, then I agree it is not right. I really don't see the harm here. Just don't expect one from me. Posting here is also a waste of time and creative energy, it happens.

willow

Sun, Jan 25 2009, 1:35 pm

miriamf wrote:

Mama2two

Sun, Jan 25 2009, 3:43 pm

Aribenj wrote:

It's called Chinuch. For my 3.5 year old daughter, it's a fun thing to do and it's something she can relate to. Why wouldn't I make Chagim as fun as possible?

I heard over from a big adom gadol one chanukah that it is important to make yiddishkeit gishmak and fun for kids. This was about making chanuka a very fun and joyous time. I suppose Purim is the same...a time to make yiddishkeit tangible and enjoyable for kids. So I urge everyone to what they and their families enjoy most and to make it a great day for all!

A separate issue is when kids hate their costume, want to wrip it off and us mothers (definately including myself here) lose ourselves just to tak a picture...show a friend....Just keep in mind what's important to have our kids enjoy the day or us to enjoy showing off (and I'm talking to myself. My son just wants to be a Totty and wear his white "totty shirt" when there is an adorable $10 costume waiting to be worn.)

I'll also take this time to thank everyone for all the cute ideas...keep them coming. I especially liked the simple costume themed ones like jersies bec. the kids are not bothered to wear heavy costumes.
any ideas for a strawberry costume I bought after holloween and now I need costume for my DS who's 3. any ideas how to tie strawberry with something else?

Ronit

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 9:50 am

Mama2two wrote:

any ideas for a strawberry costume I bought after holloween and now I need costume for my DS who's 3. any ideas how to tie strawberry with something else?

why dont you make him a strawberry costume too? my sil once made a really cute & simple one. she used red felt & cut it out the shape of a strawberry- worn around the neck like a really big bib (went in the front & back) she used black marker to make the little dots. then w/ green felt she made like a small bib zigzagged for the leaves - the kid also wore it around the neck. To complete it she made a green felt headband w/ a stem standing up. This was for a baby so the kid was wearing a red velour stretchie underneath.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 1:31 pm

Tova wrote:

I once got a "havdala theme:"

-grape juice
-cinnamon buns (besamim)
-licorine braided into havdala candle

It was very well done and cute (they may have included a card w/ havdala written out).

I did this last year when Purim was Motzei Shabbos.

Grape Juice
I made mini spice cakes in star shaped pans and gave 3
Hot Tamales for aish
I think that's all I put in, it was simple, and I wrote a cute poem to explain it.

I find themes are easier to figure out what to put in, otherwise I'd spend hours just trying to figure out what to buy or make!

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 1:42 pm

I just wanted to add 2 more points:
A creative Mishloach Manos doesn't have to mean it costs lots of money.
A MM is supposed to be something that will increase good feelings: ahava v'achva, shalom v'rayus. Personally a handful of loose almonds and raisins on a paper plate with presliced cake would just go into our garbage. I couldn't be sure who touched what. A nice presentation which doesn't have to cost money (!!!) can definitely increase these good neighborly feelings which are the goal. I myself have given most of my MM on plates, but I make sure they aren't loose items, and I wrap it in cellophane to keep it all together and it makes it look nicer.

shnitzel

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 1:57 pm

My family always made very simple mm's and got from a lot more people we gave to - priority was grandparents, and great aunts and uncles, and some people my mother new were lonely or poor or get insulted very easily and we would visit the relatives for a while instead of popping in and out. My mother got things she knew the people would appreciate.
But I remember once the topic of Purim in Europe came up and we were all saying how we assumed it was simple there - people give to be yotzei and that's it - my grandfather started laughing and said in his thick hungarian accent "Ach, your crazy, my mother sent to the whole town and spent weeks baking and preparing" I think they were quite well off so apparently in Europe the women weren't necessarily so different than we are if they could afford it!

#1cook

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 6:37 pm

[quote="Mama2two"]

Aribenj wrote:

I'll also take this time to thank everyone for all the cute ideas...keep them coming. I especially liked the simple costume themed ones like jersies bec. the kids are not bothered to wear heavy costumes.
any ideas for a strawberry costume I bought after holloween and now I need costume for my DS who's 3. any ideas how to tie strawberry with something else?

why not dress him up as a baker and make little strawberry shortcakes for mm.

kaye

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 7:03 pm

"For the uncle moishy theme - you can buy inexpensive black fedora hats (plastic ones that have a fake felt coating or just plain plastic) and you could make the white cutout "mem" to stick on the front. That would make a perfect basket. You could make "mem" shaped cookies with white frosting. Your daughter could be dressed as Uncle Moishy's mitzva meidel instead of mitzva man. I don't remember what the mitzva men wear, but you could just paint mitzva meidel on a t-shirt. "

Thanks hmmm for the great ideas. Anyone have any ideas as to what I can put into my mm which ties into uncle moishy? Any cute poems? thnanks.

#1cook

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 8:22 pm

kaye wrote:

Thanks hmmm for the great ideas. Anyone have any ideas as to what I can put into my mm which ties into uncle moishy? Any cute poems? thnanks.

uncle moishy whenever we hear you sing
a smile to our face you bring

every time you sing a song
you teach us right from wrong

from mizvahs, to shabbos, & Jewish holidays
even Hebrew letters the Aleph-Bes

tziddakka, midos tovos, derech eretz, too
you really teach us how to be a jew

you could put in aleph-bes cookies, you could buy a musical note chocolate mold and make some chocolate, you could make little jewish boys out of: black and white cookies button candies for eyes, BBQ super snack for pais and licorice for the mouth, aleph-bes jellies, chocolate coins for tziddakka

you got me so into this theme that I think I will do this too! Music

#1cook

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 9:26 pm

BlumaG wrote:

Anyway, I may give it a whirl this year. DD is going to be Supergirl. Any ideas? All I can think of is cookies in the shape of the big S on her chest.

SUPERsnack

get a clear triangle gift box fill with pink jelly beans and make a big "S" on the cover

Mommish

Mon, Jan 26 2009, 10:00 pm

shalhevet wrote:

No, because I understand it can be time consuming. especially if you are making 7 YT meals + chol hamoed + Shabboses + guests etc etc. That takes days of cooking and baking, so why leave it to the last minute? On the contrary, more cooking and baking in advance leaves those who do so with more time for teshuva and concentrating on the more spiritual aspects of the YT as well as making food l'koved Shabbos and YT.

Not sure I really want to jump into the fray here, but I think you are missing that for many (most? all?) of us the cooking etc is not necessarily something to get out of the way so that we can then become malachim who are only spiritual, but rather a very important PART of our kavanna, how we get involved in the holiday. Yom Kippur is "Yom HakiPURIM," the day that is like Purim because the ahavas yisroel and simcha that come from the physical mitzvot of Purim (since we are celebrating being saved from physical annihilation) is something that even Yom Kippur can only aspire to. (There is even part of YK davening that says it is a day of ahavas yisroel.)

shalhevet

Tue, Jan 27 2009, 2:33 am

MOMOF4BOYS2GIRLS wrote:

BlumaG wrote:

Anyway, I may give it a whirl this year. DD is going to be Supergirl. Any ideas? All I can think of is cookies in the shape of the big S on her chest.

SUPERsnack

get a clear triangle gift box fill with pink jelly beans and make a big "S" on the cover

Except you know that isn't MM, right? (unless you add another food)

#1cook

Tue, Jan 27 2009, 2:39 am

shalhevet wrote:

MOMOF4BOYS2GIRLS wrote:

BlumaG wrote:

Anyway, I may give it a whirl this year. DD is going to be Supergirl. Any ideas? All I can think of is cookies in the shape of the big S on her chest.

SUPERsnack

get a clear triangle gift box fill with pink jelly beans and make a big "S" on the cover

Except you know that isn't MM, right? (unless you add another food)

I was just giving suggestions of what could be put into the mm