How many Shalach-Manos will you be sending this year?

klotzkashe

Mon, Feb 05 2007, 5:35 am

MY FRIEND GAVE CHATZILIM AND VEGGIES CUT UP LIKE A PLATTER.
IT WAS REALLY NICE EFFECTIVE AND DELICIOUS

BinahYeteirah

Mon, Feb 05 2007, 5:41 am

It doesn't sound like something you'd want to leave on someone's doorstep. LOL

Definitely better than nosh, though...

amother

Wed, Feb 07 2007, 2:51 pm

I love making and sending MM but I stopped sending a lot of them when I realized that I hardly get any MMs (maybe 2). I never understand the complaints about all the people who have so much junk and treats they don't know what to do with them.

shopaholic

Fri, Feb 09 2007, 9:59 am

Just made my list last night. I have 22 + 5 teachers. I'll make 30 + 5 teacher ones (different than the others) that way I have extras in case I forget anyone. Plus,. I am sending a couple long distance. Then of course I have the kids' friends.

sarahd

Mon, Feb 12 2007, 6:58 am

BinahYeteirah wrote:

If you give salads in your MM, what ones do you include? How do you prepare it so it will keep as long as it needs to? I'm sick of the nosh, and I want to give something healthy, but I'm not sure how to go about this...

I gave a marinated salad, no mayo or perishable stuff included, so I wasn't worried about the couple of hours it stood around.

momaleh

Mon, Feb 12 2007, 7:34 am

The point of shalach manos is to promote unity amongst am Yisrael - that doesn't mean you should give everyone you ever met, but I am happy to give out to a lot of people. The actual package is modest so I don't go into debt. The problems begin when people try to outdo each other. My list this year is probably around 25, and I am happy to feel that I have that many friends!

Just to note, it is one of those Beis Yaakov misconceptions that you have to give two brachos (I grew up on that, too.) You have to give two different types of food, but they can be the same bracha.
)

suomynona

Mon, Feb 12 2007, 7:57 am

sarahd wrote:

We give 10-12 each year, which is an amount that I have become comfortable with. It doesn't cost that much, since we give small baskets and I bake cookies or else give a small salad and crackers. I don't think I spend more than $30 on the whole thing.

How do you package the salad and crackers? I did something similar 2 years ago and will probably do it again this year so I'm curious. I bought containers with 3 compartments and put in 2 salads and crackers in the 3rd. If you have a better idea, I'm all ears.

PinkandYellow

Mon, Feb 12 2007, 8:15 am

Do you give to everyone in your bldg (ours has 7 other families)? do you give to all the gannenets? my son has at least 3.

we never give alot, last yr, we weren't home, we were in y-m, so we gave 2 and brought the cheap $3 pre-pkged type. this year we are home, so I'll calculate how many and either buy or make small, junk filled ones.

Tila

Mon, Feb 12 2007, 2:58 pm

I usta do the tomechai shabbos project, but it took away from the fun. I made up a list and I have twenty. I was thinking that maybe my kids will make for their frinds only and I will send a donation in their honor to meals on wheels...

shanie5

Mon, Feb 12 2007, 3:15 pm

we have fun w/ our MM. it's always simple, given in a plain paper lunch bag or on a paper plate. the fun of ours is the poem I do to tie it all together-the costumes and MM. we give just about everybody in the community cuz we know how people enjoy getting them from us. if we dont get back from somebody, thats quite fine w/ us. I only recycle if I run out of MM, or want to give a nicer pkg to one who is not likely to get from anybody else.

I'm not gonna give a number to how many we give it but its way more than anybody has mentioned yet.

greenfire

Mon, Feb 12 2007, 8:51 pm

I stopped the insanity of filling my house with garbage especially before pesach - I simply stopped giving and people forget I exist - this works for me. I give 2 l'kovod the mitzva and usually to someone that would otherwise not get and maybe to 1 or 2 more people to let them know I am thinking about them. Also I make them simple - homemade hamentash & grape juice or mimiature wine. And enough booze for myself so that I could wallow in my own sorrows of the Purim that I used to love Drunken Smile

someone said something about bt's not having family - just cause they are not frum doesn't mean they aren't family - they probably need the shaloch manos more than your neighbors

Mishie

Tue, Feb 13 2007, 1:31 am

My SIL lives in a community, where they have a rule for Shalach-Manos:
You can't give to Anyone you already know!!!!
That way, everyone gets to make new friends every single year.
Not to mention that all all the "popular" families don't get ALL the Shalach-Manos.
I think it's a really nice idea.

sarahd

Tue, Feb 13 2007, 4:29 am

suomynona wrote:

sarahd wrote:

Your idea sounds nicer than mine, believe it or not. I just gave the salads in separate containers and I don't remember what I did with the crackers.

micki

Tue, Feb 13 2007, 8:59 am

am I nuts? we give about 50 every year.

I always gre up giving to everyone and it sorta continues...