What's the largest amount of mishloach manos you ever sent?

Seraph

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 5:01 pm

What is the largest amount of mishloach manos your family sent (including from your kids to their friends if the kids are living at home) in one year?
How many are you sending this year?
How many on average?

How many would your family give when you were growing up?
How many is the standard in your community?

Btw, totally not asking to judge. I'm asking because I'm writing an article on frugal purims for Ami magazine and I'm wondering how many mishloach manos is considered the "norm"?

In the interest of full disclosure, up until this year we gave 20 or so. This year I think we're going to be giving 30.

(P.S. I'm counting real mishloach manos, not the community "I'll give another dollar and I'll pretend I gave your family mishloach manos too", but if you want to include that, make sure to mention how many real vs how many community ones you give.)

Last edited by Seraph on Mon, Feb 07 2011, 5:09 pm; edited 2 times in total

obagys

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 5:07 pm

We generally give 40-50 - there's 7 of us (with 6 that can give - baby is only 9 months Smile

)
Growing up we gave a lot bec my parents owned a local business and knew/developed friendships with so, so many people in town. I really can't even guess how many it was, but A LOT.

Tova

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 5:12 pm

obagys wrote:

We generally give 40-50 - there's 7 of us (with 6 that can give - baby is only 9 months Smile

)
Growing up we gave a lot bec my parents owned a local business and knew/developed friendships with so, so many people in town. I really can't even guess how many it was, but A LOT.

And lemme tell you from personal experience - they are the best SM ever! Wink

Seraph, to answer your question, usually up to 30 with at least half to people on my block/ in very close walking distance.

Fox

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 5:13 pm

By the time we include teachers, rebbes, assistant teachers, princpals, assistant principals, assistants to the assistant princpals, etc. -- we always have about 30-35 (based on five kids, all in school). Add another 15-20 for neighbors, close friends, business partners, employees, etc. It usually comes out pretty close to fifty.

I also use Purim as a time to take cookies or something similar to the pharmacy workers, bank tellers, and others who were probably expecting a treat in December!

artikidove

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 7:25 pm

Last year I think I made 100. I teach so I make for my students. My dh is one of 13 and only one is not married so I make for all of them plus small ones for my nieces and nephews. Between the two of us we have tons of friends and I love love love making them and giving them so I do go overboard but only because I enjoy it not because I think that is what everyone should do. I spend about a week making them and I cook all of my seudah food the day before (we have around 50 ppl over) so dh can spend most of the day delivering. It is a blast!

Ema of 5

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 7:52 pm

Seraph wrote:

What is the largest amount of mishloach manos your family sent (including from your kids to their friends if the kids are living at home) in one year?

Quote:

How many are you sending this year?

probably about the same

Quote:

How many on average?

again probably around the same

Quote:

How many would your family give when you were growing up?

my mom works in the yeshiva where I grew up, and my father is also very involved- they gave tons, and also gave through the school and shul. I think over the years, their list of ppl from the school and shul list has increased, and the number of people that my mom actually makes for has decreased. then there are the "a donation has been made to...." cards, but that doesnt count, at least I dont think so- I think thats more of a matanos l'evyonim kinda thing.

Quote:

How many is the standard in your community?

I have absolutely no clue

proud_mama

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 8:31 pm

My parents always used Purim as a time to show poeple that they appreciate them, and care about them. My parents always gave around 100+ mishloach manos. they gave the shoe maker, the grocery workers, pharmacy workers, every neighbor on the block, every aquantence,etc. they are simple people, and dont own a car, so we kids walked around the hood delivering (we actually loved it). Now, I inherited that mantality, at first I thought that is what everyone does, giving to almost everyone you know, my DH thought I was crazy in the begining because his parents give around 12 every year (when my MIL told me that, I thought she was the cheapest person), eventhough I now know that its not the norm, it's in my genes and I feel like I have to give to all the people I do. I make around 80 from DH and I, and for the kids I make a kid friendly mishloach manos, and they each get to choose 3 friends to give to, we usually give to more cuz other kids come to the house.
My mishloach manos usually cost between $2-$4 each, I like to dress the kids up with a theme and make a mishloach manos to that theme, I find that it comes out cheaper to tie the mishloach manos into a theme, this way it could be simpler and still be cute, whereas if you try to make a nice mishloach manos, it needs to be a bit more substantial

Laughing Bag!

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 9:32 pm

asof now we give abt 20-25 but we are just the two of us the kids dont give yet. so I guess when kids will iyh go to school we'll be giving to teachers rebbiem... so I guess we'll reach bt 40 but I dubt ill go more and my mm are usually something homemade put into something that cost no more than 0.50$

shanie5

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 11:42 pm

100. We give to just about everybody in our community. No list. we just walk up and down every block and give to all the jewish families. One year my kids rang s/o landlords bell by mistake. The lady we wanted to give to told us that her landlord was jewish and would appreciate the shalach manos. So we give him every year too.

My shalach manos are usually less than $1 a piece-I am very frugal!!

shabbatiscoming

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 11:45 pm

same as saw, the fewest that we can get away with. I think in past years we have made 15 - 20 and sometimes had to prepare more but some years had left over.

we try to do the community / shul one so that we at least cover everyone without really forgetting anyone, and then make those few to cover all grounds.

curlyhead

Mon, Feb 07 2011, 11:53 pm

I make 10-15 and then end up recycling a few. This year may be more as we have more teachers to give.
Plus the kids each give a couple. For them I just do some chips and lollies or something like that.

My parents always gave out a lot -probably like 50 but they have everyone come to them and only go out to a few people who would not otherwise get. But my parent make 20 and recycle the rest.

Fabulous

Tue, Feb 08 2011, 12:01 am

I make between 15-20 and also recycle a few. My dh also has to send a few store bought ones for business contacts. When I was growing up, we sent out as many as 45. My parents have majorly downsized, partially because they just can't go anymore. I usually make about 20-25 simple ones for them and then they recycle for unexpected guest.

tizunabi

Tue, Feb 08 2011, 3:14 am

last year we gave to people in our apartment building (7), we didn't even give to parents, siblings, or friends.
I think people understand more when you don't give to them if they know you only give to a select few... Also we try not to use the car on purim... driving is crazy out there... 2 days of drinking doesnt do well for the roads

Mrs.K

Tue, Feb 08 2011, 4:58 am

We usually end up with about 35-40 ourselves but with the kids it comes out to more.

My children are still young but they like to give their neighborhood friends on Purim day, so I just make a bunch of small and simple ones for them. Like a bag of bissli and a candy bracelet tied together with a curly ribbon. 20 of those and I'm good to go.