Your cutest Mishloach Manot ideas

freidasima

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 9:27 am

I'm amazed that you people have the time, inclination and sometimes even money for this.

Anyone ever hear of a paper plate with some hamentaschen, an orange, a couple of slices of cake and a few almonds and raisins? We are going through a terrible recession. Am Yisroel is crashing financially. Yeshivas are going broke as their donors have lost their money and have stopped giving, Yidden have just been cheated out of tremendous amounts of money with the Madoff crisis, people are losing their jobs right and left....maybe it's time to go back to old fashioned values, keeping the minimum of the mitzva and being able to give the money, not to speak of time and effort to Matonos LaEvyonim?????!!!!

And if you want to teach your children some good Jewish values, maybe explaining that to them, and having them involved in giving those matonos, would be a better lesson than dressing them up in expensive costumes and having them watch mommy and daddy do "themes" for mishloach manos..

Our "theme" this year should be supporting other Yidden!!!!! How could they have "Ora Vesimcha" if they are worried about what they are going to eat or how they will pay their bills???!!! Our theme should be helping torah. For those of you who can, give extra money to a yeshiva for a poor kollel student or to help a Jewish soup kitchen.

Marriages are falling apart because of the economic crisis. Matonos Le'evyonim can be supporting Ohel children's homes, Shalom Task Force that helps keep Jewish marriages and families together.

When you think of what to "give" don't think Mishloach Manos. Think Zedoko!!

YALT

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 10:03 am

I love this thread.
Some things I've done in the past:

- dressed as a grandma: funky cardboard purse filled with whatever you'd find in a grandma's purse: lollypops (for aineklach), lipstick candy, watch candy, chocolate coins, "dollar" wafer, sunglasses, one of those little magnet memoboards (with the grey sheet that lifts to erase)

- breakfast theme: cereal bowl, plastic cutlery, napkin, individual sized milk, cereal, muffin, little packets of sugar, coffee, teabag, butter, jam

- small pretty glass plate. Made chocolate cake in shape of rose. Made mintcream-filled chocolates in shape of leaves and covered in green foil. Placed around the rose on the plate.

- I gave my students an "ice cream": flat-bottomed ice cream cone. filled bottom with mini-bouchee cookies (for 2nd bracha) made rice krispies treats in shape of ball, and poured melted chocolate and sprinkles on the top. stuck a round red lollypop(like the cherryones) ontop to make just the red ball stick out like a cherry. place ontop of cone.

Can't remember the others right now.

Ronit

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 10:52 am

freidasima wrote:

Please don't bash this thread- You should understand where others are coming from.

There are many like myself that really enjoy being creative, and it's an outlet for us to sew costumes, put together themes etc... This is the only time of the year that I get to do such projects & I look forward to it. I pair up w/ my friend & we have a good time together...Otherwise life is busy & boring - working, housekeeping etc.

In addition, although I know many pple who do spend outrageously on purim, for most of us this isn't the case. Since my husband is learning in kollel & only I am working we are living on a limited budget too. In fact, by sewing my own handmade costumes for purim I actually save $ & the quality is so much better than the store bought. This year I spent under $5 per costume supplies & last year aprox $8. I sewed baker costumes for my 2 nieces one year - It costed $2 per costume. I still have leftover fabric from both & they will come in handy for future projects.

For some pple themes are a pressure, yet for some it's the opposite case. If I wouldn't do a theme I would have a hard time deciding what to put together for mm. Like this I send 2-3 things that coordinate w/ the costume.

One of my sisters finds these things a pressure so buys her kids each the costume they want & gives mm only to my parents & her inlaws- she makes them each a sueda challah & brings it w/ a nice wine. I know that she doesn't prepare a/t for me, yet I still come visit her w/ my mm & she always genuinely compliments me for what I did- she knows that we are different...Let everyone do what works for them.

So please each to it's own- I will not ridicule you if you send me a plate w/ a hamentash & liquer, but I will still send my themed creations...

Last edited by Ronit on Tue, Feb 02 2010, 4:13 pm; edited 2 times in total

shayna82

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 11:29 am

freidasima wrote:

I think this post was pretty rude when posted under a mishloach manos thread.

not everyone cant afford to make nice shaloch manos, give tzedoaka and contribute to funds!

sunshine!

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 11:36 am

freidasima wrote:

You are right when you say that people shouldn't lose focus, but as Yiddishe Mammes, we are so limited in our creative energies. Whenever an opportunity lends itself for me to express myself in a creative fashion, I grab it. I sometimes feel stifled in a role of mothering, wifing, and the like, that for me when Purim comes around, or a party, or a Sheva Brochos I can create, I grab the chance. Also, if people are sharing ideas about CREATIVE mm, I find it offensive that you are acting the conscience. If you feel strongly about something, start a thread stating how you feel themes are overdone and miss the point. But saying it here makes people feel like you are looking doen on them for daring to add some simcha to their mitzvah!

freidasima

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 12:15 pm

Ladies, I am truly in shock.
Is this Imamother?
Is this supposed to be a forum for frum yiddishe women?
I was certainly not trying to be a party pooper but to bring some people down to reality.

No one has to sit around on a chair crying about the state of the Jewish people. But we all do have a chiyuv to be aware of what is going on and to focus our energies on doing something to help all the yidden who have suddenly found themselves in a horrible place...financially, personally...and yes, they can be the people down the block who are trying to hide it.

If you want to be creative, then please do it. Create lovely inexpensive costumes for your children in order for them to put on a Purim play whose proceeds go to Zedoko. Make a raffle for the lovliest Mishloach Manos in the kehilla with the proceeds of the raffle going to support a yeshiva that just lost most of its support.

I come from somewhere else, a place called Eretz Yisroel where most of the people in my neighborhood don't know what it is to eat out, don't know what it is to be able to go on vacation other than swapping apartments with friends in another city, and spend every cent to be able to just make ends meet. Costumes are something that you exchange with someone else, and if you put a pretty wand in a little girl's hand and make her a fancy skirt from a piece of remnant and call her Queen Esther, it's considered just fine and dandy. I'm used to a world that the minute you have something, you put it away for your children's apartments, for their chasuneh's, and the minute you have a bit more, you give more zedoko!

I'm really happy to learn that there are a lot of you out there who have enough money to make fancy themes, give really nice mishloach manos and at the same time to give a lot of zedoko! Ken Yirbu as we say, may you go from strength to strength.

but in these troubled days, where there are really SO MANY Yidden all over the place who are barely able to feed and clothe their families, not to speak of being able to pay for yeshiva tuition and the like, a public discussion that makes it sound like people have a lot of time and money on their hands for mishloach manos is bringing yiddishkeit down = yes DOWN - to a level that sounds horrendous to someone like me. Is that what yiddishkeit is all about? Are your lives so sad and mundane that making costumes and mishloach manos is your only creative outlet?

What has happened to Yiddishkeit???!!!

Tova

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 12:55 pm

hadassa wrote:

There are many like myself that really enjoy being creative, and it's an outlet for us to sew costumes, put together themes etc... This is the only time of the year that I get to do such projects & I look forward to it. I pair up w/ my friend & we have a good time together...Otherwise life is busy & boring - working, housekeeping etc.
(...)
For some pple themes are a pressure, yet for some it's the opposite case.

I agree with you, and others who have posted similarly about some women needing a creative outlet. Personally, I love adding creativity to my MM. I don't particularly go for themes (although love receiving cute ones) and would rather give a nice homemade item + wine/grape juice and maybe fruit. The past few years I have been baking challah, but I always do a twist on the presentation. For example, last year I baked them in tube pans (so it was like one big ring) and put a small bottle of grape juice in the middle inside the hole. Presentation was great embarrassed

if I do say so myself. The year before, I made whole wheat onion rolls and incorporated it into a "healthy theme" and gave salad, spiced chickpeas, and bottled water.

Ronit

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 1:13 pm

freidasima wrote:

Ladies, I am truly in shock.

If you want to be creative, then please do it. Create lovely inexpensive costumes for your children in order for them to put on a Purim play whose proceeds go to Zedoko. Make a raffle for the lovliest Mishloach Manos in the kehilla with the proceeds of the raffle going to support a yeshiva that just lost most of its support.

Are your lives so sad and mundane that making costumes and mishloach manos is your only creative outlet?

What has happened to Yiddishkeit???!!!

PLEASE PLEASE there is a big difference in finding some extra time for creative hobbies & making a whole set of costumes & running a purim play w/ proceeds to tzedaka- that would literally take over my life.

I bh have a family & work & a busy life. no it's not sad and mundane,but we all have our outlets & this one of mine. I'm sure you have hobbies too- wether it's reading, sports, cooking, hanging out on imamother etc, and just because some of us make mm & costumes for a hobby... doesn't mean we are insensitive to the plight of others financial situations etc. one simply has n/t to do w/ the other.

And you speak of borrowing costumes for purim- no problem mine is up for lending & I plan to reuse them eventually - somebody needs to own costumes to swap- nobody here ever said swaping or reusing costumes isn't an option.

Mrs. XYZ

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 1:34 pm

Freidasima, your mussar post could have been posted on many other sections of imamother. Why did you davka pick this mishloach manos thread?
How about on the "Entertainment" section? How could ppl. spend time and money on such narishkeiten when there are so many ppl suffering?
Or on the "Fashion and Beauty" section, everyone should take all the money and time they spend on facials, makeovers, waxings.... and give it to tzedaka.
In the "Simcha " section, everyone should start making Bar mitzvas in their dining room for exactly ten ppl. and serve challa and techina.

You really think this is the worst thing ppl. are spending their time and money on?

sunshine!

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 3:08 pm

Listen, if we are going to attack the Mishloach Monos idea, we may as well attack the way we celebrate any Yom Tov. Who needs a beautifully decorated sukkah with homemade exquisite decorations? Save the time and effort (and expense) and give to people who are less fortunate. Pesach? Why are you spending the $$ on a nice wine, expensive matzah? Give oyur hard earned money, that you are using to make Yom Tov beautiful and meaningful and give it away to people who have less. In society, there will always be people who have less and people who have a little more. I am not sayong that people should flaunt their wealth, but if people are being mehudar in a mitzvah and bringing a nachas ruach and beauty into their lives, they should not be knocked for it.

As far as Mishloach Monos are concerned, we match whatever we spend on Mishloach Monos with an equal amount of Matonos L'evyonim. We teach our children that anyone who stretches out a hand should be given $$. In fact, last year when my son recieved $$ for delivering Mishloach Monos, he handed the whole wad of bills over to a man standing outside the shul at Mincha. He is 5. While it is important for children to be taught the basics of Tzedaka and feeling anothers pain, we can surely inject a spirit of fun and happiness into the day as well.

And finally, and this might be my most provocative statement in this thread, I feel that the system of parents slaving away to buy their children apartments in E"Y is wrong wrong wrong, and does not teach children the value of responsibility and finances. Where is it said that parents are m'chuyav to purchase apartments for their kids? If you want to reform the system, that would be the first thing to go! How can a child learn that others have less and constantly reach out to help, if they are handed life on a silver platter? I will stick to my themed MM, but when the time comes that my children are marrying, they will know how to pay rent, balance a checkbook, be responsible, AND GIVING people!

shalhevet

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 3:25 pm

sunshine! wrote:

Just some thoughts:

1. A sukka and your seder table don't get flaunted in front of all the neighbours (unless they happen to be your guests). Presumably people are doing it lesheim shamayim.

2. Giving more than one mishloach monos is not a mitzva. With the first you've fulfilled it.

3. Certainly theming it with baseball and Supergirl is not hiddur mitzva by any stretch of the imagination.

4. I am interested if those women who put lots of effort into original MMs also put lots of effort into the hechsher mitzva of biur chometz for Pesach, or if they are willing to pay someone else to do so.

freidasima

Wed, Jan 21 2009, 3:33 pm

Sunshine, before you knock the system in EY please note that we are not talking about buying our children $200,000 apartments but about each side being able to give them a present of around $10,000 apiece when they get married in order for them to be able to go to a bank and use this as the basis to be eligible for a loan to buy the rest of a small $80,000 apartment in which to live. The mortgage that they will be paying the bank on such an apartment with a loan of $60,000 from the bank for 20 years is cheaper in almost all cases then if they would rent a two and a half room (note, that is a living room, a bedroom and a hallway) apartment in a poor neighborhood. In other words it is the only financial option for most young couples.

In EY you can't get a mortgage if you don't come with money to begin with, "seed money". The banks don't accept an apartment as collateral and won't give you a loan for a full price of an apartment.

And as our children go to the army and sherut leumi and are only beginning school around age 23-4 after hesder, and we would like to see them be able to get married before age 30 and up (when they have finished school and would be able to work for two years to save up money), parents have to help.

What would you have them give up? Living in EY? Army? Learning in Hesder? Maybe learning a profession? Or maybe we should make everyone in EY wait until 30 to get married so that parents wouldn't have to help buy them their first apartment.

That's the way it goes here with veteran Israelis. Your parents gave you the seed money, if they were already here in EY, their parents gave THEM their seed money, and you give your kids yours. The minute one of their kids is born, your kids are already starting the savings account for THEIR kids. That's how it is passed on in this country.

I repeat, it is cheaper to buy a small apartment and pay back the bank than to rent that same small or rather miniscule apartment.

Financially sound I would say...