Finals Time = Care Package Time

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Most of the year, I have fun making my own care packages. But the holidays are bearing down on us, and finals are bearing down on D, so I’m more than okay with sending something pre-packed in December. </p>

<p>I found a cute one at a nice discount today and thought I’d post it, just in case anybody else is looking for a treat to send. This one’s big enough to share with roommate/hall, too. [2</a> Gallon Jolly Snowman Tin - Welcome at The Popcorn Factory](<a href=“http://www.thepopcornfactory.com/product.asp?country_code=0&ptitle=Welcome%20To%20Our%20Store&pcode=31648&firstEntry=Y&cc=1002&sc=1002&cm_ven=&cm_cat=&cm_pla=&cm_ite=&cm_mmc=Tagged-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&cloneb=&firstEntry=Y&cm_mmc=Tagged-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&cloneb=]2”>http://www.thepopcornfactory.com/product.asp?country_code=0&ptitle=Welcome%20To%20Our%20Store&pcode=31648&firstEntry=Y&cc=1002&sc=1002&cm_ven=&cm_cat=&cm_pla=&cm_ite=&cm_mmc=Tagged-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&cloneb=&firstEntry=Y&cm_mmc=Tagged-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&cloneb=)</p>

<p>Including shipping (at least for us - D is in PA), it’s just $20 and change.</p>

2

<p>I sent a chocolate advent calendar- one chocolate for every day. I figure he’ll open it before December, but who cares.</p>

3

<p>If you’re thinking of sending flavored popcorn in a tin, Chicagoans know that the one and only genuine article is: [Garrett</a> Popcorn Shops](<a href=“http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/]Garrett”>http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/)</p>

<p>No, they don’t pay me to say that. But I have to pass one of their locations twice every day, and every single time, I have to resist the temptation to go in. It’s that good.</p>

4

<p>I gave my son a gift card to the local favorite eatery and told him to take a couple of friends out to dinner the day before finals. He’ll be home Dec 16, I’m already stocking up for food.</p>

5

<p>Did your kids’ schools send you an order form for their “care packages”? I already told D that yes, I DID love her, but no, I wasn’t going to spend $55 to send her a box of packaged junk food. I’ll probably order something from Harry and David, or similar spot—I don’t mind paying for good stuff, but packages of doritos and m&m’s? I don’t think so!</p>

6

<p>At D’s school, all parents receive an order form for care packages like what you’re talking about, with the proceeds going to the senior class. Then the sports teams (including D’s lax team) often do care packages as fundraisers for their training trips - and <em>those</em> are mostly healthy. </p>

<p>We did spring for one of those, along with the popcorn. :)</p>

7

<p>^^Yeah we got the same pitch. The stuff in it was unbelievably useless. I’ll be sending another box of homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies --and some new pencils. I have this unrelenting need to send pencils all the time…</p>

8

<p>We’ve used Wayne’s Market for years. They do a really nice job and the Ds always liked what they sent.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.waynesmarket.com%5B/url%5D”>www.waynesmarket.com</a></p>

9

<p>Box being packed as we speak with cookies, brownies, apple juice, instant oatmeal, pita chips, hot chocolate, jasmine tea and assorted stress relieving goodies! Plenty to share with the roommates and floor buddies.</p>

10

<p>As far as I could tell, the company hawking the expensive junk-in-a-basket was padding its own pockets. If it was going to some student group or something, I’d feel differently about it. I did send 3 German chocolate advent calendars at the beginning of the week for D and her 2 roomies. D IM’ed me and told me that her roommates loved me. (and of course, so did she!) :)</p>

11

<p>I gave S2 and D each a box when we met up at Thanksgiving. D also got an advent calendar. S2 said he dumped everything into his backpack “except what I ate for breakfast” and threw the shoebox away. All junk, mostly. Some little bowls of fruit and plastic spoons, and some juice boxes. The rest were junk: cookies, granola bars, Rice Krispie treats, cocoa, etc - and the leftover Halloween candy. :slight_smile: Along with the occasional comic clipped from the newspaper, or other “throwaways” intended to bring smiles.</p>

<p>Has to last them, since we won’t get back from Germany in time to send another.</p>