<p>Snoozn, it was nice that your older D went trick or treating with your younger. My 12 year old stayed home this year because her sister is away and they always went together. </p>
<p>Emmybet, D treated herself to Anything Goes this past Sunday, student rush ticket was only $30, her seat was supposed to be not so good, obstucted view, but an older man who had a great seat was unable to walk down the steps, so the usher asked her if she would move, which she did gladly, and the new seat was right on the center aisle. She was thrilled. First time she went to a show by herself. Going to see Godspell soon with a group from the dorm.</p>
<p>Vamom, I feel a little guilty about not ordering one of those care packages, they sure word the letter to make you feel bad if you don’t order one, but my D also won’t eat most of the stuff they send. I’ll just send my own. Still, I can’t make myself throw out the letter… makes me feel bad.</p>
<p>My daughter is coming home this weekend to see the high school fall play, her friend has the lead and she misses the two teachers who direct it. And then she will be coming home next week on Tuesday for Thanksgiving, working at her cashiering job most of the days. She has to feed her Broadway habit…</p>
<p>I’m so jealous of these students who go to the theater on a regular basis. I lived in the City for 10 years and loved going to the theater, the museums, and the sights. It is great that they are taking advantage of it. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity.</p>
<p>I’m so glad DS’s school doesn’t send out the care package requests. I have no willpower.</p>
<p>Good morning. Thanks for the feedback on part-time jobs. </p>
<p>Kinder: I’m glad that your D has found her people and that the FA change works well for our family.</p>
<p>Emmybet: I’m so glad to hear that your D is happy and settled in.</p>
<p>Siemom: It’s nice of you to include other kids in your Thanksgiving dinner. </p>
<p>Arisamp: I hope your S’s procedure goes smoothly and isn’t too painful.</p>
<p>Proudmom: I’m so happy to hear that your D is coming home for Thanksgiving! Some things are worth the $$.</p>
<p>OWM: I’m glad your son survived his rough week. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for good news from the selection committee.</p>
<p>Leftylou: Don’t feel guilty about those care packages. I fell for it and sent them to D1 when she was a freshman. She thanked me but said that they were mostly junk food.</p>
<p>I just had a nice chat with D2. She was up early to meet with a TA about a paper. She was selected to be a tour guide and recently began her training. She was very excited to find out that the admissions office has a Keurig coffee machine, which should help reduce her Starbucks expenses.</p>
<p>On the subject of finals care packages: Our church older adult group makes finals care packages for the students from our congregation who are away at college. I would much rather give them a donation to provide goodies than give it to a commercial company.</p>
<p>No word yet from the Alumni Association Student Board selection committee. I’m going with no news is good news.</p>
<p>So, let’s have some ideas of things other than snacks to put in a “finals care package”? For those in colder climates, maybe something like a fleece throw and fuzzy slippers? Other thoughts?</p>
<p>For those of you beating yourselves up over the care package hard sell, think back to when your S or D was a wee small thing, and had a better time playing with the box that the present came in than the present itself? Same deal with care packages. I am firmly convinced that I could throw in a totally random assortment of things from around the house and I’d still get a heartfelt thank you.</p>
<p>Which is making me think about April Fool’s Day care packages. :D</p>
<p>I have sent ‘dorm regulation seasonal decorations’, lip balm, cup-a-soup (microwavable), fun socks, post it notes, temp tattoos (a big hit for some reason), and I always send a tub of costco peanut butter filled pretzel bites. If you don’t follow the thread in the cafe <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/599006-your-good-buy-day-207.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/599006-your-good-buy-day-207.html</a> now might be a good time to start as some companies start offering specials on food items for the holidays. Last week I sent six cookies for shipping only (around $6). This week someone posted a special for a brownie sampler but the shipping has to be by the 23rd. I think more specials will be coming.</p>
<p>OWM - Sorry to hear about OWSon’s bad luck. I’m keeping my fingers crossed and sending my most positive thoughts for the Alumni Assoc Rep position!!! :)</p>
<p>Would dearly like some advice, especially from those kind parents who are welcoming students into their homes for Thanksgiving. As an international, my son just doesnt get Thanksgiving and send me into a tizzy by reporting that although hed been invited home by various friends, he planned to stay on campus for the four days. I thought this was a terrible idea but it was only until he realized that the main and subsidiary dining halls would be closed that he decided to accept the kind invitation offered by one of his suitemates. That young man will be leaving this weekend but S plans to leave Wednesday late and is thinking of returning to the campus Friday (no long distance travel required). I know S will have no time to shop for a gift and will be taking only his best behaviour/offer to help around the house/gratitude but should I order something online to be sent? Should I email and thank the parents (I havent met them but they sent their cards back via H who was at move-in, with instructions that the contact info was really for Mum whom they knew would be the one most likely to use it). Im terribly grateful for their hospitality and know S will be a good guest but hes not going to be able to buy them a bottle of wine or have much opportunity to buy a bunch of flowers which would be de rigueur on this side of the Atlantic. Hell write a thank you afterwards is that enough by US standards? Thank you for your assistance in shoring up the special relationship…</p>
<p>samuck,
So nice of you to think of the host family. I will reply as we have been, and will be, the host family. Your son really only needs to show up with a good attitude of helpfulness (as you say he will), and enjoy himself. A nice card afterwards from your son is more then enough. If you would like to send a note as well I’m sure the host family would appreciate it. Nothing else is necessary, really!</p>
<p>My son’s roommate is about 20hrs via car from school to his home and has stayed with us before, and will be with us for Thanksgiving. He is a joy to have around, always helps, and has a wonderful attitude. I sent his mother pictures after their last weekend ‘home’ and received the nicest thank you card back. It was really enough. I am glad your son decided to accept the invitation. I hope he will enjoy the American traditions and his break from school! :)</p>
<p>samuck- I think your son will convey his appreciation just fine with lots of help cleaning up and generally being an appreciative, low-impact house guest. I think it would be great to shoot the parents an email that conveys your own excitement and appreciation that he is going to be experiencing this quintessential American holiday for the first time. A follow up thank you note from him should then do the trick.</p>
<p>arisamp- I hope all goes as well as possible for DS, and that pain is at a minimum for him</p>
<p>owm: all extremities crossed for the AA student board position!</p>
<p>Oh, I always put a new toothbrush in each care package. I have this phobia about one being dropped on a common bathroom floor and not having a spare. Yes, he can buy one at the bookstore, but then he has to go there w/o his teeth brushed…EWWWWW :eek: He doesn’t have as many backups as you’d think…one did get dropped, one he replaced after he was sick (you can’t disinfect like you can at home), and one is…well, I am assuming at the gf’s dorm, because they eat over there too y’know…wink-wink. Oy, what a difference a year makes, huh?!</p>
<p>yalemom - congrats
owm - hoping for the best for your s
blue - LOVE the toothbrush idea
Great to hear the good news from others too. I am quite jealous of the students that can see great shows while at school.</p>
<p>I lived about 80 minutes from my undergrad and we always had college friends for shorter holidays. It was so much fun for my family to meet my peers and to offer them a chance to get away for a day or two. I wish I could host now but D is a plane ride away! I agree with the others: a helpful attitude with a “thank you” after is all that is needed.</p>
<p>My prayer group does care packages for our college kids. good ideas have been: cough drops, pocket kleenex, chapstick, gum, lightweight gloves ($ bin at Target),home made treats, and window clings themed to the season (e.g. bats for October, snowmen for now). I stuck in a travel Apples to Apples game in one package; I wonder if she has used it!</p>
<p>Samuck - I agree with everyone else, a nice note after would be thoughtful but again, not necessary. Kind of an American code of ethic is to invite wayward souls in for Thanksgiving, kind of the theme of the day as it were. </p>
<p>arisamp - Hope everything went smoothly and better than expected pain-wise.
blue - too funny about the wink wink. I am not ready to go there!!!
owm - Fingers crossed here too! And I’m glad my ds was not the only one with the murphy’s law week and sleeping through a quiz.<br>
Snoozn - Hey!! So good to hear your “voice”!</p>
<p>Thank you, BI, yalemom15, mnmomof2 and AK for your reassurance that nothing much more will be expected of my S as a Thanksgiving guest than a willing attitude, happy participation in family life, and a thank you note afterwards. Whew, I was emailing him to be sure to take a bottle of wine - and then I came to my senses! I loved Thanksgiving when I lived in the US a totally non-commercial holiday (at least back then) with the emphasis on families and friends coming together, not to mention reaching out to anyone who might be alone that holiday. I was always astounded at how people I barely knew invited me home I actually had relatives a few hours away so never took up any of the invites but I remain bowled over by the friendliness and generosity of Americans. I am thrilled S will have the chance to experience this quintessential celebration in a family setting and not in a all but shut down college campus. Thanks again.</p>
<p>Oh, I’m not ready to go there either amanda. It’s just amazing how we have to let go of things now that they are on their own. It may not be ‘the’ wink-wink. When I held my breath and asked if he was being proactive to protect himself and her he looked confused at first, then laughed (at the thought that I was actually ‘going there’), and said they were taking things slow. My inner mom was yelling YES, YES!!!, while I simply said, that sounds like a really mature decision son. It is indeed a brave new world having adult children.</p>
<p>Yalemom, congrats to your son on the internship. </p>
<p>My cousin and her DH adopt international graduate students at Harvard every year and host all of them for Thanksgiving, as well as having them over at other times of the year and helping them when needed. </p>
<p>Boychild is coming home on Friday afternoon and my sister and her DH are coming up Saturday morning for the weekend so I’ve been busy cleaning <em>bleugh</em> and washing the sheets & comforters in the guest room. I’m debating whether to make dinner reservation for Saturday night or cook. My sister never cooks so I’m thinking it might be a nice change for my BIL, except that I have to be in the kitchen all next week getting ready for T’day. </p>
<p>Re neighbor lady: She just called to tell me the tank is getting removed on Thursday. Fingers crossed this takes care of the problem.</p>
<p>Samuck, the thing to “get” about Thanksgiving is that people left their homeland to be able to practice their faith freely in a new settlement… harsh conditions etc made the journey and settlement tough… There are various claims to the origins of the holiday. The bottom line is gratitude/hospitality. Like you said–it has been one of the less commercialized holidays in the US—gosh knows the Christmas sales have been going since before Halloween!! Yikes. I think your DS will enjoy the time off campus. Such a nice invite/opportunity. </p>
<p>I know when we lived overseas, trying to explain the holiday beyond myths, and elementary school history books was more difficult than one would think.</p>
<p>My DH has a funny story about trying to explain to a butcher he wanted to buy a whole turkey bre@st, with skin and bones etc…to roast (since locally they offered turkey breast skinless/boned or in cutlets)…well DH used the wrong word for bre@st and got quite an odd look from the local butcher—Ahhh learning a new language!</p>
<p>Kiddo2 admitted to looking forward to seeing older sibling! and Kiddo is looking forward to the break since there hasn’t been any fall break since drop off in Aug.</p>
<p>Yalemom–congrats to your son on his internship!</p>
<p>OWM–fingers crossed and no news IS good news!</p>
<p>BI–Toothbrush is great idea, note to self!</p>
<p>AK–Thanks for the USB tree idea. DS likes USB stuff!</p>
<p>Samuck–glad your DS realized he should accept the offer. He will have a great time and will probably never turn down the offer again once he understands the holiday! :)</p>
<p>I told my DS to be sure to invite anyone he knows who want’s to come home with him for Thanksgiving. Not sure if he has found anyone needing a home for the holiday. He did mention that his Latin teacher invited anyone in his class that won’t be leaving campus to come to dinner at his house. Small school atmosphere is a great thing sometimes (I could never picture any of my teachers ever doing that when I went to college).</p>
<p>I’m still procrastinating on cleaning my house. I have a whole week, right? :eek:</p>
<p>samuck, I agree sort of with everyone. We would send our kids with a gift. ShawD would buy one on her own – she did when she went to our friends house for Yom Kippur and Canadian Thanksgiving. ShawSon we’d probably remind to pick up a gift or order one on Amazon so that he could take it with him. But, the most important thing is a good attitude and help.</p>
<p>We’ve suggested to ShawSon that he invite others, but he wants to be with the family by himself, which is nice.</p>
Same deal with care packages. I am firmly convinced that I could throw in a totally random assortment of things from around the house and I’d still get a heartfelt thank you.</p>