what is the best option?
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Topic: what is the best option?
Posted By: jazzy
Subject: what is the best option?
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 3:38pm
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I am still deciding on xmas presents for teachers.
If I go with home made baking like fudge or chocolate balls how do I package them...do I wrap individually or together. What is the best way to give them...in a box or a plate or....? Will they melt in the heat & just be a big mess...will they turn out to be costly to make & too time consuming..... Or should I just go with hand creams or smelly stuff (saw heaps at the warehouse today for $5) or boxed chocolates..... Or something else? There are 6 school/kindy teachers. |
Replies:
Posted By: kiwi2
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 3:57pm
| Make truffles and wrap them in sheet of coloured cellophane with a bow. Keeps the cost down not doing a plate or a box. Hope that helps. |
Posted By: kiwikt
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 4:29pm
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If you are doing christmas baking already then go for that.
You can get little bags of trademe which are clear cellophane bags - I brought heaps last year to last me for ever to package my baking as gifts. Mini cookies are also a good idea - cheaper than fudge or chocolate balls to make ------------- Due 14/10/11 http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 4:52pm
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I was going to do baking for presents to send to family but it is not really practical so will buy now instead.
How many cookies or baking would you need per person. The rum balls I make has sherry in it (just a spoon) what would I use if I left that out? Wonder what the cost would be to make for 6. Is scorched almonds a no thought gift? Should I just go with hand cream? I was trying to go for the thoughtful gift but time is running out & I am questioning my baking skills although DH & the kids scoff what I make 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 5:02pm
| why do you feel the need for presents for the teachers? surely it would mean more if the kids made a card with a nice message inside. it will add up if you have 6 to buy for. |
Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 5:07pm
I did a secret santa for work and made mint truffles (mint/choc biscuits + cream cheese dipped in choc), Russian fudge and a Bailey's nut fudge (which didn't set and so I called it a fudge sauce  ). Ingredients cost $23 and that would easily do 6 small gifts. Just to give you an idea of cost. ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 5:10pm
Bizzy that's so true...I guess I feel the pressure as others do it & thought is was expected 
Next week I have the xmas kindy party to bake for & DS1 needs 2 plates of food for yr6 graduation (he is yr5). Maybe I should just get of the feeling of having to & get the kids to do something from them instead of me. |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 5:34pm
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i think its nice if the kids did something but you shouldnt feel as if you HAVE to get gifts for teachers. Last year i gave the head kindy teacher a bottle of wine - but thats cause she is cool and it was going to be my last xmas there after 3 years.
gabriel gave his new entrant teacher a coaster he had made at kindy and she cried - she had only had him for four weeks... |
Posted By: kiwigal
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 6:33pm
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Kmart had bath/shower gel or hand cream for like $4 My son is special needs so we do go a bit overboard as they do a lot for him/us. His teacher is getting some hand cream that I got from Farmers and his teacher aide and a parent who does the walking school bus are both getting a gift set full of smellies that I picked up from Kmart. |
Posted By: MuppetsMama
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 6:52pm
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I make really nice chocolate truffles - just 1/2 tub cream cheese mixed with 2C icing sugar, then add 75g melted dark choc. Chill for 1/2 hr then roll into balls, coat in sifted cocoa or little choc sprinkles, then back to the fridge again for 2hrs. Really really easy, delicious and pretty darn cheap too I reckon as the mixture makes quite a few (don't make them very big as they are quite rich).
I reckon at a guestimate it would only cost you about $15 or so for all 6 teachers. |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 7:16pm
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I normally make biscuits with Ella (make a big batch and then freeze half the mix and use later) and then she decorates them and we give them to the daycare teachers in a box for them to share in the lunchroom. ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: Red
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 8:06pm
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MuppetsMama - they sound really good. Do you mean half of a big or little tub of cream cheese? ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: kiwi2
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 9:01pm
| Scorched almonds or chocolate peanuts can be put in a bag and labelled "Reindeer Poo". There are cute poems that go with it on the internet. Google it. Just a novel way to make a common item into something interesting. Also white marshmallows can be snowman poo. |
Posted By: tiptoes
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 9:12pm
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What about those cookie's that are like christmas decorations with the melted down boiled lolly centre thingy. Do you know what I mean? I've seen it in a Treasures Mag. I could always scan and send it to you if you're interested. I thought they'd be a cool gift - not sure about how you'd package them. Maybe a clear cellophane bag with a ribbon/tie thing?
This is what I mean: http://www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/christmas/edible-decorations ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">  
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 9:30pm
thanks for the ideas ladies
MuppetsMama I am going to try that recipe mmm. chelle those cookies look great may try next xmas lol Mum2ET think I will do cookies & get those icing pens for the kids to decorate... So now I need an easy cookie recipe...anyone got one??
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Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 9:53pm
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You can get cellophane bags from those $2 type shops
If you decide against the baking you could make salt dough (1c cornflour, 3/4c salt and 1c water from memory but google there are heaps of recipes) and use cookie cutters to cut out xmas decorations. The kids could then paint and decorate them as presents ------------- Lindsey 
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Posted By: kiwi2
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 11:30pm
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I make these they have had over 3500 reviews and the average is 4.5 out of 5:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/the-best-rolled-sugar-cookies/Detail.aspx It makes 6 dozen I think so you could always half the recipe or freeze some of the dough which is what I have done. |
Posted By: kiwi2
Date Posted: 09 December 2010 at 11:32pm
| Also look for the post christmas sales. I got 4 christmas tree candles for $2 in the sales which I am giving the teachers this year. I also got some christmas plates with a pate knife which work out at $4 each. |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 10 December 2010 at 7:10am
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oh fantastic I will make them, thanks.
Next yr I want to get some xmas stuff in the new yr sale also...love shopping
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Posted By: MuppetsMama
Date Posted: 10 December 2010 at 9:23am
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I mean half a big tub, so 125g :-)
Just made some this morning for my birthday and I got about 20 out of the mix! And personally I would make my own cellophane bags if it's cheaper (not sure how many bags you get for $2 but you can get a whole roll of cellophane for $2, just cut into squares). |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 12 December 2010 at 8:05am
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MuppetsMama I am doing your chocolate truffles & think I should double the amount & then do like 6 each & have a couple left over for testing or maybe 5 if the tasting gets out of hand.
I saw my SIL yesterday & she said she was making truffles for teachers so I said what is in your recipe & she said it was a family one (the end)...hmm ok...so will tell her my kids have made the best ones ever & given them to the teachers bring on the competition ha ha.
I will wrap them individually in cellophane & then together...think that would work
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Posted By: Flossie
Date Posted: 12 December 2010 at 2:13pm
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Hi I am a primary school teacher and I have to say I have been given all sorts of wonderful pressies! But one of the best was a handpainted terracota pot where the little girl had planted and grown a sunflower seed - that meant alot to me. So definantly handmade is more meaningful but to be honest I never really expected gifts from students a card was more than enough to say thanks for the year! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: MuppetsMama
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 8:43am
| note about the truffles : roll them in chocolate hail, not cocoa - they dont last in this heat if rolled in cocoa!! (trust me, just discovered this yesturday! the choc hails ones were fine, cocoa ones looked like reindeer poo!) |
Posted By: UpsyDaisy
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 9:54am
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My DH is a teacher and teaches yr 7/8 he doesn't expect anything either but the funniest thing he was given two years back was a giftpack of beers by this kid/family! The family obviously knew what DH would like best but thought it was pretty crazy kid bringing backpack with beer in to school! Think I will try the biscuit recipe too as thinking can only give something homemade to nephews and neices this year - they are all teenagers 16+ and so hard to buy for anyway. |
Posted By: Whateversville
Date Posted: 13 December 2010 at 10:23am
I made these the other day after seeing this link and wow, they're yummy!! |
kiwi2 wrote:Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 15 December 2010 at 12:27pm
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MuppetsMama I tried your recipe but think I did something wrong as no way could I make balls out of it, lol.... mmm yummy tho
After yesterday I think the kids can make cards if they want. I was sitting outside DS2 room waiting for the bell & the teacher saw me so let him go early so he came running out with his bag & some end of yr books & then she calls him in & says something to him & then he comes out & a few seconds later she calls him back in & when he came out that time in the loudest voice he says Mrs &**& is mean...she heard & so did the other parents, he was really upset. Then went to get DS1 who had a shared lunch but forgot to tell me so did not take anything so had to wait till everyone else had finished before he was allowed the scraps...grrr the teacher could of called me & I would of taken something up or sent a note home....hmm not feeling like doing anything for them after they have upset my boys. |
Posted By: UpsyDaisy
Date Posted: 15 December 2010 at 2:52pm
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fair enough! that is pretty rude about the shared lunch gee at things like that there is always heaps and who cares if someone forgot! |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 15 December 2010 at 4:17pm
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jules1980 that's right, had to make a couple of plates of food for yr6 lunch today as that is the yr5's job.
Picked up DS2 today & they were let out early which gets up my nose, he kept yelling goodbye to his teacher who walked past & ignored him grrrr. As for the school reports....another story 
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