Affordable holiday treats for colleagues
November 26, 2019 1:35 PM Subscribe
What's the best affordable gift for bulk giving to coworkers and neighbors? And how do you package things?
Hi! This overlaps a bit with a previous AskMe but seems unique enough to be worth asking.
What's a good gift to make for approximately 25 work colleagues and neighbors? And maybe 10 people by mail if the postage isn't prohibitive? I'm thinking on the order of $4-5/gift including the packaging -- is that possible?
My ideas so far include a box of chocolates (too generic?), peppermint bark or toffee, or a plate of cookies. I'm happy to hear other ideas!
For the food items, I'm concerned about transport and appearance -- would the peppermint bark fill up whatever box I used? Even if I drive instead of taking the train, how the heck would I manage 17 paper plates with saran wrap??
Any tips or other ideas would be welcomed!
Hi! This overlaps a bit with a previous AskMe but seems unique enough to be worth asking.
What's a good gift to make for approximately 25 work colleagues and neighbors? And maybe 10 people by mail if the postage isn't prohibitive? I'm thinking on the order of $4-5/gift including the packaging -- is that possible?
My ideas so far include a box of chocolates (too generic?), peppermint bark or toffee, or a plate of cookies. I'm happy to hear other ideas!
For the food items, I'm concerned about transport and appearance -- would the peppermint bark fill up whatever box I used? Even if I drive instead of taking the train, how the heck would I manage 17 paper plates with saran wrap??
Any tips or other ideas would be welcomed!
There a are “festive” semi disposable Tupperware available at my local grocery stores like this: Check out this item at Target https://www.target.com/p/glad-holiday-edition-deep-dish-food-storage-containers-3ct/-/A-49105441
posted by raccoon409 at 1:43 PM on November 26, 2019
posted by raccoon409 at 1:43 PM on November 26, 2019
My mom makes Nanaimo Bars for such a purpose. They're quite stable at room temperature, ship well and can be cut into squares of various sizes.
A small box of them goes an awfully long way, and they can be packed in small boxes for shipping (empty granola bar boxes are good for this purpose) or just in ziploc bags or wrapped in tinfoil if you're presenting in person. Then you could put those things in small gift bags or wrap in fancy paper if you want the whole thing to look more festive and presentable. Another option for presenting in person is chinese food boxes, which you can buy at packaging stores in various sizes and then tie a ribbon around the handle for a more festive look.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:46 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
A small box of them goes an awfully long way, and they can be packed in small boxes for shipping (empty granola bar boxes are good for this purpose) or just in ziploc bags or wrapped in tinfoil if you're presenting in person. Then you could put those things in small gift bags or wrap in fancy paper if you want the whole thing to look more festive and presentable. Another option for presenting in person is chinese food boxes, which you can buy at packaging stores in various sizes and then tie a ribbon around the handle for a more festive look.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:46 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
I would make bark and put it in glassine bags with a festive sticker and ribbon. I'd be shocked if you hit $2.50 per unit, total. You can just stack them in a carrier bag and take them to work all together no problem.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:01 PM on November 26, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 2:01 PM on November 26, 2019 [3 favorites]
I would get 25 or 35 of the ziploc/hefty plastic containers and fill them with a small variety of treats: candy canes, wrapped chocolates, candy-coated pretzels, mint M&Ms, etc.
posted by soelo at 2:06 PM on November 26, 2019
posted by soelo at 2:06 PM on November 26, 2019
Chex mix, fudge, chocolate-dipped pretzels.
posted by theora55 at 2:09 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 2:09 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
I look forward to my neighbor's homemade marshmallows every year. She puts them in colored glassine bags and ties with curling ribbon.
posted by Botanizer at 2:42 PM on November 26, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Botanizer at 2:42 PM on November 26, 2019 [2 favorites]
If you want something a little larger than glassine bags, search for bakery bags with window or tin tie bags with window. We use the one pound size when we do gifts of granola and chocolate almond brittle. I've also done seasoning blends. Those can be put in jars (I know there's a recent question about spice jars) or you can download or design your own folded paper headers and staple them to snack-sized zip-top bags. Soup mixes are another popular option for which there are lots of recipes online, but one you'd definitely want to test out the end result of first, and those depend somewhat on the kitchen facility of your recipients.
posted by jocelmeow at 4:38 PM on November 26, 2019
posted by jocelmeow at 4:38 PM on November 26, 2019
If you're going to go the homemade treats route, consider making Christmas Crack. The linked recipe is just one of many. It is delicious and, I've found, universally loved.
posted by cleverevans at 4:57 PM on November 26, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by cleverevans at 4:57 PM on November 26, 2019 [3 favorites]
Mason jars are cute and they run about a dollar apiece online (or less), at grocery stores, at some hardware stores, and also places like Target and Walmart. You can fill them with holiday candy, or if you bake cookies smaller than the size of the mouth's diameter, they look pretty all stacked up inside. Some people layer them with cookie ingredients or soup ingredients with instructions fastened on the lid and those look fun and festive.
Wrap it around with retty craft ribbon (places like Michaels have lots of ribbon for cheap!) and a tag and you're set.
posted by mochapickle at 5:35 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
Wrap it around with retty craft ribbon (places like Michaels have lots of ribbon for cheap!) and a tag and you're set.
posted by mochapickle at 5:35 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you are lazy, like me, Whitman's and Russell Stover both sell small gift boxes of chocolate (about 4 pieces) for a buck or so each. They are decorated with secular festive art and have a spot on the back for writing "to" and "from" . I usually pair them with a nice card, also secular.
posted by emjaybee at 6:59 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by emjaybee at 6:59 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
^Mason jars filled with hot cocoa mix (Alton Brown's recipe; layered peppermint-flavored; Chowhound round-up) could work for the colleagues and neighbors.
posted by Iris Gambol at 7:05 PM on November 26, 2019
posted by Iris Gambol at 7:05 PM on November 26, 2019
On packaging: I make cookies for a dozen or so people and I package them in Christmas tins that I buy used at the thrift store. If I run out, I use the gladware linked above. I figure the tins are being saved from a landfill, and the gladware probably gets reused many times by its recipient, so I feel pretty good about both options from a waste perspective.
posted by juliapangolin at 7:27 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by juliapangolin at 7:27 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
Tins! Right!
If you are looking for lots of them and can't find enough at the thrift store, Dollar Tree has small rectangular holiday tins for $1. You could probably fit about 6-8 or so cookies in each. They're sturdy and cute enough for people to use them to store small office supplies etc throughout the year or instead to take home and reuse next year.
posted by mochapickle at 7:35 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you are looking for lots of them and can't find enough at the thrift store, Dollar Tree has small rectangular holiday tins for $1. You could probably fit about 6-8 or so cookies in each. They're sturdy and cute enough for people to use them to store small office supplies etc throughout the year or instead to take home and reuse next year.
posted by mochapickle at 7:35 PM on November 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
Nobody doesn't enjoy Christmas Crackers. (The exploding kind, not the eating kind.)
It's not hand made, but it's cheap and fast. I'd prefer it to any baked good I've ever received.
posted by eotvos at 7:59 PM on November 26, 2019
It's not hand made, but it's cheap and fast. I'd prefer it to any baked good I've ever received.
posted by eotvos at 7:59 PM on November 26, 2019
Nobody doesn't enjoy Christmas Crackers. (The exploding kind, not the eating kind.)
Au contraire. They are the target of this year's seasonal hate, and rightly so. They are made from materials that can't be recycled and are filled with plastic crap that just ends up in landfill.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:11 AM on November 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
Au contraire. They are the target of this year's seasonal hate, and rightly so. They are made from materials that can't be recycled and are filled with plastic crap that just ends up in landfill.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:11 AM on November 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
Does your town have an "If It's Paper" store? You'll find lots of cellophane bags there, different sizes and decorations.
posted by tmdonahue at 4:28 AM on November 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by tmdonahue at 4:28 AM on November 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
That Christmas Crack needs a new name that doesn't jokify/minimize the effect of a deadly drug pumped into communities of color by the US government.
posted by donnagirl at 10:31 AM on December 7, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by donnagirl at 10:31 AM on December 7, 2019 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
The peppermint bark and toffee are great ideas!
posted by bluedaisy at 1:43 PM on November 26, 2019