200 Christmas presents

[Guinevere]

For adults, $50 total, and I really don't want to bake.

 

Ideas?

[Guinevere]

200 cards? Yikes!

 

Eta Well, I guess they could be mostly the same, but swap out a few lines to personalize. Hmmmm.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Guinevere

[sarasue7272]

Why do you need 200 Christmas presents??? Kids or adults?

[Garga]

You have a quarter to spend on each person?

 

I think we need more information so we can come up with something clever for 200 people at a quarter a person. I mean, that's less than some gumballs in gumball machines.

 

Maybe that's it. Everyone gets a gumball.

[Garga]

Maybe there's something on the Oriental Trading Company website.

 

 

These bracelets are $1.98 for 12. I linked them because they were on the first page of the website. There are probably more things like this. http://www.orientaltrading.com/happy-birthday-jesus-friendship-bracelets-a2-4_1924.fltr?categoryId=551142

Edited December 8, 2017 by Garga

[aaplank]

You could assemble stove top potpourri gift bags. No cooking required. The link has a free gift tag printable. You probably could do it for $50. if you buy in bulk and get a really good deal on oranges.

 

https://lizoncall.com/stove-top-potpourri-recipe/

[Guinevere]

Gumballs!!! Lol! That would be hilarious!

 

I guess I was hoping someone had a magical cheap but not tacky personalized bulk ornament link or something.

 

I could go to $100, maybe $150, but I'd rather not.

 

My husband has a bunch of students, college age, and would like to do something small for each of them.

[Ausmumof3]

25c each? That's hard! I would struggle to bake for that. Are you good at origami?

Maybe a fancy tea bag?

[Garga]

Ok then, here's the link to oriental trading co for their ornaments that "start at 26 cents a piece": http://www.orientaltrading.com/holidays/christmas/ornaments-a1-551665-1.fltr

[Ausmumof3]

Or make up a hot chocolate mix and get some nice sachets and a couple of marshmallows.

 

Or you could pot up some mint plants if you have access to mint and recycled pots ...

[Guinevere]

Origami! That has a lot of potential!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Homemade bookmark?  Ribbon, yarn, or cardstock could be purchased for that amount. If you have access to a printer with ink you might be able to print out something simple on the cardstock. Bright pictures with lots of color would be out, though, due to the cost of ink. Most of the investment would be your time spent making the bookmarks.

[Junie]

I would go to the dollar store to get inspiration.  If they have bags of pinecones, you could tie ribbons on them and give them out as ornaments.

[Jacquelyn in NC]

Homemade bookmark?  Ribbon, yarn, or cardstock could be purchased for that amount. If you have access to a printer with ink you might be able to print out something simple on the cardstock. Bright pictures with lots of color would be out, though, due to the cost of ink. Most of the investment would be your time spent making the bookmarks.

You could use Christmas cards as the base for homemade bookmarks. It's a great way to use up any leftover cards from Christmases past!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

You could get card stock in one of the school's colors and print the school mascot on it with an inspirational saying or some funny quote your husband said during the semester. Punch three holes along the bottom of the bookmark and thread with ribbon of the contrasting school color.

 

 

 

 

[stephanier.1765]

Reindeer Noses: http://craftinginthecountry.blogspot.com/2011/12/last-christmas-post.html

 

Snowman Soup: http://radreciperoundup.blogspot.com/2011/10/snowman-soup-day-83-of-100-day.html

 

Have a Jolly Christmas: http://room-mom101.blogspot.com/2011/12/last-minute-teacherneighbor-gift-ideas.html

[theelfqueen]

Buy a big tub of cocoa mix and make cute individual bags like the reindeer ones ... or get spoons and dip them in chocolate for cute stirrers. You can get big packs of colored plastic spoons at the dollar store.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-spoons/df5b52b6-6684-4c48-92ba-ddc3357528ef

 

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Cosmos]

My husband has a bunch of students, college age, and would like to do something small for each of them.

 

Ah! Food then. Cheap and welcome to most college students. Candy bars bought in bulk with a bow on them. Or "melted snowman" -- https://www.cre8tivecompass.com/melted-snowman-white-hot-chocolate/

 

Even just a pack of popcorn with a corny (ha!) greeting would be nice -- "Keep on popping over the holiday!" I don't know, I'm sure you could come up with something better.

 

ETA: slr1765 posted the "snowman soup". That's what I was trying to find but I guess I didn't remember the name correctly. That's a fun one.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Cosmos

[Cecropia]

Do you have a great recipe?  Print it on a recipe card and attach a bag with all the spices needed for 1 batch.  Frontier Natural sells 16 oz bags of herbs and spices for a good price: https://www.iherb.com/c/Spice-Seasoning?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzb-JxNb61wIVyIqzCh11AwGSEAQYASACEgLgK_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&bids=FRO

[Selkie]

How about a charitable donation made in honor of your dh's students?

[cjzimmer1]

I would do something like a packages of hot chocolate (you can get those big boxes of 60 for $5-6 at Costco or Sam's) with a candy cane.  Maybe a small bag of marshmallows tied together with a pretty ribbon.

[dsmith]

Some tiny treat bags with Hershey kisses or other small Christmas candies.

[Rachel]

Candy canes?

 

If you wanted to make them cute stick google eyes and a brown pipe cleaner on them to make them look like reindeer.

[Catwoman]

Origami! That has a lot of potential!

Yes, think of the potential for paper cuts and exhausted fingers from cutting out all of those little paper squares and folding 200 paper cranes! :svengo:

[Catwoman]

Gumballs!!! Lol! That would be hilarious!

 

I guess I was hoping someone had a magical cheap but not tacky personalized bulk ornament link or something.

 

I could go to $100, maybe $150, but I'd rather not.

 

My husband has a bunch of students, college age, and would like to do something small for each of them.

Ok, wait a minute.

 

Your dh wants to do something for 200 college kids and we're all sitting here trying to come up with suggestions of things YOU can do for them.

 

I think your dh should start practicing his paper folding and potpourri-making! ;)

[unsinkable]

I would do something like a packages of hot chocolate (you can get those big boxes of 60 for $5-6 at Costco or Sam's) with a candy cane. Maybe a small bag of marshmallows tied together with a pretty ribbon.

I like this the best...affordable, festive and not too much work.

 

I'd skip the marshmallows, though. Adds to the cost and work. Imo

 

Print out a greeting and tape that with a candy cane to the packet of cocoa.

 

200 times.

[Night Elf]

That's a very sweet thing he wants to do but kind of crazy. Even decorating candy canes will take a while. I hope he plans to pitch in. Me personally, I'd just buy huge boxes of candy canes and hand one out to each person and say Merry Christmas and call it done. Kids get a kick out of stuff like that. It's the thought that counts.

[Guinevere]

Dh will definitely be helping!

 

And origami is out. Good point about the paper cuts.

 

I think candy of some kind with a cute label is going to be the way to go. Thank you for all the ideas!

[unsinkable]

Yes, think of the potential for paper cuts and exhausted fingers from cutting out all of those little paper squares and folding 200 paper cranes! :svengo:

The pain is real.

 

Working with lots of paper dries out your hands, which makes them crack and bleed and get hangnails easier. It is the same with working with textiles, yarn, etc...

[KungFuPanda]

Let HIM figure it out. You can’t even get donuts for that amount.

[scrapbookbuzz]

How about a charitable donation made in honor of your dh's students?

 

While the premise of the idea is a valid one, it probably wouldn't mean much to many of the students.

 

I vote for food for them. OR go check out Party City. They' usually have some fun little knick-knacky toys for around 25 cents each. They might even enjoy them. I can just see 200 students seeing how high they can bounce their bouncy balls that came in their Christmas card! LOL Hmmm. Food might be better . . .

 

All that being said, I think your budget may need to be increased a bit.

[mathnerd]

I highly recommend staying away from cheap toys for 25 cents that nobody seems to value any more. We have huge ziplcos of those stuff that people always give and nobody uses. What my DS's music teacher did is to give every child a pencil or an eraser and a mandarin orange for Christmas. My son used the pencil he got and ate the orange. So, it was actually a good gift instead of a wasteful effort. 

 

For $50, if you went to Costco or Sam's Club, you could pick up trays of holiday cookies for 200 people. Just buy those cookies (I think each tray had 75 cookies in Costco) and a bag of festive napkins and ask your DH to hand over the cookies after class.

Edited December 8, 2017 by mathnerd

[OH_Homeschooler]

Gumballs!!! Lol! That would be hilarious!

 

I guess I was hoping someone had a magical cheap but not tacky personalized bulk ornament link or something.

 

I could go to $100, maybe $150, but I'd rather not.

 

My husband has a bunch of students, college age, and would like to do something small for each of them.

 

Are these just college students in classes of his? I would suggest a big bowl of candy. Let them pick what they want when they turn in their finals. 

 

That really is nice of your DH but a lot of work for something that will not be very appreciated. At least, not much more than any random candy they can get their hands on.

[vonfirmath]

I highly recommend staying away from cheap toys for 25 cents that nobody seems to value any more. We have huge ziplcos of those stuff that people always give and nobody uses. What my DS's music teacher did is to give every child a pencil or an eraser and a mandarin orange for Christmas. My son used the pencil he got and ate the orange. So, it was actually a good gift instead of a wasteful effort. 

 

For $50, if you went to Costco or Sam's Club, you could pick up trays of holiday cookies for 200 people. Just buy those cookies (I think each tray had 75 cookies in Costco) and a bag of festive napkins and ask your DH to hand over the cookies after class.

 

Also, are ALL 200 students going to be there the day before a holiday?

Cookies for those there and no leftovewrs because the kids will eat seconds if needed :)

[Annie G]

The melted snowmen would be cute, and you could add a tag from dh that says this is probably how they feel after a semester in his class. You don't have to use bags to package them- I have used saran wrap and tied it closed with a bow. 

 

White almond bark is cheap right now, and the candies and pretzels to make the eyes, nose, and arms would be inexpensive. Saran wrap from the dollar store and some ribbon. 

 

That would be work for you, though. Any food gift would be welcome by college students. 

[unsinkable]

I like this the best...affordable, festive and not too much work.

 

I'd skip the marshmallows, though. Adds to the cost and work. Imo

 

Print out a greeting and tape that with a candy cane to the packet of cocoa.

 

200 times.

Quoting myself to add...any unused packets of cocoa could be donated to a soup kitchen or organization that can use them.

[Caroline]

I have 130 students. I get them a full sized Hershey bar that I print cute wraps for. You can look for them on Pinterest.

[ktgrok]

Let HIM figure it out. You can’t even get donuts for that amount.

 

Oh, actually, how about bringing in donuts or christmas cookies to class, and letting them snack during class? On the last day or something? 

 

Costco or somewhere has donuts cheap I'd think. 

[Beth S]

Is it Finals Week this coming Monday?!?  Yes, a candy cane as they turn in their Final.  :)

Or you can copy the idea that our local engineering school did for the freshmen . . .

Gave them "lifesaver" candies as they ENTERED the room to take their (very difficult first) final exam.

 

Mint is supposed to stimulate brain activity.  :)

[DawnM]

Is it Finals Week this coming Monday?!?  Yes, a candy cane as they turn in their Final.  :)

Or you can copy the idea that our local engineering school did for the freshmen . . .

Gave them "lifesaver" candies as they ENTERED the room to take their (very difficult first) final exam.

 

Mint is supposed to stimulate brain activity.  :)

 

Great idea!

[Frances]

Gumballs!!! Lol! That would be hilarious!

 

I guess I was hoping someone had a magical cheap but not tacky personalized bulk ornament link or something.

 

I could go to $100, maybe $150, but I'd rather not.

 

My husband has a bunch of students, college age, and would like to do something small for each of them.

Maybe he could do the baking since they are his students.

[Ausmumof3]

Yes, think of the potential for paper cuts and exhausted fingers from cutting out all of those little paper squares and folding 200 paper cranes! :svengo:

😆 Yes hmm it could be rather traumatic!

[Serenade]

What a great thread this is.  Lots of fun ideas.

[Word Nerd]

Ok, wait a minute.

 

Your dh wants to do something for 200 college kids and we're all sitting here trying to come up with suggestions of things YOU can do for them.

 

I think your dh should start practicing his paper folding and potpourri-making! ;)

I was about to post the same thing. If he wants to do this, then *he* should figure it out and make it happen.

[Guinevere]

I was about to post the same thing. If he wants to do this, then *he* should figure it out and make it happen.

Dh is *all* in. He will make cookies, he will fold whatever. He is not foisting an unpleasant task on me. I'm happy to help him! This is the idea stage, and a feasibility check. Since my dh doesnt hang around chat boards, I thought I'd see if you all had any great ideas.

[KatieJ]

Almond bark pretzel rods. Easy to make. Can be dipped in nuts, sprinkled with sugar or use white almond and drizzle with chocolate. Wrap in wax paper when dry and tie with ribbon.

[Nan in Mass]

Superballs. They have to be the best ever entertainment value for a quarter. : ) And they are particularly fun in cement corridors.

 

Nan

Edited December 9, 2017 by Nan in Mass

[Catwoman]

Dh is *all* in. He will make cookies, he will fold whatever. He is not foisting an unpleasant task on me. I'm happy to help him! This is the idea stage, and a feasibility check. Since my dh doesnt hang around chat boards, I thought I'd see if you all had any great ideas.

:hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

 

It could end up being a fun project because you'll be working together on it!

[Pippen]

Superballs. They have to be the best ever entertainment value for a quarter. : ) And they are particularly fun in cement corridors.

 

Nan

 

I'd totally go with superballs for college students. Especially around finals time. 

[unsinkable]

Why all the negative-nellies? Guys, it’s CHRISTMAS!!

Can’t a person actually want to help their partner do something kind? Goodness, I could understand it if she seemed to want commiseration on ‘having’ to do this... but to see multiple posts telling her to have him figure it out is quite pathetic. So much for the season of love, family, and holiday spirit! You’ve out-Scrooged yourselves this time.

 

"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny &%*"'+! Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white &$+ down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of &$++-#(:! this side of the nuthouse."