Circle Time: The Show and Tell Weekly Thread
Show and Tell is wasted on elementary schoolers. Join several dozen bloggers weekly to show off an item, tell a story, and get the attention of the class. In other words, this is Show and Tell 2.0. Everyone is welcome to join, even if you have never posted before and just found out about Show and Tell for the first time today. So yank out a photo of the worst bridesmaid’s dress you ever wore and tell us the story; show off the homemade soup you cooked last night; or tell us all about the scarf you made for your first knitting project. Details on how to participate are located at the bottom of this post.
Let’s begin.
I have to start this off by saying that we don’t live in a particularly Jewish area. I mean, there are Jews around here, but it’s just not a Jewish-ish town like where we used to live.
Every Purim, we make packages of candy and cookies and send them to friends and family. Some people live in town and we drive around packages for drop off a few days before Purim. But some need to be mailed and we do those in three big batches. I also tend to be a bit scattered and unorganized with this whole undertaking so there have been many times that I have filled and labeled the packages while at the post office. Since I take over a corner of the post office to do this, I explained one year that it was for a holiday called Purim and everyone’s eyes sort of glazed over. A few years ago, I started making one extra package for the post office as a thank you for humouring me as I took up all their counter space.
I went to the post office with the first batch this week (and yes, I know it’s really early). When I set down my box in front of one of my favourite postmasters, he got this huge grin on his face. “Is it Purim now? Does this mean you’re going to be sending cookies and candy again? Do we get a package again this year?”
I really love that our tradition has made post office lore history. That this group of Christian postmasters remember it and look forward to this every year. That we’re Jewifying our little town. Who knows–maybe someday soon they’ll join me in a rousing version of “Ki Va Moed” as they hand me my mail. The postmaster helped me price out every packaging option and found the best one for us financially and timewise. He even set me up with boxes and labels so I could fill them at home and just drop them off at the post office.
As I was leaving, the postmaster reminded me that he really doesn’t like the poppyseed hamantaschen (nor do I, sir, nor do I) but they do enjoy my coffee or tea-infused toffees. Just wanted me to know. And if I was doing those sea-salt caramels again this year, they’d like a few of those.
What are you showing today?
Click here or scroll down to the bottom of this post if this is your first time joining along (hint: link to the permalink for the post, not the main url for your blog and use your blog’s name, not your name). The list is open from now until late Tuesday night and a new one is posted every week.
| 1. Weebles Wobblog 2. Vee 3. The Life of Liv 4. luna 5. Bodhi eKaH 6. Kristin/Dragondreamer’s Lair 7. Baby Smiling In Back Seat 8. WiseGuy 9. Cara |
10. SSV 11. Kathy/angrycanrn 12. Delenn 13. cara (parenting after loss) 14. a very open book 15. JamieD 16. Relaxing Doesn’t Make Babies 17. Conceive This! 18. Life Induces Thoughts, mostly random |
19. MoJo Working 20. The Olsons 21. In Search of Biscuit 2.0 22. Heather 23. The Steadfast Warrior 24. Bluebird 25. infertility rocks! 26. Wishing4One |
- If you would like to join circle time and show something to the class, simply post each Saturday night (or earlier in the week or on Monday if you can’t do the weekend), hopefully including a picture if possible, and telling us about your item. It can be anything–a photo from a trip, a picture of the dress you bought this week, a random image from an old yearbook showing a person you miss. It doesn’t need to contain a picture if you can’t get a picture–you can simply tell a story about a single item. The list opens every Saturday night and closes on Tuesday night.
- You must mention Show and Tell and include a link back to this post in your post so people can find the rest of the class. This spreads new readership around through the list. This is now required.
- Label your post “Show and Tell” each week and then come back here and add the permalink for the post via the Mr. Linky feature (not your blog’s main url–use the permalink for your specific Show and Tell post).
- Oh, and then the point is that you click through all of your classmates and see what they are showing this week. And everyone loves a good “ooooh” and “aaaah” and to be queen (or king) of the playground for five minutes so leave them a comment if you can.
- Did you post a link and now it’s missing?: I reserve the right to delete any links that are not leading to a Show and Tell post or are the blogging equivalent of a spitball.
- If you want it…
I’ve now placed a Show and Tell archive on the sidebar that will be updated each week in case you miss it. And click here for the icon code if you wish to have it for your blog. It links to the archives.
23 comments
There’s no doubt in my mind that you spread sunshine wherever you go. And keep people from going postal at times.
Present company included.
Oh I love that you are making such an impact. You will always be remembered.
That is incredibly cool that you are spreading your traditions that way.
love that story!
That’s neat what you are doing. I liked that story.
Jewifying. Hahahaha! Oh Mel, you slay me. 🙂
I also Jewified someone with Purim! One of my best friends, but at the time I barely knew her. I had made my traditional (apricot) and non-traditional hamentashen (chocolate dough, peanut butter and jelly filling) and was passing them around the building. I got to her office around 4 p.m., and she gobbled one up. She said she hadn't eaten lunch, so I gave her a bunch more. She said I'd saved her life. She's a little dramatic sometimes.
For years after that, every March, she'd ask, "Is it almost time for that holiday with the triangle chocolate peanut butter cookies?" She actually went looking for hamentashen at a bakery once, and was shocked that they only had apricot and poppyseed. She thought everyone made chocolate PB&J. Modified Jewification.
Spread the Love lady! You are doing so good! These are things that people remember for a long time!
I’m sure your delicious homemade goodies are helping to spread the love. What a Kidush Hashem your making!
That’s hilarious that he told you what went over well and not so well last year. “just so you know”. 🙂
I STILL haven’t made the sea salt caramels. And I’ve bought the chocolate and cream multiple times (eating chocolate and throwing away cream). Caramel just scares me so much to make!
Mel – a good relationship with your postmaster is on the “top ten good connections to have list”! Ok – well, it’s on mine anyway!!!
In fact – my kid’s call the PO “Pam’s house” and are convinced she sleeps there!
You really are amazing.
I have always looked forward to incorporating Jewish traditions into my Christian family home. Jewify me please! :o)
I love your stories about your post office. How funny that he shared with you what went over well and what didn’t…what are you taking orders now? lol.
So that’s the secret to making postmen happy and friendly . . .
I’ll have to try that sometime!
I love that the post office guy was giving you hints on what he wanted. 🙂
I love that the postman told you his likes and dislikes! That’s awesome! “Hey, lady. Thanks for the treats, but leave out this and give extra of that- if you don’t mind…”
Crazy! I mean, cool that you are sharing your traditions far and wide in your town, but funny that they go as far as to put in requests. I love it!
“We’re Jewifying our little town”….awesome. And sea-salted caramels…YUM! 🙂
How cool that everyone looks forward to your treats! Your such an amazing person!
It just goes to show that cookies are non-denominational.
🙂 Jo
That’s so neat that they remember and look forward to your tradition every year! I’m impressed you are that organized as well. I barely remember to buy birthday cards for my relatives 🙂
There’s nothing like establishing relationships with places you frequent, but I never thought of bribing people with goodies! 😉
I LOVE that your post office is totally into it. That’ fantastic.
Oops, didn’t mean to add my name to this postdated show and tell! I’ll get it right next time.
Sorry!
eve (infertility rocks!)
What a great thing sharing your holiday, well the yummy edibles with them. Those postal people are lucky to have ya!
I agree with Lori, you indeed spread sunshine in every place!