Sunday, December 20, 2009

Neighbor Gifts

Have you ever heard of neighbor gifts? Is it a Utah thing?
I hadn't heard of neighbor gifts until I moved to Utah. Neighbor gifts usually come in the form of some sort of treat. This year we (and by we I mean Matt) made Muddy Buddies for some of our neighbors. I made the list and packaged them up. Here is the recipe that we got from a Chex website:
9cups Corn Chex®, Rice Chex®, Wheat Chex® or Chocolate Chex® cereal (or combination)
1cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Substitution
Peanut butter and chocolate are a favorite flavor combo, but peanut butter lovers can substitute peanut butter chips for the chocolate chips to intensify that flavor.
Special Touch
Need clever gift wrapping ideas for this 15-minute recipe? Check out
Mix & Mingle with Chex® Party Mix.
1.Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2.In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3.Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

We have been the recipients of many neighbor gifts this year, all fun and delicious. Thanks neighbors!
Now, leave me a comment with your thoughts on neighbor gifts or some fun ideas.

P.S. Sam just asked me, "Mom, what were the Three Wise men gifts? Gold, Meridian and what's the other one?... Franken sen?"

6 comments:

Meg said...

Yum - I love Muddy Buddies!
Neighbor gifts aren't just a Utah thing. We had them in MA too.

Jeanna said...

Our neighborhood was raging with neighbor gifts a few years back. I loved it, but I also felt the pressure, too. Not that I didn't want to give, but there were years and years where even $1 per neighbor was more than we could handle. I was primary pres and h. was exec sec and we knew EVERYONE! :) We were fortunate that way.

Anyway, a couple years back someone suggested that we pool the money spent on neighbor gifts and give it to the bishop and let him give it to those in need in our ward. I like this better. People give what they can afford to give and together we can make Christmas better for a needy family in our ward.

We have received a few rogue gifts this year. A cheesecake, candy, cookies. On Monday we got chocolate dipped gingerbread men and sugar cookie bells. Yummy FHE treat! :)

Kathy said...

We love Muddy Buddies. My in laws neighborhood in Utah had such over whelming neighbor-gifting going on that for the past few years they have done a gift exchange where they draw names and just give a gift to one family. It seems funny but then coming up with something to gift a whole ward of a neighborhood would be totally overwhelming - for me anyway. We/I hardly do any gifting outside of family. Party poopers, I know - we don't even do the ward secret family thing!

Anonymous said...

I think it might be a Mormon thing. I like to be the recipient of neighbor gifts, but most of the time I can't eat what they've made...so it normally goes uneaten b/c Arthur doesn't eat a lot of sweets. Someday I will pay it forward with the neighbor gifts; this year was not that year. I know, I'm lame.

Sandy said...

I just think the whole idea of giving treats and gifts to people is stressful. I just don't do it and feel very guilty when people continue to give to me. But, that is their decision.

Becky said...

I'm with mom. I too feel guilty because I feel like a lot more people give to us than we give.

The past two years we have made and frosted sugar cookies and then only 3-5 families get some. We plan on more but, we just eat them.

I'm SO amazed by those that give a whole plate of a bunch of different things. I know some people make one thing and then get together with other people to trade items, so they have a variety without all the work. That's smart.

One pet peeve. When they put something minty in there and it just makes everything else taste like mint. Like, why did you go to all the effort to make different things when they all taste the same now?!?!? Argh!