Strategy for shalach manos is as follows. You either give to someone you know is going to give you more return, like a trade deficit, or you give to someone you know will invite you to eat something or look through their candy table to pick out stuff.
This year I gave two and the first one I gave was semi strategic, it was to my only good friend living in Far Rockaway which was part of it, but I also knew he would have some pimp food going down due to his wifes amazing cooking ability and I was right.
My shalach manos got me a full meal in return.
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I was so busy this Purim bringing Jews closer to their father in heaven that my shalach manos consisted of a glass of orange juice and a lox sandwich given to a friend of mine at breakfast (our last break of the day).
part of my strategy is to give to people i’m friends with but haven’t seen for a while. that way they know i’m still thinking of them.
Shua – that’s pretty thoughtful.
This year I made up shaloch manos for someone as an afterthought, because we were seing them that day, and they were so excited! they said it’s the only shaloch manos they received!
more of a focus should be on giving to people who are on their own.
I have been know to “Regift” shaloch manos. If I run out of Shaloch Manos for the day, I take components from other peoples shaloch manos and put them in a new bag, with a new card or label
Yeah but the first way may make you feel pretty stupid. My friend gave someone a sholeach manos worth $10 and got back one worth $100. Imagine how he feels about that.
Sounds like he really got matanos levyonim
I am the recipient of strategic mishlach manos. I think most of you know that while the economy is in the toilet, I am cleaning toilets. So, people are fighting each other over timeslots the two weeks before Pesach, already and I’ve been asked to cancel people and this, of course comes with a much bigger mishlach manos than most people give.
As for me, I give to people I know well and it also depends on if I’m going to see them that day. If I don’t know someone well but, I’m going to see them, then they get. I don’t go crazy delivering. I just take them to the megillah readings and meals I go to.
The cheap theme is great, you’ll always have what to give, to who ever comes, only problem is they might get what they gave, by mistake.