<p>I need help. My daughter goes to school, far far away, in the NE. It is just too hard (and $$$) to get her home for the 3 to 4 day thanksgiving break, so she stays at school during that time (insert a very sad face here). I would like to send her a nice package to brighten her day. I'm sure that there are some smartie-pants parents or students out there that could come up with some great ideas for me. All ideas welcome. Even those that are not package related. I do plan to give her some money for dinner. Ideas? Anybody?</p>
<p>Has she not made any friends at school that she could go home with? I went to school thousands of miles from home and went home for Thanksgiving with my room mate who was within driving distance. It was a great experience!</p>
<p>My westcoast D who went to school in the NE never came home for Thanksgiving either. But she wasn’t the only one to do so. I’m sure there are other kids who are in the same boat and kids who live locally who would invite them over for dinner.</p>
<p>But D also used that break to visit high school friends who were on the East Coast and who weren’t going home either. Spent 2 Thanksgivings visiting friends in New York City–staying at their place cuts down on lodging costs; she took the bus to NYC.</p>
<p>Our DD who is far away on westcoast and we did not have plan to get her home for Thanksgiving. SHe will be doing a school filed trip during those time. I think she said it costs $100 for 5 days AI.</p>
<p>Regarding friends invitation to Thanksgiving. she goes to school at Rhode Island School of Design in Providance, RI. It’s a little different because many of the kids don’t live in or close to Providance and if you go home it’s a trek. Her boyfriend is flying up to see her so she won’t be alone and her roomate is staying. She has many friends but I haven’t heard of any dinner invitations as of yet. I still want to send her a fun package from home. Let’s face facts, this is about me not her. As we all know, she will have a great time.</p>
<p>Both of our DDs are not coming home for Thanksgiving. I love sending them care packages for holidays, finals etc. I try to pick stuff up through the year that I find. I have included stress balls, magnets, fudge from a local candy store (that’s a favorite), a new pair of jammie bottoms (flannel washed at home so they are nice and soft), Pringle chips, homemade hot chocolate mix with one of those little battery operated frappe thingies(another favorite and great to share), soft socks etc. I try to personalize them and find things that are cozy, funny, homey, or yummy. Little decorations for the holiday… nothing big.
Hope this helps… It is so much fun to do this. Like my sister tells me I do it more for me LOL. Oh and an example of something funny and personal, my youngest is going to miss the snow this winter so I bought her “a snowwoman in a box” that they can use with sand or snow. It’s really cute and I found it on a clearance at Border’s this past summer.</p>
<p>Good Luck and have fun!</p>
<p>She will have a great time if BF and roommate are there…so…congrats for recognizing who this package is for!</p>
<p>Certainly…any favorite foods. TJ Maxx (surprisingly!) and another one of their divisions…HomeGoods…often have nice selections of lollypops, Jellybellies and other candy/cookie type things in seasonal themes.</p>
<p>Gel Clings: There are are Fall and Thanksgiving ones. Can be put on a mirror or window. I think an artsy person would have a great time with a few sets of these! (There may be some “artsy” basic window clings, too…but…the plain clings are usually more “traditional” looking, and aren’t as much fun)</p>
<p>New pair of mittens/gloves/Hats. Don’t know if you’re from the “cold” midwest or “moderate” midwest…but…it can start to get very cold in Rhode Island about now. </p>
<p>Gift card to Starbucks. While $ for actual Thanksgiving dinner will be nice…might also be nice if she can treat herself to a “special” cup of coffee or hot chocolate.</p>
<p>ITunes gift card. Downloading a couple of favorite tunes is a great way to spend some vacation down time.</p>
<p>Small stuffed turkey, pilgrim or other Thanksgiving icon.</p>
<p>Remind her that nice restaurants require a reservation for Thanksgiving!</p>
<p>:) artmommy I will perhaps be facing the same thing in a years’ time so was happy you created this thread. Since you don’t know if they are doing an on campus meal, a thought that may work is finding out a restaurant in her area that is open and serving Thankgsgiving dinner and prepurchase dinner for her, the bf and maybe the roommate and a date? Another plan would be to get a gift card to a local grocery/deli that also prepares Thanksgiving meals. You could send the card/gift cert with a few dorm room decorations and maybe a list of why you are thankful that she is your D. </p>
<p>Good Luck with this first Thanksgiving w/o her and give thanks that she is having a great time and enjoying a new adventure.</p>
<p>You know, I think I’d ask her what she thinks she will miss the most and see if you could get that to her – for example, if it’s pumpkin pie, you might be able to get someone to ship her one to share with everyone.</p>
<p>I am so sorry you are dealing with this. I would be major league sad if ds wasn’t coming home for Thanksgiving. Thankfully, his school gives them an entire week off, so it is much easier.</p>
<p>I just mailed DD a thanksgiving package. It had all the fixings for making pumpkin pie, premeasured, except the eggs and crusts. Two tiny bottles of Martinellies Apple cider, a just add water package of cornbread, a box of granola bars. Packing material was kisses unbagged. </p>
<p>She says that the outing club is planning something, and she may go to Boston for a meet up with HS friends going to Yale and Brown. </p>
<p>She doesn’t have time to come home, finals are just after Thanksgiving. But I was tempted to have Thanksgiving in Boston myself!</p>
<p>great ideas esobay! I think Thanksgiving in New England would be a beautiful change for your D. She get her pie and to feel close to you but the chance to do something new and exciting too.</p>
<p>It’s easy for me to picture Thanksgiving w/o my kids from my perspective and miss them and worry that they may be sad and lonely but truly what an adventure for your D to meet up with friends in Boston and for all of our kids this year and next creating fun new holiday memories.</p>
<p>Neither of our kiddos will be home for Thanksgiving, but both will have the holiday with Aunts and Uncles who live nearer to their schools (that was our “application” rule…either within a three hour drive of home or within one hour of a close friend or relative). </p>
<p>In both cases…they wouldn’t be coming home anyway. The fall term ends less than two weeks after the Thanksgiving break ends. DD gets a full week off for the Thanksgiving holiday…but it makes no sense (or money sense) to fly her across the country on November 22 and back on November 30…and then fly her home again on December 12.</p>
<p>Thanksgiving in Providence? </p>
<p>It’s not <em>that</em> far from Plymouth (i.e. the ROCK!) if they have a car and the willingness to make a trek off to the east. I would scope out some restaurants now and make reservations for her. Another option would be to go west, to Mystic CT. Or even head for the casinos in Connecticut. You don’t have to gamble; there are some great restaurants in Mohegan Sun. </p>
<p>But … there are also some nice hotels and restaurants right in Providence if they don’t want to travel.</p>
<p>How about visiting the International Student Office (or equivalent) and see if there are some internationals who are not going home with any one and will be spending time ‘alone’ on campus. They may appreciate your d sharing her Thanksgiving stories.</p>
<p>I love grandma’s chicken soup for sending something and DS says the challah is amazing (we aren’t Jewish and he didn’t even know what challah was until I sent it the first time.).
LOL.
He is in NE and we are West Coast. In the past he has gone to friends but this year said it is just too much hassle to travel, etc. and he may just opt to stay in the dorm.</p>
<p>Both kids have not been home for Thanksgiving. Too far. D did drive 6 hrs to be with “the brother” her first year but went home with another friend who lived closer the second. S, who has since graduated always cooked with his friends. This year he is driving back to have another get together with everyone who also have graduated but still live in area. Kids take care of each other, in general.</p>
<p>See’s candy will ship foil wrapped chocolate turkeys.<br>
I am in a rut, I recommend them for every care package thread. Probably because I wish someone would send me one…</p>
<p>Instead of both making the 5-7 hr flight home, D2 will be flying 1 hr to visit her older sister in Boston during Thanksgiving. We are told that their Thanksgiving meal will be on “our” tab. 
But, even before then, I am working on sending D2 some yummies for her BDay on the 17th. And, yes, the children are having waaay too much fun. 
They will be fine.</p>
<p>My S1 is a sophomore and this will be his second Thanksgiving at school. Last year I sent him “groceries” for Thanksgiving and he and some other students not traveling made a Thanksgiving meal at an upperclassman’s house off campus. One of the other parents shipped a frozen turkey. I sent boxed stuffing, a sack of potatoes, a sack of sweet potatos, a bag of Cranberries, a bag of carrots and cans of Crescent rolls, refrigerated pie crust dough, aluminum pie pans and a canned pumpkin pie filling. The kids rustled up the odds and ends they needed and they had a great time at their THanksgiving dinner. I had alot of fun putting my box together and trying to think of easy stuff for them to make a traditional meal. My son lives off campus this year and asked if I could “do it again” and he’s looking forward to being the “host house.” He was invited to one of his roommates, but decided it was just too fun last year. One disclaimer, my sons are pretty handy in the kitchen, I don’t think I’d try this if you had a son who didn’t know one end of a potato peeler from another.</p>