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Before the Christmas break or the end of each school year, teachers usually receive small presents from some students. It is not a practice that teachers would encourage students or parents to do; however, I, as well as many others, have accumulated lot of mugs, candles and countless knick-knacks over the years. Sometimes, it is really awkward for me to accept those presents because I know some of my students come from families that don’t have much for themselves to begin with. Although most of these presents were probably picked out by my little students from a “dollar store” or a thrift store, the fact is that the families have spent their hard earned dollars to buy me a present!
When the students present to me with their pride and joy, it is very difficult to tell them that I can’t accept the gift. Seeing their sparking eyes with big smiles on their faces when presenting the present, I simply can not nor do I want to crush their sweet little hearts with rejection. They present their priceless present with dignity and I have to respect that by accepting it. Well. It is really a catch-22 for me! (For the last few years, I came up with a different strategy to make it up to these children and I will explain in detail later.) Last year, I had a very sweet class but many of the students were from needy families. In fact, I had to do a special emergency Christmas shopping to help one particular family whose presents were stolen last year. (Note 1)
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On the last day of school before Christmas break last year, I was given a special present from a student who was from one of the needy families. The child came to school with a beautiful golden package for me. She had a glorious smile on her face and proudly presented the present to me. She told me that her mother thought I would definitely enjoy it. I was so surprised to see the size of the box! It couldn't possibly be from the dollar store or the thrift store! Could it be?
It is very common that most students would pressure me to open the presents in front of the class. It took me a few years to get used to this custom because I was brought up not to open presents in front of the gift-givers. In Taiwan, it is considered a bad taste to open presents immediately while the guests are still present. Now I have adjusted to this custom and always ask the students first if they really want me to open their presents. Some of them may not want me to do just that.
Anyway, there was no writing on the outer package but obviously the girl knew it was something about “Chinese” in the box. That was the reason why the girl had that big grin on her face when she gave it to me. The class waited in silence and then let out a long “ah” after I tore the wrapping paper. I could see a golden package that was sealed beautifully inside. I kindly asked her if I could just leave the seal and open it at home later because I didn’t want to damage the seal. Thank Goodness. She agreed and I didn’t have to open it.
In fact, when I ripped the wrapping paper and saw the package, my heart just dropped because it was from a very famous bakery in Toronto. I didn’t know what was inside, but judging from the package, it would at least cost them more than 50 dollars (about NT$1500) for a package that size. This was a family that could not afford to pay for field trips but they spent a fortune on me. I really had no word!
After school, I had school front traffic duty that day. Another parent pulled her van up to the front door and quickly shoved a big bag to me. In the gift bag was another golden box from the same bakery. I was so surprised because this was from another family that could have saved a few dollars for themselves. I politely thanked her and told her that they really didn’t need to spend money for an expensive present on me. The parent smiled shyly with a blushing grin on her face and then quickly moved her van away from the kiss and ride zone. I felt like I have looted these sweet children and families!
The last day of school before any holiday is always hectic. After I performed my traffic duty at the front door, I quickly cleaned up my room and carried the heavy loads of work and presents home. On my drive home, my heart was still burdened with those two “golden” boxes from this famous Chinese bakery in Toronto. How could these families travel that far to get me an expensive present? How could I enjoy those expensive baked goods? The bakery must have a new outlet store in town? What would be inside those two boxes? How on earth could I finish those big boxes of baked goods?
I was too busy to get to organize my “Christmas loot” from my students. Most of the presents that I got were open packages and easy to identify except those two sealed golden boxes. I finally got some time to sort the presents and broke one of the golden seals the next day. There were four packages of Chinese “moon cakes” in each golden box. The sad part was that all of them were moldy inside the vacuum-sealed plastic bags. They were expired a couple of months ago! I was shocked because normally Moon cakes were made for September (Lunar August) festival. Of course, it would be expired by Christmas time. The expiry dates, however, were printed inside the sealed box. There was no way that anyone could have found out until they had purchased and opened each sealed box!
I knew those parents would not have bought it directly from the Toronto bakery. If two families got the same thing, there was only one explanation - it must be sold at the local dollar store because that would be where most of my students got their presents and where the second hand or refurbished products were sold. I actually felt really sorry for those parents who thought they had found something “Chinese” for me to have for Christmas. I also felt sorry for the dollar store owner who probably would get tons of returned sales from people who thought they got a good deal. I was upset with the company that should have put the expiry dates on the outside of each box instead of the inside package. I was also very angry with the dealer that sold these expired food products to the stores without informing them that this festive food had long passed their expiry dates in September.
Sadly, I ended up throwing all the “moldy white” Moon Cakes from the golden boxes into the garbage bin. I didn’t have the heart to tell the kids or the parents that I did not get to enjoy the cakes. It was the thought that really counts for millions in my heart! In my mind, those ARE the tastiest Chinese “moon cakes” that I have ever received for Christmas.
Note 1: I wrote about that story, Thoughts from a Note, on May 6, 2007.
When the students present to me with their pride and joy, it is very difficult to tell them that I can’t accept the gift. Seeing their sparking eyes with big smiles on their faces when presenting the present, I simply can not nor do I want to crush their sweet little hearts with rejection. They present their priceless present with dignity and I have to respect that by accepting it. Well. It is really a catch-22 for me! (For the last few years, I came up with a different strategy to make it up to these children and I will explain in detail later.) Last year, I had a very sweet class but many of the students were from needy families. In fact, I had to do a special emergency Christmas shopping to help one particular family whose presents were stolen last year. (Note 1)
************************************************
On the last day of school before Christmas break last year, I was given a special present from a student who was from one of the needy families. The child came to school with a beautiful golden package for me. She had a glorious smile on her face and proudly presented the present to me. She told me that her mother thought I would definitely enjoy it. I was so surprised to see the size of the box! It couldn't possibly be from the dollar store or the thrift store! Could it be?
It is very common that most students would pressure me to open the presents in front of the class. It took me a few years to get used to this custom because I was brought up not to open presents in front of the gift-givers. In Taiwan, it is considered a bad taste to open presents immediately while the guests are still present. Now I have adjusted to this custom and always ask the students first if they really want me to open their presents. Some of them may not want me to do just that.
Anyway, there was no writing on the outer package but obviously the girl knew it was something about “Chinese” in the box. That was the reason why the girl had that big grin on her face when she gave it to me. The class waited in silence and then let out a long “ah” after I tore the wrapping paper. I could see a golden package that was sealed beautifully inside. I kindly asked her if I could just leave the seal and open it at home later because I didn’t want to damage the seal. Thank Goodness. She agreed and I didn’t have to open it.
In fact, when I ripped the wrapping paper and saw the package, my heart just dropped because it was from a very famous bakery in Toronto. I didn’t know what was inside, but judging from the package, it would at least cost them more than 50 dollars (about NT$1500) for a package that size. This was a family that could not afford to pay for field trips but they spent a fortune on me. I really had no word!
After school, I had school front traffic duty that day. Another parent pulled her van up to the front door and quickly shoved a big bag to me. In the gift bag was another golden box from the same bakery. I was so surprised because this was from another family that could have saved a few dollars for themselves. I politely thanked her and told her that they really didn’t need to spend money for an expensive present on me. The parent smiled shyly with a blushing grin on her face and then quickly moved her van away from the kiss and ride zone. I felt like I have looted these sweet children and families!
The last day of school before any holiday is always hectic. After I performed my traffic duty at the front door, I quickly cleaned up my room and carried the heavy loads of work and presents home. On my drive home, my heart was still burdened with those two “golden” boxes from this famous Chinese bakery in Toronto. How could these families travel that far to get me an expensive present? How could I enjoy those expensive baked goods? The bakery must have a new outlet store in town? What would be inside those two boxes? How on earth could I finish those big boxes of baked goods?
I was too busy to get to organize my “Christmas loot” from my students. Most of the presents that I got were open packages and easy to identify except those two sealed golden boxes. I finally got some time to sort the presents and broke one of the golden seals the next day. There were four packages of Chinese “moon cakes” in each golden box. The sad part was that all of them were moldy inside the vacuum-sealed plastic bags. They were expired a couple of months ago! I was shocked because normally Moon cakes were made for September (Lunar August) festival. Of course, it would be expired by Christmas time. The expiry dates, however, were printed inside the sealed box. There was no way that anyone could have found out until they had purchased and opened each sealed box!
I knew those parents would not have bought it directly from the Toronto bakery. If two families got the same thing, there was only one explanation - it must be sold at the local dollar store because that would be where most of my students got their presents and where the second hand or refurbished products were sold. I actually felt really sorry for those parents who thought they had found something “Chinese” for me to have for Christmas. I also felt sorry for the dollar store owner who probably would get tons of returned sales from people who thought they got a good deal. I was upset with the company that should have put the expiry dates on the outside of each box instead of the inside package. I was also very angry with the dealer that sold these expired food products to the stores without informing them that this festive food had long passed their expiry dates in September.
Sadly, I ended up throwing all the “moldy white” Moon Cakes from the golden boxes into the garbage bin. I didn’t have the heart to tell the kids or the parents that I did not get to enjoy the cakes. It was the thought that really counts for millions in my heart! In my mind, those ARE the tastiest Chinese “moon cakes” that I have ever received for Christmas.
Note 1: I wrote about that story, Thoughts from a Note, on May 6, 2007.
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