IS IT ME? WHAT'S WITH THE WHOLE COMPETITIVE HARVEST FESTIVAL DECORATED BOX SHIT?

[SalVolatile]

Why is it that perfectly sane mums have to turn into bloody Blue Peter presenters and start wielding the craft kit just because its Harvest Festival at school? A perfectly simple request for biscuits, tinned food etc for the Harvest Festival Assembly resulted in a large number of mothers staggering in under boxes draped in straw and ivy, stuffed with food and decorated (by them!) with autumnal scenes. Draped grapes featured, as did whisky teabags, and - I kid you not - one box even had tofu in it - going to go down a storm at The Beeches nursing home, that is . But what really p**s me off is that this is all about the mums, not the little 5 and 6 year olds who couldn't even carry some of the boxes being brought in for them. dd2 went in clutching the bottom of a shoebox with biscuits and homemade marmalade in, but was upset when she saw the decorated boxes because she thought she had got a task wrong! Sorry, now off to lie in darkened room to plan Halloween.....

[sagacious]

In our primary we get dented tins of mushy peas....

[TheMadHouse]

I used to love Harvest Festival as a child. Mushroom boxes - which I decorated with my mum full of fruit. I used to eat most of it on the way to school

[SalVolatile]

Nothing wrong with mushy peas, or indeed giving whatever you can, large or small. But it doesn't have to be competitive ffs!

[siblingrivalry]

God, Madhouse, I had forgotten about the mushroom boxes!
Last year, I was a tad diorganised and dd ended up taking a wilted cabbage!
No brownie points for me then!

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

[ChazsBarmyArmy]

At DS's school they have a small competition for each year group e.g. make a hat or a poster for harvest festival. I note this year they have made it clear that the winner will be the one with the best input from the child as last year I swear some of the entries were untouched by children's hands.

[SqueakyPop]

Mine usually cover a shoebox with aluminium foil and stick on a few leaf shapes. Not competitive at all - just showing that they have made a bit of effort.

If you have ever been responsible for sorting and distributing harvest gifts, you will appreciate every single decorated shoebox and old flower basket. They are essential!

[Itsthawooluff]

Sorry I thought the point was giving . So my Tesco bag with 3 sets of four pack veg soup, thrust to the back of the display even as the parents were sitting down for harvest festical assembly is not really reaching the grade is it?

Hey ho, one more thing they can bring up in therapy in future........

[Itsthawooluff]

festical? What's a festical?

Festival even

[donnie]

it's true....we all love the Harvest Festival but it really does bring out the competitive streak in certain mums.

[tortoiseshell]

Haha, last year we took in eggs from our chickens! But we didn't do a decorated box - perhaps that's this year's job!

At our school they have a sale of the produce, and then give the money raised to charities, so we don't just have to take tins in. Hence the eggs.

[Janni]

It's beyond sad that all their drive and creativity is being channelled into 'being the best at harvest festival boxes'.

[wheresthehamster]

At our school the children bring in individual items.

The TAs then artistically drape a backcloth and arrange the offerings for the parents to marvel at in harvest assembly.

Afterwards the TAs pack mushroom boxes with tissue paper and a selection of items for distribution to about 40 elderly villagers.

The children and parents deliver these at the end of the day.

Completely uncompetitive and a nice community thing for infant children

[Itsthawooluff]

Oh WTH that's nice. That's not about point scoring.

[WideWebWitch]

No, tell me it's not true? How bloody awful, I won't be joining in, that's for sure. No time or inclination.

[SueW]

At DD's old primary school a van from a homeless hostel comes round to collect the produce. I wonder if they give two hoots about decorated boxes although sturdy boxes they could actually carry stuff in would prob be most welcome!

At her current school the sixth form organise fundraisers for their own chapel service e.g. cake sales, then go to Aldi and buy loads of tins/dried/pulses. Also goes to a hostel, I think.

Have yet to find out what DD has to do.

[SalVolatile]

Oh WTH, I wish that system was compulsory round here ,it sounds perfect! (Still want to know who got the tofu though....)