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FOR THE LOVE OF GRANDPARENTS

September 11, 2020

Whether near or far, spending quality time with grandparents is always great. Here are some fun ideas to help you celebrate Grandparents Day from a distance this year!

Game Night with Grandparents

You may not be able to gather around the dining room table this Grandparents Day, but you can still spend quality time together with a favorite family game!

Directions: 

Send an invitation to your grandparents and any other family members who want to participate in a virtual game night. Next, pick the video chat service you’ll use to connect with family online—FaceTime, Zoom, Google Chat and Houseparty are all commonly used video streaming services for smartphones. Finally, the fun part—pick the games you’ll play together! Words With Friends, PlayingCards, QuizUp, and Scattergories are just a few of the online games that you can synchronize to play in real time with your grandparents, near or far!

Virtual Bake Off

There’s nothing like food to bring family together, even if you have to celebrate Grandparents Day from a distance. This virtual cookie baking contest is sure to become a fun family tradition for years to come. 

You’ll need:

  • A sugar cookie recipe (or similar recipe, so cookies can be decorated with frosting)
  • Food coloring 
  • Frosting
  • Cookie cutters
  • Cookie decorating tools
  • Video chat service like FaceTime or Zoom

Directions:

Start by setting a date for the great bake off, and select a family member who can judge the final creations. Next, choose a cookie recipe that you and your grandparents will make. The baker who creates the most interesting cookie frosting decorations is the winner, so plan ahead for the supplies you will need to create fun shapes and decorate—or try our fall themed Cheryl’s Cookies decorating kit! Don’t forget to toast your accomplishments with a glass of milk at the end of the bake off.

Family Story Swap

Directions: 

Start by drawing names of family members from different generations in your family tree. Decide which names you will research, and which names your grandparents will research. Next, research each person assigned to you, and prepare a story—or two!—to share. You can even create a PowerPoint slideshow with photos and words to help your stories come to life. Then schedule a time to video chat with your grandparents and swap stories for a fun evening learning about family lore.

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HERE’S TO A CAREFREE LABOR DAY

September 4, 2020

This Labor Day weekend, it’s all play and no work. Here’s our list of effortless ways to enjoy this relaxing holiday with friends and family!

Ice Cream Sandwich

You can make this recipe in advance, or get the whole family involved to create a sweet assortment of sandwiches made with your favorite Cheryl’s cookies and ice cream flavors.

Ingredients:

  • Ice cream
  • Cheryl’s cookies
  • Sprinkles

Directions:

Set ice cream out on the counter for 10-15 minutes to soften. Place 1 scoop of ice cream between two Cheryl’s cookies. Press cookies together to spread ice cream to the edge of the cookies. For a colorful accent, roll ice cream edges in sprinkles. Serve immediately, or place sandwiches in a resealable freezer bag, and freeze until needed.

Great Outdoors Scavenger Hunt

Directions:

Print our scavenger hunt template and customize it with clues from Mother Nature. From acorns to bird feathers to the first leaves of fall, there’s plenty of room to add a list of items to keep kids searching—and entertained—for hours! For a more delicious moment, end the scavenger hunt with a surprise tray of Cheryl’s Cookies!

Right click on the image and save on your desktop. Open the image and print.

Sweet Tea Arnold Palmer

This sweet twist on a classic Arnold Palmer recipe can be made in seconds for an instantly refreshing Labor Day cocktail (or mocktail!)

Ingredients:

  • Lemonade 
  • Sweet tea vodka
  • Ice
  • Cheryl’s Lemon Burst cookies

Directions: 

Start with a pitcher of chilled lemonade. In individual glasses, add ice, then add 1 part sweet tea vodka to 3 parts lemonade. For an Arnold Palmer mocktail, add equal parts lemonade and sweet tea over ice. Garnish this drink with our Lemon Burst cookies!

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BRING LEARNING HOME

August 27, 2020

Set Up Learning Spaces

Recreating the familiarity of school at home can help provide your children with structure and routine that they need this fall. Here are some simple ways you can transform your home into a school!

Indoors: Think about your child’s classroom and ways you can recreate a familiar setup. Do you need wall-sized Post-it notes for artwork? Do you need room for a dry erase board for math and languages? Is your child used to sitting by large windows with plenty of sunlight? Talking to your child’s teacher may help you pick out the perfect space at home!

As you set up a space for remote learning, let your child make decisions about what the space looks like. Would she prefer to work at a table, build an indoor pillow fort, or choose another room? Providing input can help your child feel a sense of ownership about her studies. Don’t forget to limit screen time after remote lessons are over to balance computer time with other activities!

Outdoors: Don’t forget the importance of recess! Creating a schedule of midday activities throughout the week can provide much needed stress relief for the whole family. Hopscotch, jump rope, hide and seek, tag, and capture the flag are all classic school yard games you can play together. 

Turn Chores into Daily Lessons

Music lessons: showing children how to play musical instruments at home can help them understand scales and melodies. No instruments at home? No problem! Set up a YouTube feed of musicians so you can watch together or get off the couch and dance to the rhythm!

Organizing the garage: this can help children learn about fulcrums, levers, and the basic concepts of physics by learning how simple tools operate.

TV trivia: Watching shows together and then looking up the cities or countries mentioned will help children learn about geography, as well as sharpen their research skills.

Meal prep: this can help children improve math and reading skills, by following favorite family recipes and measuring and combining ingredients!

Folding laundry: this can help teach younger children about colors, matching, and the concept of sets!

School Supplies for the New Normal

This year, back to school feels a little different for most families. It’s the perfect time to add some fun to your child’s back to school supplies, so they can make the most of remote learning at home. Here’s our must-have list for fall 2020:

  • Wall-sized Post-it notes: for drawings, math problems, and more!
  • Dry erase easel: most fold away for easy storage
  • Pens and pencils with personality: look for writing instruments with fun shapes and prints for little learners
  • Noise-canceling headphones: to help your child focus during online lessons
  • Tote: skip the backpack this year and have your child store all her school supplies in a tote that can be stored when the day is over
  • Lap desks: this allows your child to bring a table top with them if she prefers learning on the couch
  • Hand sanitizer: consider a dispenser with a clip so your child has her own bottle on-the-go!
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ALL-AMERICAN & AT-HOME

June 29, 2020

Fun Ideas for a Unique Independence Day

We may not have fireworks this year, but we can still have fun this 4th of July. These kid-friendly recipes and activities are a great way to celebrate our independence right at home with family and friends—at a safe distance, of course!

RED, WHITE, AND BLUEBERRIES

Take a break from the summer heat with these fun, fruit-filled popsicles. Making them is as easy as one, two, freeze!

Ingredients:

  • Fresh strawberries, sliced
  • Fresh blueberries
  • Instant vanilla pudding
  • Popsicle molds (or a bread pan)
  • Popsicle sticks

Directions:

Pour the pudding into popsicle molds (or a bread pan) with chunks of fruit. Do not overfill. Add the popsicle sticks before putting in the freezer. Note: If preparing in a bread pan, use a knife to slice up the popsicles when they are ready to serve.

ALL-AMERICAN LEMONADE

When life gives us lemons during Covid-19, make lemonade! This recipe is simple to make right before a backyard barbecue.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
  • 2 lemons, sliced
  • Berries and fresh mint leaves

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool completely. In a large pitcher, combine lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups sugar syrup, and 4 cups cold water (add remaining sugar syrup to adjust sweetness, if desired). Refrigerate until chilled. Pour into glasses with berries, fresh mint leaves, and sliced lemons and serve.

STARS AND STRIPES

Transform leftover popsicle sticks into patriotic decorations for your yard, front door, and more!

What you’ll need:

  • Popsicle sticks
  • Red, white, and blue craft paint
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks or Elmer’s glue
  • Colored tissue paper
  • Sequins or glitter
  • Twine or raffia

Instructions:

Divide the popsicle sticks into 3 sets and paint each set red, white, or blue. Be sure to paint the front and back of each popsicle stick. Shape 5 popsicle sticks to form a star. Make sure that you weave your sticks as you go for layered visual interest. Glue the sticks together. Cut the tissue paper into thin strips and apply to the back of each star to make streamers. Finish each star with sequin or glitter for extra patriotic flair. Use twine or raffia to hang your stars up around the house, on your front door, or use as outdoor decorations!

Cheryl's Cookies and Brownies, Holiday, Mother's Day

Four Great Ways to Make Mom’s Day!

May 8, 2020

Give her the day off by arranging play dates, fun lessons, art projects and more.

MOM LOVES TO COLOR, TOO.

We’ve gathered some advanced coloring pages that let Mom relax and get creative. Print them out and make sure you have plenty of colored pencils and fine-tip markers on hand to help Mom do her best, most beautiful work. We’ve got pages for the kids, too, so that everyone can spend time together creating their masterpieces. When you’re done, be sure to take pictures of your finished work to send to friends and family in far-flung places.

MOM TRIVIA

You know Mom’s a great teacher, but how good a student is she? Test her on these Mom-inspired trivia questions, and if she aces them all, go online to find your own trivia questions. She’ll have fun, and you’ll ALL learn something new.

What two American women were both wives of presidents AND mothers of presidents?

Barbara Bush & Abigail Adams

What food should moms never feed to babies under the age of one year?

Honey

What did Old Mother Hubbard go to the cupboard to get?

A bone for her dog.

What did the Old Woman in the Shoe give her children for dinner?

Broth and bread.

What’s the world record for number of children born to one woman?

According to Guinness World Records, a Russian peasant in the 1700s gave birth to 69 children!

What famous TV personality wore sweaters knitted for him by his mother?

Mr. Rogers

Who sang a song about a “Coat of Many Colors” her mother made for her?

Dolly Parton

CHANNEL YOUR INNER CHALK ARTIST

Sidewalk art is fun for all. Give everyone in the family a square and have a contest to see whose artwork is best (Mom can be the judge). Or sneak outside and create a “Mother’s Day Card” out of chalk on the sidewalk or driveway. When you’re finished, you can take a photo and send your “card” to Mom, Grandma, and all the women who inspire you.

MAKE A MEMORY BOOK

PowerPoint can help you make a digital memory book she’ll treasure forever. Gather favorite photos, write stories of happy memories, type in her favorite sayings, take pictures of homemade cards and drawings. Then, put them all together in one virtual place she can return to again and again.

You can either purchase a pre-designed memory book template online, or create your own by going to PowerPoint and choosing “Blank Presentation.”

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A Joyful Easter for All

April 10, 2020

Don’t let social distancing ruin your holiday. Try our creative solutions for enjoying Easter together, even if you’re spending it apart.

SEND A CARD

Sunday delivery is guaranteed when you send an e-card, and our 1-800-FLOWERS.com family offers several FREE CARDS from which to choose. Best of all, it’s super easy! Click HERE, select your card, then type in the requested information to send Easter (and Passover) greetings far and wide.

“TAKE A WILD GUESS” GAME

You know this one, but it never fails to delight.

1.  Find a jar—the bigger the better—fill it with whatever you have a lot of (jellybeans, marbles, foil-wrapped chocolate eggs, rubber bands, olives… you get the idea). Be sure to count the items as you put them in the jar. We also suggest writing the number down and taping it to the inside of the lid since it can be easy to forget!

2.  E-mail or text everyone a photo and have them submit their guess as to how many items are in the jar.

3.  E-mail a gift card to the winner or deliver a prize at a later date when you can be together again.

HOST A VIRTUAL EGG HUNT

Technology is a wonderful thing! This year, use it to host an egg hunt virtually. Determine what time and where (indoors or out), give everyone a call or send an evite, and then get it all set up.

1.  If you’re using plastic eggs, hide fun prizes or candy inside. If you weren’t able to shop for Easter-specific prizes, look around your house and think outside of the box: loose change and dollar bills make great rewards, and you can help children tally up their pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters when all the eggs are found.

2.  Hide the eggs around the house or yard, but don’t conceal them so well they can’t be spotted. You’ll be leading the hunt virtually via your phone, so hunters need to be able to see them fairly easily.

3.  Gather a bag, basket or box for each egg hunter and put their name on it.

4.  At the appointed time, use your phone to Face Time the attendees, and let the hunt begin. Be sure to walk slowly panning your surroundings and giving everyone ample time to spot the eggs. Have them identify eggs by color and location (“I see the pink one on the sofa cushion!”), stop, pick up the egg, and place it in the appropriate bag or basket.

5. Once all of the eggs have been found, go through each hunter’s bag or basket, opening the eggs and letting them see the prizes inside. Promise to mail the prizes to the hunters or let them know you’ll deliver them in person when you’re able to be together again.

PAINT YOUR WINDOWS

Not only is this a fun activity for you and your family, it’s a cheery wave to friends and neighbors walking and driving by. If you already have washable tempera paint on hand, grab your brushes and get going. If not, use our recipe for homemade paint using ingredients you most likely have on hand.

In a large bowl or small bucket, stir until smooth:

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. water

1 c. liquid dishwashing soap

Transfer the mixture into small, individual cups or dishes, then add:

a couple of drops of gel food coloring per cup

Stir to combine.

If the weather is nice, you can paint on the outside of the window, but if you’re painting inside, don’t forget to put plastic or sheets on the floor to prevent messes. If you don’t have any paintbrushes, fingers will work in a pinch, as will pieces of sponge. When it’s time to clean windows off, simply remove paint with a sponge and warm water, then remove any smears with window cleaner and paper towels.

DECORATE EGGS TOGETHER

Email everyone our easy egg template, and have everyone decorate it in their own unique way. You can color it, paint it, glue macaroni on it, glitter it, use fabric on it…you’re only limited by your own imaginations. Once everyone has finished, you can copy them or upload photos and share with the rest of the group. You might want to print everyone’s eggs out and string them together for a decoration or award prizes for the most unusual, most inventive, most beautiful, and most colorful.

READY. SET. COLOR.

From easy to advanced, our coloring pages offer something for everyone of every age.

Simply click, print and gather up your colored pencils, crayons and markers. We love coloring because it can be a chance to enjoy quiet time or an opportunity to get everyone involved. Host a coloring contest, where everyone colors the same picture and prizes are awarded to the most creative; have everyone in the family color their favorite picture and gather them all together in a commemorative collage; or simply enjoy one another’s company while doing something other than staring at the TV.

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Who. What. Why. Your Ultimate Gift Guide

December 9, 2019

Don’t spend one more minute agonizing over what to get the folks on your holiday gift list. We’ve matched our gifts to the people who will love them most, and now we offer OUR list to you:

Teacher = Holiday Treats Tin

Once the cookies are gone they can use the tin to hold markers, push pins, paper clips, or other things that clutter up their desks.

Aunts & Uncles = Collector’s Edition Holiday Candy Dish

Because they always said YES when Mom & Dad said NO.

Grandparents = Pecan Butterball Gift Tin

Sweet, a little old-fashioned and perfect with coffee and tea.

School Friends = Holiday Crispy Treat Pops

Super fun and priced right so no one is left out.

Neighbors = You’ve Been Elfed Treats Box

Take the neighborhood game to a whole new level, and you’ll be on the “Nice List.”

New Parents = Cookies for Santa Plate

A fun gift that lets them start their own family traditions.

Grandchildren = Musical Snowman or Santa

Because it’s a grandparent’s responsibility to give something that makes noise.

Hostess = Happy Holidays Treats Box

All wrapped up and ready to give.

Hair Stylist = Sparkling Gift Bundle

A beautiful gift for the person who keeps you looking your best.

Party Guests = Santa & Elf Ornaments

The ideal party gift. Eat the treats then take an ornament home to hang on the tree.

Mailperson = Holiday Cookies & Tote

Every mailperson should have a great bag of their own.

Assistant = Santa or Snowman Gift Tower

Because no one stacks up like the person who makes you shine day after day.

Dog Walker/Pet Sitter = Reindeer Treats Box

The perfect gift for animal lovers.

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Everyone loves a cookie tree.

December 3, 2019
Cheryl’s Frosted Holiday Tree Cutout

One of our co-workers told us that when she was growing up, her father put a lollipop tree in the front yard every holiday with a sign that said, “Please take ONE.” It was just a simple piece of chicken wire, bent into a cone shape and covered with green plastic, but it was a huge hit with the neighborhood. Her dad taped individually wrapped lollipops to the plastic, and the kids (and their parents) came from all over town to get their treat.

Times have changed, and we wouldn’t suggest putting a tree with treats in your front yard anymore, but we did love the idea of creating a cookie tree for a holiday party. Go small with a Styrofoam tree from your local crafts store or go big with a chicken-wire and green felt or plastic model like our friend’s father did; you’re only limited by your imagination. Then, use hat pins, double-sided tape, or green masking tape to secure our individually wrapped cookies to the tree and invite everyone to help themselves. We bet you’ll be the favorites in your neighborhood, too!

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It’s the most flavorful time of the year!

November 25, 2019

We love every season, but holiday time is when our kitchen is most inspired. Whether you’re gifting, hosting, or deciding what to put out for Santa on Christmas Eve, these festive new cookie flavors are sure to ring everyone’s bells!

CHOCOLATE CANDY COOKIE

Two kinds of chocolate make this a one-of-a-kind cookie. Rich, moist and fudgy, it’s filled with red and green candy-coated chocolates and sprinkled with crunchy red and green nonpareils.

PISTACHIO-FROSTED CRANBERRY COOKIE

Soft and chewy cookies are loaded with sweet-tart dried cranberries, iced with pistachio-flavored buttercream frosting, and topped with nutty whole pistachios.

BUTTER SHORTBREAD TREE COOKIE

A holiday classic, our pure-butter brown sugar shortbread cookies are cut into tree shapes and baked to a crispy golden crunch. Sparkling sugar promises to keep them evergreen, and because each one’s individually wrapped they’ll stay fresh all season long.

PISTACHIO WHITE CHOCOLATE BLONDIE BAR

Rich brown sugar, creamy white chocolate chips, and crunchy whole pistachios make this blondie the bar of your holiday dreams. A white-chocolate drizzle is truly just the icing on the cookie!

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COOKIES DELIVER SMILES NOW

April 23, 2019

KEEPSAKES DELIVER SMILES FOREVER

If you browse our Mother’s Day collection online or in our catalog, you’ll see a number of really special gifts that will keep on giving long after the cookies are gone. You might know immediately which one will resonate with your Mom, but if you need a little help, we’ve compiled a list of all the ways she can use her keepsake for years to come.

Our Collector’s Edition Ceramic Mother’s Day Basket

This pristine, white ceramic basket stands 8-1/2” tall and is 9-1/2” x 8” wide. Mom might love using it:

•           On her desk to hold stationery or office supplies

•           By the front door to hold mail

•           In the kitchen, filled with fresh fruit, or as a catchall for keys

•           On her dresser to hold watches, jewelry or scarves

•           As a place to keep small crafting supplies

Our Flower-covered Tote

Elegant black tote is strewn with brightly colored flowers, guaranteeing smiles and going to work as:

•           A place to keep knitting or crafting projects

•           A shopping bag for travel; Mom can pack it flat in her suitcase and use it to hold souvenirs

•           A grocery or market bag she can keep handy in the car

Our Charming Adirondack Chair

Designed specifically to be used as a planter, our white wooden chair can also:

•           Hold paperclips on a desk

•           Hold whiteboard markers or chalk in the kitchen or office

•           Sit at the kitchen sink or in the bathroom to keep rings and other jewelry safe

Our Collector’s Edition Butterfly Cookie Jar

Yes, we know. It’s a COOKIE jar. But it could also be:

•           An Accessories Jar

•           A Stamps and Packing Tape Jar

•           A Small Kitchen Utensil Jar

•           A Colored Pencil Jar

•           A Crafts Supplies Jar

•           A Cord Keeper Jar

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