The Frango Mints have arrived! This is my work station in the casita. If you haven’t had a Frango Mint, you’re missing out.
I wrote about Frango Mints last year about this time HERE.
Every year for Christmas and Hanukkah, I mail out Frangos to my husband’s clients. They are a traditional holiday gift in Washington, my home state, where they were first made for Frederick & Nelson’s, a wonderful department store that no long exists.
I keep my postal workers in mind and follow their suggestions of when the best days and hours are to stop at the Carefree post office with my stacks of Frangos. It’s a tiny place and only one or two postal workers are on duty at any time. The people in Carefree who wait patiently in line behind me are so kind and nobody gets upset. I had a very different experience living in Palm Springs which I describe in last year’s story (link above). I also give Frangos to the postal workers. I notice they get showered with gifts each Christmas season.
The history of Frangos is printed on the back of the box.
I hope to get everything done and mailed in one week. After that I’ll be traveling to see my dad who was in the hospital totally out of it and incoherent for a few days. Now he’s in skilled nursing care and thriving. He’s alert, doing PT and eating well. It’s time to make some choices for his future. He may be choosing to enter assisted living at the same place where he’s in skilled nursing. He’s been living on his own, but he’s turning 94 in January. Yes, he does need more care than he needed the past few years.
What traditions do you have for the holidays? Any special foods, treats or movies?
Wow, that’s a lot of mints!
I’ve never had a Frango but it’s a lovely tradition and I’m sure the recipients will be happy to enjoy them.
Frangos bring back memories of my mom. We lived 45 minutes from Seattle but would go to the big city for back to school shopping. Before we would go home, Mom would buy us each one Frango.
Frango’s mints sound good.
Funny you should mention the Palm Springs post office. I was a letter carrier at that office from 1999 to 2002. I usually subbed on other carrier’s routes, so I probably delivered mail to you, at least once or twice.
Just the name of the town, Carefree, sounds like a great place to retire.
Wow! We lived on Via Colusa in the Old Movie Colony for 28 years. We were there while you were a mail carrier. Carefree is ideal! The name says it all.
Nice neighborhood, right off of Indian. And not too far from the old post office on Amado, near the casino. That’s where I worked, as I transferred up to the high desert before the new post office was built.
I had a PO Box there. What a small world!
Well then, I doubt I delivered mail to you, as PO boxes are the territory of clerks. But yes, such a small world.
If you delivered on Via Colusa we also got mail at home. We were at the end of Via Colusa across the street from a hotel.
Well then, I might have. I got on Google maps and looked at the street on street view, and it does look familiar. But it’s been over 20 years. I’m sure I delivered there, though. There’s only one route I never delivered on, and that’s at the other end of town, where Bob Hope’s house is.
We were there 20 years ago. We bought the house in 1992 and moved to Arizona during the COVID shut down.
Good move. We were tempted to do something similar.
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Frangos! What are you going to do when your husband retires and this job of mailing is over EA? Do you think you’ll miss it?
I’ll probably do a small scale mailing for friends and family! I’m going through a lot of the ends of things lately. My charity group of women helping sex trafficked victims called it quits. I stopped doing the communinty newsletter. Our neighborhood coffee group said no more…It’s kind of strange. But there will be more time to explore other things.
I think that’s all pretty normal. People and their lives change and they also want to move on, even from things that were important at a specific time in their lives. I hope it’s exciting to think about finding new interests and passions 🙂
Right now I’m busy with Frangos and getting my dad’s affairs settled. He’s decided to move from living alone to assisted living. It’s been overwhelming. But I think in the new year, I’ll have time to explore new things.
This is so sweet of you, Elizabeth! No pun intended. ❤️
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😊😊 Have a great weekend.
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We decorated our tree last night while watching Miracle on 34th street. We will see the decorations on fifth avenue and the big tree. Well watch it’s a wonderful life and a Christmas carol. Those are the big things!
That sounds so wonderful and Christmasy!
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Do I have time to give you my address? 😎 I bet your husband’s clients look forward to his gift every year. Very nice.
Ha! Yes, they enjoy the Frangos. We used to give them Danish Kringle from a Seattle Bakery. But they are so big that many people asked us not to send them. They loved it, but older people just can’t eat that much.
I’m with Janis! Do I need to send you my address? Ha, ha. You’ve got me salivating. So which do you suggest the milk or dark chocolate? Frango should give you a commission. They look amazing. And yes, that looks like quite the job getting the packages all together and ready to send out.
There is a new Frango flavor that I like best. It’s called green mint. They even have a candy cane one. It’s going pretty smoothly this year. I ordered a return address stamp to save on hand writing everything!
I saw the green mint and the candy cane. Hmm, decisions, decisions. Gotta think this one through!!!!
You can’t go wrong with any flavor!
Wow, your husband is busy! With clients! Good for you. Good for your dad. 94 is an age that not many reach. We are in the process of mailing out gifts to grandkids and children.
We don’t really have traditions but as each year passes, we do something new. This year, we looked for a smaller tree and gave away some of the Christmas ornaments, paring down.
Oh, and we used to visit the beach on New Year’s day, but we are kind of beached out from living in Florida for so long. We have been to many beaches.
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I like the idea of doing something new and giving away ornaments. I finally put a tree up last year for the first time since we moved and discovered our ornaments didn’t come with us! We had gone away for Christmas so I didn’t bother with a tree the last few years before.
We gave our big tree away last year as it was too big for us. I was really surprised how much a tree costs! We gave it to a local thrift shop.
Good idea!
I have this project each year. But I get better at it and find ways to make it easier each time I do it. Yay for gifts for grandkids and children!
Yes, and now we are great grandparents! Wow!!
Congrats!
What a lovely way to celebrate the holidays! I love your tradition! I’m sure your hubby is grateful for all the hard work that goes into it! You should get a commission from Frangos! 🙂 Sorry to hear about your dad…hope he continues to improve!
Thank you! 💕
These mints look awesome! I’m sorry I’ve never tasted them. Best of luck with the gifts and visiting your dad. Hugs dear friend
Thank you so much for your concern.💕
I understand the pressure this sort of situation puts on a person.
Thank you! 🥰
That’s a lot of mints and such a wonderful gift! I’ve never had one, but we don’t have them around here. I can send you my address though. LOL I love the tradition that you have each year, Elizabeth. Very special. 🎄
You can order them online from Macy’s. Or go into a Macy’s! They are half off the week of Thanksgiving. So wait until next year! 😅
Good to know! We have a Macy’s nearby. Thanks! 😊
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Such a thoughtful gift!
I will be turning my little pumpkin that’s currently decorating the dining table into a pie. We like to watch a Christmas movie or two. Very much enjoyed “Champagne Problems” from Netflix this year. I’ve decided I have “Cabernet Problems”: a step above First World Problems and a notch below Champagne Problems.🤣
I sent you an email with a couple photos with the subject line: Final Project.
Thank you! I will take a look at your email. I appreciate it so much!
Wonderful, I used to love them. Our taste buds change, but for sure, we find them here in Chicago. I’m sure your clients are happy.
They have a bunch of new flavors now. Yes, the clients look forward to the.
Frango Mints are THE best! I love this tradition.
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That is a great idea. We make Coquito, which is a traditional Puerto Rican coconut-based rum drink, and give bottles to friends and coworkers right before Christmas.
That sounds yummy! What a great tradition.
Super yummy! Thank you.
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This is such a lovely tradition, and I love that it always comes back to the beginning and reminds you of sweet days with your mom.
I read about the Post Office incident in Palm Springs and let’s just say, some humans are idiots and we shouldn’t have to put up with them. You are a very considerate person…
So what is the best day/time to go to the post office? I suppose it could vary where you live? I’m going today, but I only have two packages, so it should be straightforward, and I don’t think I’ll need to bring a taser with me. 🤣
Thanks! The postal workers said never come in on Monday and come early. So you should be good! Good luck!