mazal77, I love that idea with the pink and brown mugs, very elegant and easy. About your kids friends giving shalach manos, let them give three friends and if more show up at the door, recycle what you have to give them something.
One year, I was very firm with my kids and said they should give only a few friends and that is it. I think purim was on friday, so it was too hectic to drive around. So my little one told her friend at school that she barely got any shaloch manos on purim. The next day my little girl came off the school bus with a HUGE bag of shaloch manos, a gift from her friend who felt sorry for her! OH NO, I remember thinking!