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Special Spoons
This is in response to
the recent college grad who is looking for inexpensive home-made gifts for
the Holidays. Buy a package of plastic spoons, preferably in festive
colors. Dip them in chocolate (melted chocolate chips work well) and shake
off the excess. Place them on wax paper and sprinkle with crushed
peppermint candy. After they dry, wrap them in cellophane and tie with a
ribbon. Put a few spoons in a coffee mug along with some individual hot
cocoa or coffee packets and you have a great
gift for those chilly nights!
Personalized
Stationary
My favorite gift to
make is stationary. On white paper, I create a design that wouldn't
interfere with letter writing: borders, names, comer highlights. Then I
take it to a local copy shop & have them run off copies on a paper
that has matching envelopes. Some copy shops will charge you for the
prices of the copies only (3-4 cents) if you supply your own paper. The
paper can be bought by the ream at a bulk office supply store pretty
inexpensively. I mix & match several designs or colors, bundle in
groups of 20 (don't forget extra plain paper for back pages) & tie
with a pretty ribbon with dried flowers.
Cup of Joy
There are lots of
funky, overpriced stores in my neighborhood that cater to the "lots
of disposable income" young professionals in the area. Once, I
spotted a simple idea that had a hefty price tag - $12 - that I knew I
could make at home cheaply and easily. The item is a candle in an antique
tea cup. I scour the garage sales (and my mom's cabinets) for cheap but
interesting tea cups. I then melt down old
candle ends or any type of wax I can find (paraffin can be costly)
and - optional - add a little scented oil like lemon grass or
grapefruit. I put a wick in - really cheap by the yard from the
craft store and - whalla - for about $11 have a nice gift with a little
tag attached to the handle.
A Spicy Alternative
Check the library for
recipes for homemade spice mixes, vinegars and mustards. All are EASY to
make, don't cost a lot (it might seem like they do - you buy one of this
and one of that - but end up making a LOT of this and a LOT of that for
lots of gifts), and people
really enjoy receiving them. Either save and reuse bottles and jars at
home, ask friends to save them, or find them at yard sales and thrift
stores. To make these really special include a recipe for each spice mix
or vinegar. Best of all -your friends and families will enjoy receiving
homemade gifts and you'll enjoy making them.
Ceramics
I suggest taking a
ceramics class where you take something that is already cast, and paint it
yourself. You don't have to invest in
a lot of supplies, and it's fim to take something and personalize it for a
gift.
Basket Filled with
Love
I suggest buying (a)
straw basket(s) at a yard sale or flea market and deciding on a theme for
the particular person- whatever would be appropriate for that person- and
filling the basket with either different fruits or other foods (Le.-herbal
teas, cookies, etc). You could make your own homemade cookies and include
the recipe in the basket. Or, you could fill the basket with
something other than
food stuff. An example would be a framed picture of you and your friend
who you're giving it to. Another idea is to give 'IOUs' for different
services such as a car wash, child care service, a massage, a manicure,ete.
Can' Do It!!
I saw this concept in
a magazine and at a craft show. Take a clean, dry can from soup or canned
vegetables. Using craft acrylic paints and your imagination, paint the
cans for the holidays. This is a great project for kids too. Right now my
family is working on painting jack-o-lantems: simply paint a can orange,
let it dry, repeat if needed, and then use black to make the face. Fill
the
can with candy, tissue
paper, pencils, etc. We're also working on snowmen and I plan on painting
the top part black and putting paper around the black for the rim of Mr.
Snowman's top hat. The larger cans could be filled with baked goods,
fudge, etc. I've seen some that are painted with a design then
spatter-painted which looks quite neat. This is a nice way to recycle cans
into
something useful and
fun. I'm thinking that candy canes will look nice for the holidays.
Another similar idea is to buy the smallest terra-cotta plant pots from
the store, paint them, and put small votive candles in them. Silver and
gold stars are nice for a holiday theme but you could do whatever suits
your fancy. Fm sure you could use larger pots with pillar candles for a
bigger
centerpiece. You don't
have to be a great artist to do these. A folk-art style is simple and
looks great.
It's How You Frame It
I would suggest that
you make your own picture frames. Many craft stores carry a
"base" for a frame made out of paper or cardboard. Paint, glue
on trinkets or glitter, seal (with varnish or a craft polymer) and put a
picture of family or their pet inside. Kids can do this too! Great for
family, expectant parents, teachers, etc.
Beauty Gifts
Check out the book
Natural Beauty for All Seasons by Janice Cox. The Book tells how to make
homemade bath salts and beauty
products. One of my favorites is Candy Cane Bath Salts:
• 2 cups epsom salts
•1/2 c. sea salt •4-6
drops peppermint oil
•2-3 drops red food coloring.
Place one cup of epsom
and 1/4 cup sea salt in a bowl or ziploc plastic bag. Add 2-3 drops
peppermint oil. Place the
remaining ingredients in a second bowl. Mix all ingredients well. Layer
the red and white salts in a clear bottle or jar. Half liter water bottles
work well because they have the stripes. Tie with a ribbon and some small
candy canes. This makes a great holiday gift for friends.
Try home made cookies
I make cookies for
gift giving. I put them in cellophane bags that are decorated with holiday
print. Most craft stores carry those bags. Search the library for good
recipes. Most people don't have time to bake so the gift is appreciated.
Flavored Oils and
Vinegars
The solution is as
close as your kitchen. Every year, I make huge batches of flavored oils
and vinegars. Fruit flavored vinegars, such as raspberry, blueberry &
cranberry are my favorites. I've also made basil, hot pepper, rosemary and
garlic, but I prefer to use the herbs and spices in oils.
For either one, the
process is simple. For the vinegars, I use plain white vinegar. (Cheap, at
$3.29 a gallon at my local grocery store.) Frozen berries are cheaper most
of the year and work wonderfully. Steep the berries or herbs in the
vinegar for about a week at room temperature, in a dark place. Strain, and
bottle in an attractive bottle. A few berries or a sprig of the herb you
used added to the
finished vinegar is a nice touch. I use a good quality olive oil for the
oils. (A fairly good bargain, at $10.00 a gallon.) Check sources you might
not normally think of for good prices on fresh herbs. I buy huge bags of
fresh basil from a Vietnamese grocery store for 79 cents each! If you
cannot find well priced fresh herbs, dried will do, just use a smaller
quantity. Prepare in the same manner as for vinegar. However, when you
strain and rebottle the oils, don't add any fresh herbs, as they can spoil
at room temperature. Besides salads, and marinades, flavored oils have
many other surprising uses. Garlic flavored olive oil, for instance, is
heavenly on baked potatoes.
Scented ornaments & gift tags with Cinnamon Spice Craft Dough
I also make wonderful
scented ornaments & gift tags with Cinnamon Spice Craft Dough
• 1 cup apple sauce*
1 cup cinnamon •
1 teaspoon nutmeg •1
teaspoon cloves
Mix until the dough
has the consistency ofplaydough, adding more apple sauce or cinnamon as
needed. (Incidentally, I buy cinnamon at the dollar store for 50 cents a
bottle.) Roll flat, dusting countertop and rolling pin with cinnamon if
dough sticks. Cut out shapes with knife or cookie cutter. Use a toothpick
or nail to make a hole for hanging. Dry at room temperature for 5-7
days, turning over at
the end of the third day to ensure even drying. They dry even quicker in a
food dryer, and give your house a wonderful smell!
Plants
Take clippings from a
hearty plant like an ivy and start them in a tin or inexpensive flower
pot. Make sure you cut with at least a 1" stem and that there is at
least 1 leaf to sustain the clipping until it forms roots. Keep the soil
moist until rooted. Everyone should appreciate a plant, especially if it's
a hearty one. Wandering Jew, Spider plant, Philodendron, Pothos, and most
ivy can withstand some neglect, even if your recipient doesn't have a
"green thumb."
Paper mache Bowls
My family spent a
creative fortnight several years ago making papermache bowls which we
painted in bright acrylics from the local art supply shop and spray
varnished. We then filled them with homemade sweets, Xmas mince pies,
chutney and herb vinegars wrapped them in cellophane and tied them with
raffia, gold ribbon etc. The homemade food was a great success and the
bowls are now being used to display or store other things We also had a
huge amount of fun doing this.
Creative Frames
What about framed
pictures? We have a couple of stores ($ store. Greenbacks) where I pick up
nice wooden or clip frames cheaply. (I also look for sales too!) I collect
these frames (all standard photo sizes) and send them off with pictures of
family/friends that I've taken during our last get together. This way I
know the picture won"tjust get tucked in a drawer and they'll have a
special keepsake of our adventures together. A side tip - if the frame is
a plain wood and you want to dress it up some, pop out the glass/plexi and
spray paint it (I use gold or copper colors)... it can have amazing
results!
One other tip is to
shop the $ stores to see if there are any "substantial" item
such as - safety goggles, work gloves, kitchen products, baby safety
items, books, fancy pens/pencils, chocolate, craft items ... If you know
the taste of the recipient you can put together a nice bag. box, bucket of
"theme" items e.g. new home, toolbox starter, new baby,
chocolate lovers surprise, home spa weekend ...
Cruise Craft Stores
for Ideas
I had the same idea
that you two have for gift making. It's a cheaper and more personal way to
give gifts to those you cherish. Anyway, what I have been doing is going
to craft stores and getting ideas. You can make everything from beadwork,
knitting, crocheting, fake floral arranging, cross stitching on plastic
canvas, making candles, etc. There are a lot of things you can do with
crafts. Just think of what each individual friend or family member would
like and go from there.
Personalize the Gift
I would say head first
find out some of the likes and dislikes of the people you intend to gift
this season. Next head for your local library and research some simple yet
creative ideas that each individual might enjoy. For a number of years I
gifted my Jewish friend with humor. I would find a gentle but funny gift,
either a card or some small object that I knew would be appreciated. If
someone likes food for example buy some special treats or better yet make
something they might like. I had a great aunt and uncle who in their
latter years were not able to go out and get to many fresh vegetables. So
every once in a while I would come in with a vegetable package of just
enough of a variety of items that would give them a change. Remember it is
the little things that count. Make up a coupon book of favors they can ask
for, like a ride in the country, a picnic, or even going to a movie, to
name a few.
Simple Solutions
These are some that I
have come up with:
1. Make your favorite
homemade cookie mix and pack in Mason™ jars, seal, and attach recipe. I
think this would be great for teachers and friends who drop by unexpected
with a gift.
2. Fix a large box of
items such as dishwashing liquid, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. that you
have gotten for almost nothing using double coupons and sales together.
These items are items that every household needs and will use over the
year. I plan on making this type box for my parents and my brothers
family. I will put at least 10 to 12 of each item in the box so that the
items will last all year. I'm sure they will think of me each time they
need soap, toothpaste, etc.
Aren't They Cute?
My small nephews (3
and 5) get their pictures taken a lot by the grandparents and the rest of
us. So, as part of their Christmas presents, I purchased two small photo
albums and put several pictures of them inside (from babyhood to present).
They were delighted to have their "own" albums that they can add
to as they get older. You'd have thought I gave them gold.
An Evening ‘In’
Here's an idea I came
up with when in a similar situation. I bought vouchers/gift certificates
from my local Blockbuster video (or other large chain video rental store)
and put them in baskets with movie size candy and microwave popcorn. I
bought the popcorn from Smart N Final and the movie size candy from a
discount pharmacy. The baskets were picked up from yard sales
and thrift stores.
Wrap it all up with plastic wrap and a nice bow and you have a gift for a
whole family for under $5.00 if you shop for bargains. These are also
great for teens who are getting increasingly expensive to buy for.
It Says
"Welcome"
Here's an idea! I gave
these as gifts to teachers, etc. one year. Purchase sisal door mats at
discount store for about $2.00. Weave ribbon around outer edge. In one
comer make arrangement out of greenery, small Christmas ornaments, etc.
and tie a bow. You can
purchase Christmas floral picks for a nominal amount, if you're not
creative at making your own. Makes really cute doormat for under $5.00.
Kitchen or Crafts
Baked items are always
popular well received gifts-but the more unique the food, the better.
Search through some cookbooks for
candies or cookies that are off the chocolate chip/sugar/peanut butter
beaten path and have fan experimenting with new
recipes! (Just be sure to taste test first!)
Another hit....buy
inexpensive T-shirts or sweatshirts at a discount store or craft store for
around $3-$5 a shirt along with some
fabric paints and customize a shirt for your loved one perhaps with
a 'This TShirt came from XXX University" or even wording referencing
an inside joke with that person!!!
Cookies!
What wrong with
something as simple as homemade baskets of cookies. Get your baskets from
yard sales, tuck in mugs(one for
each member of the family) another yard sale item or dollar store. And in
each mug place a flavored tea and envelope of
cocoa. Choose three or four really good cookie recipes and start
baking. When its time to assemble your baskets that when the fan begins,
get colored plastic wrap, Reynolds™ make a very nice one, use coupons to
buy all ingredients and wrap. You'll
find these gifts to be very rewarding and quite thrifty to make.
Everyone loves cookies, and for cookies are not your thing, a
loaf of pumpkin bread would be just as nice, and even cheaper to
prepare, freezes well, and there are lots of pumpkins around
this time of year.
Nostalgia Baskets
Last year I made
"Nostalgia Baskets" for my siblings, containing three varieties
of cookies our Grandmother used to bake,
including copies of her cookie recipes. On the recipe sheets, I
added a few of my memories about our Grandmother, the times when she
served those particular cookies, etc. I gift-wrapped the cookies and
recipes in attractive baskets that could be used by
the recipients for
other items after the holidays. The "Nostalgia Baskets" were a
real hit!
Another delicious idea
is to prepare homemade chocolate-covered cherries. Use a recipe for Soft
Center Fondant or Basic Fondant, which can be found in the
Candies/Confections chapter in most slightly older cookbooks (i.e. Joy of
Cooking). (Fondant is a cooked mixture of water, sugar and/or corn syrup.)
Soak maraschino cherries leaving the stems on the cherries. Purchase
Chocolate specifically designated for dipping, as well as some paper candy
"cups" and small white cardboard boxes to fill with the
completed chocolate-covered cherries. The dipping chocolate, candy papers
and boxes can usually be found at stores that sell cake decorating
supplies (such as Michael's, Shepherd's, etc.) or gourmet cooking
supplies. When ready to assemble these confections, wrap enough fondant
around the cherry to enclose it, then holding the cherry by its stem, dip
the cherry into the dipping chocolate, completely coating it in chocolate.
Place on waxed paper til chocolate has cooled and hardened. Place each
completed confection in a candy paper cup and fill boxes with them. Gift
wrap the boxes, and you have a very unusual gift to give. (Note: by
leaving the stems on the cherries, your gift recipients will know they
have a handmade
treat!)
From Stationary to
Keychains
This is in response to
the roommates wanting ideas for inexpensive gifts... There are TONS of
inexpensive gifts you can make, some ideas are: make stationary with your
computer. You can buy a disk that has tons of clipart on it for around $10
and you can make decorated stationary for pennies! People love it because
it is different and it is homemade! I made ALL my Christmas gifts last
year...some of the ones I made were: Victorian Christmas balls
(ornaments), (I just bought clear plastic balls-about $4 for 6 of them)
and covered them with lace, trim, tassels, etc. They were gorgeous!....!
also made keychains for some of the younger teenagers who were just
getting their first cars and such. I also made Victorian picture
frames—just cheap (Dollar Store) frames which are plain and you decorate
with flowers, lace, ribbon etc. I only decorated 2 comers (otherwise they
tended to look "overdone"). All of these ideas are VERY
inexpensive to make in bulk.
Limited Travel
One that I used myself
when we were limited to a $10 gift limit. What I did was got a box covered
it with pictures from travel agencies of our local area. Got a gift
certificate from a gas company. Now this took some talking with the guy as
they don't usually do that. But now I added it to a nice card and gave
them a trip. Included was local tours and bike tours and museums etc. This
was about ten years ago when $10 of gas would get you some where.
A Flavorful Gift :
CHOCOLATE SPOONS
Get some good quality
plastic spoons to start with-no flimsy cheap stuffl Try using gold or
silver ones, clear is OK too. Also find some good quality chocolate and
different extracts/liquors to make the spoons different flavors/colors.
There is no end to the flavors you can come up with! Melt chocolate till
it is liquid, watch out that it doesn't scorch...you can do this in the
microwave. Add
extract. Then just dip the spoon into the chocolate ...and lay the spoons
with their handles over the edge of a wax paper lined cookie sheet till
set. You can drizzle white chocolate in a design over dark or milk
chocolate—or dip 1/2 of spoon in dark and 1/2 in while-best flavors
mocha, mint, plain, raspberry...Don't just dip lightly you want a nice
puddle in the spoon part and part way up the handle.
I wrap these in clear plastic bags tied with raffia and a tag
stating the flavor. These are marvelous with coffee or cocoa and make
enough so each family member gets 2 spoons each. They will clamor for
more!!!
Other things you can
dip into chocolate and put in gift baskets:
salted Pringles™
(only half),
chocolate chip cookies
(only half)
use a clean new small
paint brush and paint the mixture on the back side of freshly washed, dry
leaves (rose, camellia work well), after chocolate has dried gently peel
off the leaf and enjoy your chocolate leaf.
CANDIED STIRRERS
• vegetable cooking spray
• 34 pieces
fruit flavored hard candy—crushed: lemon, cinnamon etc
• 2 TBSP light corn
syrup • heavy weight plastic spoons
Line a cookie sheet
with waxed paper. Spray with cooking spray. In a small heavy saucepan
combine crushed candies and corn syrup and melt over low eat stirring
frequently. Spoon candy into bowl of each spoon. Place spoons on prepared
cookie sheet with handles on rims and spoons level. Allow to harden. Store
in air tight container.
Here is a basic Hot
Chocolate Mix.
• 2 cups dry milk
• 2
cups nondairy creamer • 2 cups sugar
• 1
cup cocoa
Mix all together in a
large container. Store airtight. Mix 1/3 cup to 6 oz of hot water. It is
very easy to increase this recipe. Enjoy!!!
RASPBERRY COCOA MIX
(Cherry would be good too)
• 1 pkg unsweetened raspberry Koolaid™ (0.13 oz size) •
3 cups instant hot cocoa powder
Use 2 heaping TBSP to
1 cup hot water.
FORGET-ME-NOT TEA(hot
or cold)
• 1 15 oz jar orange Tang™-type mix •
1 cup sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened tea mix
• 1/2 cup sweetened lemonade mix
• 1 package cherry Koolaid™ (.14 oz, unswtnd)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
To serve, stir 2
heaping tablespoons tea mix into 8 oz. hot or cold water.
RUSSIAN
"TEA" - UTAH STYLE
• 2 cups Tang™ powder •
1 TBSP cinnamon •
1/2 tsp. cloves
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3
cup sweetened lemonade powder (Country Time™)
Mix together and store in cupboard in an airtight container.
When ready to use, add 3 TBSP mix to 1 cup hot water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note: Hot melted
paraffin wax can cause serious burns and injury. Children should always
work under adult supervision. Never melt paraffin in a microwave oven.
Melt slowly over hot water in a double boiler. Never leave the
melting paraffin unattended. Adult supervision is a must.
Our girls enjoy
cutting Christmas fabric with pinking shears to cover my small loaf pans
Then dip the fabric in melted wax-making sure to keep cold ice water bowls
handy, anyway place the fabric over the outside of the small rec. loaf
pans and allow to dry/harden. Fold the comers like a package. Dip again if
it starts to come off or loose. After it dries carefully remove the
"fabric pan shape" Line the "fabric pan" with
plastic wrap.. fill with treats and wrap the entire package in plastic
wrap tying off at the top with ribbon or raffia. I also cut a small
rectangle of cardboard to go in the bottom of the fabric pan to add
stability. Here are step by step directions for making the wax baskets.
1. select cloth...
unwashed, stiff cotton fabric works best.
2. select the size
loaf pan you desire to use as your molding form. [I use the small
rectangle pans 2 x 5 in size]
3. Use pinking shears
or regular scissors to cut your fabric the size of your pan. the material
should fold over to the inside about 1/4 inch to help create an edge.
after you have cut one... lay the fabric out on a piece of cardboard and
draw a template. This can be used by younger children in the family for
helping with the project.
4. once you have your
fabric cut. prepare the melted wax.
5.1 use GULF™™
paraffin wax sold in one pound box with 4 cakes inside.
6. In a double boiler/
or micro wave melt the wax. I keep several pounds on hand to be ready if I
need more... some fabric take more than others.
7. carefully, using
togs dip the fabric into the wax.
8. quickly place the
dipped material over your pan remember to fold the edges much like a
package to create a smooth look on the ends.. to assure easy removal spray
the outside of the pan with a food spray [ie Pam™™] before putting the
fabric over the outside of the pan.
9. Since I have
several of the small pans I usually do about 5 or six molds at a time.
10. If an area of the
fabric is not sticking then spoon some of the wax over the fabric to cause
it to adhere.
11.1 have never
actually timed how long I let the fabric sit on the pans. I just wait
until it is cool to touch and I carefully slide the wax basket off of the
pan. I will put a small piece of cardboard in the bottom of the new pan to
give stability for filling with treats.
12. Then I can fill
with 1/2 a dozen cookies and several of my hand rolled truffles wrap in
clear florist wrap and tie off with a bow, ribbon or raffia add a cute
fabric card.... [ cute small piece of card board and cover with the
matching fabric -1 glue the fabric onto the cardboard.... well my girls do
the cards usually.. then we sign the inside, hole punch and attach to the
gift. I hope these steps clear up the questions... It is lots of fun.. but
it takes practice folding... I let the girls practice dry run using tape
until they got the hang of folding it on the pan. I have been told that
you can also use the fabric stiffener [Aileens I think, sold in craft
stores.. but it cost more] for the same project. The investment $$ is
minimal and the gift really does look great!
Crafts and Kitchens
Last year, my two
daughters and I (ages 3 & 5) made homemade soaps and soap dishes that
were the hit of Christmas morning. We took Sculpey polymer clay in skin
tone colors, although other colors could be used. We rolled it out flat
(we used a pasta machine, but rolling pins would work too). Then we traced
around their hand with a pencil, pressing lightly, and then cut it out
with a paring or x-acto knife. We then shaped them over an upside
down custard dish to look like and open hand. Make sure you gently write (with pencil or pen) the child's name and
year on the bottom before cooking. (It could be added with permanent marker after cooking too. They cooked for about 10
minutes in a 275 degree oven. After cooling we put two coats
of water based varnish on them. We then made soaps using a kit and
molds (hearts, roses, circular chamomile soap, etc.). The
soaps were wrapped in colored saran wrap and nestled in their
little open hands.
Cookie Jars —
I've seen these in
stores and plan on making them for friends this year. Take a Canning jar
(new or old) and layer cookie dough ingredients
(1/2 the white ingredients [flour, baking soda, salt, sugar], 1/2 the
brown sugar, all the chocolate chips or m&m's
[the ones i saw had holiday m&m's], the other half brown sugar,
the other half white ingredients). Then, between the lid and jar ring, put a piece of muslin or a doily and stamp pretty
Christmas stars or use stickers to dec orate. Tie raffia around the jar
with a tag telling what to
add (1 egg, 1 cup butter, 1 tsp. vanilla usually), and how to cook them. I
though this would be a great pre- Christmas gift to give to friends that
you want to remember but can't afford to buy much for.
"I
Remember You..."
I made a nifty certificate on our home computer signing my
aunt up for the "Letter A Week" club. She recently moved into an
assisted living care facility, and mail is one of the things she really
looks forward. I promised on the certificate to send her mail at least
once a week, and we'll also include some of my five-year-old's artwork,
fanny stories and comics from the newspaper,
and such.
Special Bookmark
Here is a great gift
for the family. (Especially Grandma and Grandpa!) Take pictures of the
family, your kids or yourself (old or new pictures) and cut them out and
glue them on a strip of paper. Laminate it and you will have a wonderful
bookmark.
A Priceless Gift
The best inexpensive
Christmas gift I ever received was from my son when he was in
Kindergarten. The class took empty boxes (hair color, toothpaste,
whatever) and wrapped them in wrapping paper and tied them with a ribbon.
Attached to the box was this note:
I took an ordinary box
As empty as can be
I filled it with a
special gift
And wrapped it
carefully
But please don't ever
open it
Just leave the ribbon
tied
And hold it tightly
near your heart
Because my love for
you's inside!
You could also change
the ribbon line to read "just leave the bow applied" if you use
bows instead of ribbon. This of course is easier than the ribbon for
little ones. I loved this gift and will keep it FOREVER. )
Magic Christmas Dust
This is a great idea
for an inexpensive extra touch at Christmas. It seems to work especially
well at the office, where you'd like to do something a little special for
several people. (You know, for those times when you feel like a card alone
is not enough, but there's no way you'd be able to get individual gifts
for everyone without going broke.) It's small, memorable, and inexpensive,
and people with kids will love taking it home.
Magic Christmas Dust
You'll need some dry
oatmeal (or crumbs from any cereal boxes)
Some glitter
Small baggies
Paper Tape
In each baggie put a
couple of tablespoons of oatmeal and a couple of pinches of glitter.
Seal up the baggie. (I
admit, the expensive Ziploc baggies, in that smallest size, work
beautifully, but you could use other sandwich bags if you tie TIGHTLY with
a ribbon.)
On small slips of
paper, print (type or handwritten) the following message: "On
Christmas Eve sprinkle magical dust on your lawn. The glitter will sparkle
in the moonlight and help Santa find your house. The smell of the oats
will guide the Reindeer!" Or
use this poem:
Oh Christmas Eve
night, when it's dark and still
And Santa is on his
way.
Sprinkle this magic
food outside
And it will guide his
sleigh
Rudolph will smell the
oatmeal
As they hurry across
the sky,
And the sparkle of the
glitter
Is sure to catch his
eye.
So say your prayers
and jump in bed
As softly as a mouse,
So Santa and the
reindeer
Can visit every house!
Either tape the
message to the baggie or attach with a ribbon. You could actually put the
paper inside the baggie if there's not too much oatmeal in the way to read
it! You can make several at a time just line up your baggies and go down
the row with your ingredients. This is a great item to put inside of a
Christmas card-makes it a little bit more special and memorable.
Gift Baskets
I have found ready
made gift baskets to be very expensive, but I love the way they look. I
have started making my own for various occasions and the response has been
great. The trick is making them personable and keeping the cost to your
budget. I buy the baskets at thrift shops and garage sales. I have found
recipes for homemade beauty items in the "dollar stretcher" and
other sites which save money. It's easy and fun to pick out just the right
things so nothing goes to waste . I wrap them in colored saran wrap and
dress with ribbons and bows.
For
the Practical Giver
For those just
starting out on their own: Write some recipes on 3x5 cards and add a gift
certificate to a main grocery store. All tied with a pretty bow, it is
cheaper to mail then food baskets. You could clip those coupons and add
those to the pile to make the perfect gift that will most definitely
be appreciated!
Three Ideas
1. People Feeder - use a small new chick feeder (from grain
store about $2.00) add a mason jar to the top and fill with small candy's
such as runts, M&M's, etc. decorate with ribbon or let the children
paint the jar.
2. Refrigerator
Magnets - using puff paints, "trim" the edges of "stiff
Plastic" baseball card holders (I paid $2.50 for 25). Let dry. Add
magnet($l .97 does 40) to the back and photo.
3. For those who like
a little gourmet, but can't afford it, place a dry clean vanilla bean in a
mason jar. Cover with sugar. In a few weeks, the sugar will be flavored
vanilla. Note* the bean can be used for years be sure the receiver of this
gift understands all they need to do is refill the sugar and shake
occasionally for a few weeks.
Personalized Fans
I have taken wrapping paper and cut it to about a 6x6 square
and made a fan out of it, then, glue lace around the edges and put
a piece of lace on the back for a hanger. These make great tree
ornaments. And, you can even make them smaller and make pins out of them.
I also use material and get fabric stiffener and then shape and decorate
them. You can use lace, artificial flowers old puzzle pieces, buttons,
ribbon, or a number of others things.
On the gift wrap ones, I even made one out of solid gold gift wrap
and cut an angels face out of a different wrap and glued it in
the center. It turned
out beautifully.
Don't Mail This Gift!
One of the best gifts
I've ever received was a small, orange concrete garden-ornament puppy. My
brother gave this gift to me about 10 years ago. He worked at a lawn and
garden center at the time and picked out the actual-size (about 12 inches
high) item from the center and paid just a few dollars. The puppy has been
used at different times as an indoor door stop, and an outdoor,
front-porch, guest welcomer/watch-dog. He looks the same as he did 10
years ago and every time I
see my puppy, I think of my brother. This gift is loyal and timeless.Since
I have enjoyed my concrete animal so much over the years, I decided to
give others similar gifts. I went to a local
concrete ornament
outlet and bought a variety of ornaments for friends and relatives: a
garden angel, bunny rabbits, St. Francis statue (patron saint of animals),
St. Mary statue, green frogs, bird bath and more. Each time, the recipient
of these gifts seems to truly appreciate the unusual gift. The best part
of this type of gift is that it doesn't cost much. Most 5 inch to 12 inch
concrete
statues cost less than
$10. Small ones are just several dollars or less and are perfect for
children to place outdoors in a garden, landscaping or a wooded area (all
my young nieces and nephews are getting one this year!). Children can also
keep their creatures indoors as a bedroom doorstop. They will keep their
statue around for years and think of YOU every time they see it - unlike a
toy that gets played with for two hours and then is forgotten forever, not
to mention who gave them the toy! Adults
will appreciate larger garden statues, plaques, ornaments and statues.
Most are very inexpensive, however larger items like bird baths can cost
$20 to $30 or more (chip in with others for an impressive "big"
gift for someone special). They can be used indoors, in bathrooms, among
potted plant arrangements, as door stops, etc. Outdoors, use them in
gardens, landscaping
or porches or just out
in the yard. They will last forever and will leave a lasting impression
with your gift receivers!
A Few Words
The best inexpensive
gift I've been given was a poem my sister had written for me. It described
how she felt about me and the fun times we had spent together. My dad even
cried that day when he read the one from her. Also, one year I gave my dad
a pack of Bic Pens and wrote him a little note saying how much I loved him
and that I knew he didn't care If I had given him anything at all. My
family doesn't show love outwardly so he surprised me when he came up and
gave me the biggest hug ever!
It's
the Thought that Counts
Four years ago my
siblings and I decided to forgo buying gifts for each other and give the
amount of money we'd normally spend on gifts to charity. OK, so it's no
less expensive than our past practice, but it sure is a lot more rewarding
— and it helps keep us focused on the true meaning of Christmas!
Power Outage Kit
The Power Outage Kit
(great for in a car)
1. Take an old, adult
size pair of jeans. (One with holes in the knees is fine!)
2. Cut the knee of one
leg straight across (just below any hole).
3. Fold over the cut
edge about 2 inches, and sew across (leaving a "tunnel" large
enough to place a piece ofdowling through).
4. Cut one rear pocket
section out (including the pants part—don't just remove the pocket!).
5. Cut one front
pocket section. Trim the section near the side seam that contains the
metal rivet-you don't need to break a sewing machine needle on this!
6. Place the front
pocket on the pant-leg section, about 4 inches from the top. Sew in place
along 3 sides (like a "U").
7. Place the rear
pocket below, sew this in the same manner.
8. Take 2 pieces of
strong ribbon, fabric, or elastic (about 1 inch wide). Make sure your
sections are long enough so if made into a loop, you can easily place a
standard size flashlight inside. These can be sewn near the top of the
pant leg section, above the pocket (one on the left, and one on the right
side). They will hold a couple flashlights.
9. Take a strong
section of ribbon, rope, anything, and tie to the ends of your dowling
that has been slipped through the "tunnel" at the top of your
holder. This will allow you to hang the holder in a closet, or anywhere!
If you like, the pockets can be filled with extra batteries, candles,
matches, and of course you could even place the flashlights in the loops.
I made one loop smaller so I can place a 2-AA battery flashlight next to
our 2-D flashlight in the holder. One pair of
jeans makes 2 holders.
(I like the one that ends up with the pocket containing the "change
pocket"—this is the perfect size pocket for extra matches!)
For the Office
Here's an inexpensive
gift idea other readers might enjoy, especially if you need to give
similar gifts to a group of people (office co-workers, your kids' teachers
etc). Go to the dollar store or Wal-mart and get individual coffee mugs
for about $1 each. Then fill with packets of hot chocolate mix or cup-of-
soup mix. Add a candy cane and tie a holiday ribbon to the handle of the
mug, and you have a cute gift for about $3 each. You could also gather
colored plastic wrap or tissue paper around the gift and tie with a ribbon
for a more "wrapped" look.
From
the Kids
Christmas was coming
and the children and I decided there was no money for gifts. Living in
Nicaragua for the year left little choice. But the children managed to use
a butcher knife to cut off a couple pieces at the bottom of the gate which
kept the dog in. Next they got several pencils, scraped off the paint, cut
them into pieces, and glued them between the plywood pieces to
make a holder for
knives. Using a little paste shoe polish, they did a good job of staining
and protecting the wood. This imaginative gift I still have after more
than a quarter century.
Personalized Gift Certificates
You can really please
your friends and relatives by giving them gift certificates for their
favorite things. Figure out what things you can do for your friends or
relatives and present them with a gift certificate for that service. You
can also make a coupon book offering a variety of services. For someone
with small children you could give a night of baby-sitting, cooking a
meal, doing the laundry, take them to a movie that's not animated. For the
other people in your life you could give a gift certificate for a backrub,
clean the house, wash the car, a romantic dinner, a homemade breakfast,
raking the yard, etc. For an older relative you could give them
certificates for the chores they have trouble doing alone, or a promise to
spend the afternoon together. The
possibilities are
endless and the recipient will be able to redeem the coupon when they most
need it. You can make the certificate from colored or white card stock
which is available at craft stores. Use markers, colored pencils, fabric,
glitter, magazine cut-outs, or whatever else you have that's handy to
create a gift certificate for each service you you're giving. If you want
a coupon book, simply make all your coupons the same size, then with a
hand-held hole puncher, make holes on the left hand side and bind together
with yam, fabric or ribbon.
Totally Broke Christmas
Being totally broke
one Christmas after an unexpected week-long stay in the hospital, I
received from a little next door neighbor a love chain for my Christmas
tree. She cut out little 3" hearts of construction paper and
decorated them with little odds and ends (yam, pieces of doilies, stars,
dots from hole-punchers) and then glued them to a length of yam. On each
piece she wrote something she was thankful for warm summer days, good
friends, grandma and grandpa, etc. It was treasured for many years on my
Christmas tree until it was lost during a move. I often wonder if she has
remembered to do the same with her own children.
From a Child's Heart
For my husband, I had
my 3 year old daughter tell me a story, which I typed, printed on pretty
paper, and framed. He loved it!
Share the Season
What about the idea of
giving some of that saved money to charity? It's amazing how good it feels
to give to organizations that help people who really need *essentials* —
food, clothing, shelter, etc. — rather than buying our friends and
family more and more of the superfluous trappings we fill our lives with
in this part of the world. In lieu of gifts, I like to make charitable
donations in family members' names (and my family likes it, too!).
Homemade Stationery
The best inexpensive
gift I ever gave or received was homemade stationery. I flipped through
magazines that I have already read. I tore out the pages that had colorful
pictures that covered the whole page and little to no writing. I then took
an envelope of choice and
unfolded it and traced the shape on the magazine page. After cutting out
the shape, I folded it correctly and used
a glue stick to seal the sides(not the top, of course). Then I let
my imagination run wild with what kind of stationery paper to
use—card stock, plain or decorated, lined paper—more
appropriate for a child or any other creative paper. I included two plain
address labels trimmed with deckle scissors and one sticker that
matched the envelope to seal it closed. I selected 8-12 envelopes that matched either in theme or color and tied them
with a ribbon. The responses are so great—everyone wants to
make them and can. Some other ideas are to use old road maps for
boys, coloring book pages for young children and even
wrapping paper if you desire matching envelopes. I think it cost me
around $.35 for each one if I used card stock and MUCH
less if I used regular paper. Great for teachers gifts and hostess
gifts.
Coupons to Gifts
My Uncle every year tells us all he wants a kiss or hug or
something like that for Christmas ( you know something that's free!)
So this year I decided to do him one better. I recently started
shopping with coupons, and since you never know when a cleaner
or cereal or anything will go on sale I tend to cut out almost all
coupons. My Uncle has a weakness for Rice Krispie Treats So I
decided to make him a care package of marshmellows and Rice
Krispies, I really hadn't thought of putting anything else in the
basket until I noticed the grocery had Suave products on sale and
with my coupons I bought 2 shampoo products, 1 can of
mousse and 1 deodorant for $0.45,1 don't use Suave but he does! So
I started buying many different types of items this way. I
ended up with two baskets one for him that had over $20 worth of
food, cleaners, and health and beauty products that I only
paid $4.25 for! I also ended up with one for my Grandma who cleans
houses for a living she had mostly cleaning supplies in
hers over $30 worth for only $7.35! I also got things for my
sister-in-law who is a college student she had junk food, shampoos,
and snack size ziplocs about $18 worth for $4.801 put her things in
a $5 Rubbermaid storage bin in her favorite color I figured
she could use it in her dorm, everyone else's went in a basket with
a homemade ribbon!
It'll Work for Christmas, Too!
My best inexpensive
gift received has to be from last Mother's Day. My 11 year old son bought
a small double frame. With his sisters
help he found a picture in the albums of me holding him as a baby for one
side. On the other side he put in a poem he wrote to the effect that we
would love each other forever because I'm his Mom and he's my Son. BOY did
I cry!!!
Two
Suggestions
Chocolate dipped
spoons.
Either use a double
boiler, or microwave chocolate chips, and a few Tbsp. of butter. Once the
mixture is melted, dip plastic spoons into the chocolate just to where the
handle of the spoon begins. Place on waxed paper until cooled and dried. I
then cover them with cellophane wrap and tie with a bow. You can add
flavors to this too. Use extracts, crushed candy canes, mint
leaves, or whatever
inexpensive flavoring you have. This goes into the chocolate as it's
melting.
Tin can holders
Tear off the label
from any size tin can, once the can is empty, (be sure to remove the glue
too) Fill almost to the top with water, and place in the freezer until it
forms ice inside. Now, you have a sturdy object to work with! Place on the
can on it's side, on a folded towel, and tape whatever design you wish on
it.(stars, moons, circles, diamonds, scrolls, or freeform) Using a nail
and a hammer, punch holes in the can, about every 1/4 inch or so. If the
ice starts to melt, simply put it back in the freezer and work on another
one. Continue this until all the desired holes are punched. Let ice thaw
and dry off can. Use a pair of pliers, and squeeze the top of the can to
make sure all the sharp edges are gone. Now, spray paint or sponge paint
the can any color or colors you wish. Then, place a small votive candle
inside. When lit, the design shines through and makes a wonderful candle
holder anyone would love to have. (I use these to light up my walk way
when I'm have Christmas parties.) If you use different size cans, they
make a wonderful grouped arrangement for a centerpiece too!
'Brain* Candy
When I was in high
school and college, I wanted to give my group of friends something more
than just a card. At the grocery store, I bought about $15 worth of bulk
wrapped candy — mints, chocolates, hard candy, etc. I then took plastic
baggies (I cut the zip top off of the zipper ones) and filled them with
about 10-15 candies. With about a foot of colorful ribbon that mom had,
I tied it with a bow
and labeled it as "brain candy" for finals time. After a couple
of years, my friends started looking forward to the sugar hit at Christmas
time. I was usually able to stretch out the candy to about 20-30 candy
bags.
TEACHERS &
VOLUNTEER GIFTS
As the years go by, it
seems to become more and common for parents to be expected to give gifts
to their children's teachers
at school. There's a fine line between showing appreciation and going
broke. Finding just the right gift — at just
the right price — can be challenging at best. And besides, how
many apple-decorated key chains or coffee mugs can one
teacher use?
Gina Dalquest, a California mother of four, says, "Every
teacher appreciates school supplies. Often teachers spend a lot
of their own money stocking their classrooms. Pencils, paper,
whatever I can get inexpensively or in volume. I bought a
big cube of construction paper and sent half to my son's class.
Last year, we made decorated glass ball ornaments by
pouring several colors ofacrylic paint into them and swirling the
balls around to look marbled. It cost less than $2 per
gift."
During the winter
holiday season, teachers can be so busy with school-related holiday
preparations that they don't have time or energy for all the necessary
preparations at home. Home baked cookies, etc., can be very helpful in
this regard. The following are suggestions for helpful and often
inexpensive teacher appreciation gifts for the holidays or the end of the
school year:
1) Shoe-box sized plastic storage box full of school and
classroom supplies that you can stock up on throughout the year at sales,
clearance stores, etc.
2) Bag of popcorn and
a flavored salt sampler.
3) Gift certificate
for a video rental.
4) Homemade fudge in
take-out meal containers (or Biscotti or gingerbread men).
5) Pencils printed
with their names on them.
6) Painted glass ball
ornaments.
7) Flavored coffee or
tea mixes.
8) Coffee and cup
decorated by your child.
9) A candle and
candleholder.
10) Anything for the
classroom: games, writing equipment, books, rulers, things to decorate or
theme objects.
11) Handmade items
from the students (potholder, pencil holder, etc).
12) Movie theater
passes.
13) Small basket of
lotions or soaps.
14) Letter or card
from the student (and/or parent) telling what they enjoyed about the year
or the teacher's input into the child's life.
15) Small plant potted
in a thrift store coffee mug or tea cup.
16) Child-made
apple-shaped something or other (although over the years many teachers end
up with more apple decorations than they have room for in their house).
17) Baked goods
(bread, cookies, candies, quick breads, etc.).
18) Chocolate dipped
pretzels.
19) Chocolate
anything!
20) Christmas
ornament.
One woman online
writes, "There are too many people who get left out and probably feel
bad about it, such as the P.E. teacher, the principal, the secretary, the
kitchen lady who knows your child by name, the teacher's aide who listens
to them say their numbers or helps with reading, etc. And then there's the
Girl/Boy Scout leader, the Sunday School teacher, and the private teachers
like piano and dance. A parent can't possibly buy/make gifts for all these
people."
Her unique suggestion
to deal with this large number of potential gift recipients? Donate a book
to the school or the public library "in the names of all the people
who have been part of your child's life this year. Then give a card to
each individual telling them why they were so important to your child and
how this gift will help other children as much as he/she helped your
child."
It's been my
experience that people in volunteer helping positions (such as Sunday
School teachers or nursery workers at church) are often completely
overlooked when it comes time to give out thanks. Each year my husband and
I try to invite our children's Sunday School teachers and their families
to dinner at our house to thank them for all their hard work and
dedication throughout the year. It's never ceased to amaze me that 1
always hear comments like, "No one has ever done anything like this
for me before and I've been teaching Sunday School for twelve years,"
Even just a simple Thank You card given at the holidays or the end of the
school term could be enough to bowl them over in shock.
Remember that it isn't
a competition to see which child or parent gives the teacher the best or
most expensive gift. Showing appreciation to assorted teachers should be
an expression of heart-felt thanks to the dedicated people who have
touched our lives and given of themselves to our children.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oriental Trading
Company (www.orientaltrading.com)
sells craft kits to make ornaments year round.
They are easy enough for kids to do, but cute enough for adults to
give! Generally each kit
makes a dozen ornaments.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a Red felt
mini-long johns:
We looked for a
stocking,
but could not find a
spare–
So we ended up
stuffing
Santa’s red
underwear!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FUN. YET INEXPENSIVE
GIFT IDEAS
DISHWASHING DETERGENT:
We're "soft
soaping" you. Merry
Christmas!
BUCKET OF POPCORN: "Father
of Humor" or Sunday Supper - Plug in hot air
popper. Place bowl by
spout. Fill corn and butter
containers. Press
on. Watch it pop.
Butter and salt corn. Repeat
often.
PACKAGE OF SMALL SPONGES:
"Sponge off us next summer. We'll mow and water your yard while you are on vacation.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
CARTON OF BREAD CROUTONS:
"Bread of Life" to decorate your Christmas Salads
BOWL OF BUTTER CURLS OR MOLDED BUTTER: "Here's to 'butter' you up for the Christmas
season!"
STRAINER WITH CHRISTMAS BOW:
"We couldn't 'restrain'
ourselves from wishing you a Merry Christmas!"
GRATER AND CHEESE: "To
a 'grate' neighbor!"
ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS TIED WITH A BOW: "Blot out your troubles; absorb the Christmas spirit!"
PACKAGE OF SEWING NEEDLES:
"You're just the sharpest person I know Sew. . . . MERRY
CHRISTMAS!"
WHISK BROOM WITH A BOW ON THE HANDLE: "You're
'dust' the
finest neighbors we
know. MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
TALL CANDY CANES IN A JUICE PITCHER: "We pitcher you raising a little cane during
the holidays. Have a Merry
Christmas!"
Jar of homemade
PICKLES: "Just in ‘brine’ ...our wish for a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
PENCILS AND NOTEPADS:
"Merry Christmas from our pad to yours!"
Box of gloves
"This is the hand-iest' gift we could find.
BOX OF LIGHT BULBS:
"Have a bright and radiant Christmas!"
GUM:
"By 'gum' you're great neighbors.
Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
WHOPPERS:
"Have a 'Whopper' of a Christmas!"
LIFESAVERS:
"You have been a 'life saver.'
Have a great Christmas!"
MATCHES:
"No one 'matches' you as neighbors!"
HONEY:
"You're a 'honey' of a family."
HANGER (DECORATED):
"Hang in there, Christmas is almost over."
RULER:
"No one can 'measure' up to your family."
"The
_____________ family had some friends,
Their friends were true, not phony!
They stuck a dumb poem in a card,
and gave them .... MACARONI?!
(Use Kraft Macaroni & Cheese "SANTA MAC)
May the "Absorbing" spirit of the Season "Blot
Out" your problems, "Soak Up"
your sorrows and "Wipe Away" your difficulties!
And may your Christmas be Shiny and Bright!" (Use Christmas
Paper Towels)
I'm "roofing for you to have a Happy Holiday season and a
Won"deer"ful new year!
(Use bottle of rootbeer, make a candy cane deer)
May your Holidays be Merry and SPRITE! (Use a 2 liter Sprite)
"DO'NUT" forget to have a very Merry Christmas!
(Donuts)
Your Home teachers may
be pretty "Corny", but we want to make sure things are
Popping." at your house..
Sure hope your
Christmas is a
"Ball"' (Make
Popcorn balls)
Be a "Smartie",
start your Visiting early in the month.
Don't say, "I
'mint' to visit her. DO IT!
Please
"Chews" to treat your sisters by making your visits.
Be a "Life
Saver" and come to the rescue when your sister needs you.
Find "Joy"
in being a Visiting Teacher and serving the Lord.
FRIENDSHIP KNOTS
A true friend is KNOT
critical. A true friend
is KNOT thoughtless or Judgmental.
A true friend is KNOT untrustworthy and does KNOT destroy. Rather
she builds. A true friendship
is KNOT just a blessing but is a miracle.
A true friendship is KNOT to be taken for granted.
You are rich if you have but one true friend.
Do KNOT forget to be that true friend. Let's keep our friendship
KNOT'S knotted tightly so our friendship do KNOT slip away! (Use pretzels
or make Homemade bread KNOTS)
Use your Imagination
in packaging goodies In re-usable
containers or inexpensive throw-aways.
Put them Into jars,
cans, boxes, jars, baskets or on trays.
Wrap them in tissue, newspaper, fabric,
decorative paper,
towels or napkins. Tie them
with yarn, ribbon, colored string or tape.
Decorate them with pine cones, fresh or artificial
flowers, fruit or greens. Include
recipes, storage and mixing directions as an extra bonus.
Make .or buy an
oven-mitt. Fill It with bread
sticks or a long loaf of French bread and tuck in a few wooden utensils
for fun.
Pour your favorite red
jelly into sherbet glasses and top with frosted paraffin. This gives the illusion of a fancy dessert.
Use several fancy glasses from a broken set, or pick up some at-a
bargain sale.
For the gourmet cook
on your list, give special spice mixes or garnishes tied in cheesecloth,
ready to drop into a pot of soup.
A college student away
from home, or a missionary would enjoy receiving a large mug filled with
prepared powdered mixes for chocolate or orange drinks.
Put the directions for mixing on the outside. A can full of hot soup mixes would also be welcome with a
second can full of crackers or cookies.
If you are mailing a
gift to a missionary or student far away consider sending dried fruit. You
will be amazed how the light weight will cut your postage costs way down.
A freshly baked loaf
of bread can be sent on it's own bread board covered with clear plastic
wrap and tied with a sprig of Holly.
A bright tea-towel
gathered around a loaf of bread and tied with a ribbon and a few sheaves
of wheat is a second choice.
Let your friends bake
their own cookies. Your gift
is a prepared cookie mix along with the raisins or nuts to go in
it. Pack in separate
plastic bags and tie inside a shiny new pan just the right size for
the recipe, which you will include of course.
(Use this same idea for a biscuit or muffin mix.)
You can make a small
burlap bag and fringe the ends. A
drawstring will close it tight. Fill
with nuts still in their shell and tie a nutcracker into the bow on
the outside.
Make cashew butter out
of fresh roasted cashews and include a small jar with a bowl of
fresh nuts or crackers for spreading.
If you have tried
every other kind of container, buy a shiny new dust-pan, filled with
cookies or candy, cover with clear plastic and tie with a bow.
Instead of the usual
fruit basket, line a hanging
basket with cellophane and fill with
fresh fruits and include a jar of poppy-seed
fruit dressing so that the receiver can make
his own fruit salad. The
basket can be used for plants afterwards.
Pink, caramel and
buttered popcorn can be packed attractively in candy jars, baskets or
cans. A variety gives each
member of the family a choice.
Small, medium and
large gingerbread cookies can be made and packed -in boxes or baskets in
three sizes. (Mama, Papa and
Baby-Bear style.)
Bandana handkerchiefs
or large colorful napkins can be used to tie jars and baskets or can wrap
around a gift with a wooden dowel through the knot "hobo-style".
Missionary Stocking
I used a toddler
shirt, but would use a larger one when possible, maybe a 4T. Be very
careful about the size you choose - it turns out to hold a lot more than
you thought possible!
Items needed:
1) white button-down
with collar shirt (pocket-less best because it doesn't fit with a sock
pattern very well)
2) old tie
3) tie tack
4) name tag
5) one dot ofVelcro.
Simply cut a sock
pattern from newspaper or paper bag (either draw freehand, get one of your
decorations out and trace around it, or buy a cheap one and trace it).Make
sure the shirt is completely buttoned up, and turn inside out. Place the
sock pattern (remember here to place the sock opposite of the direction
you want the finished toe to point). Make sure that the pattern is such to
include the entire collar of the shirt and most of the buttons down the
front. Cut out the sock. With a basic stitch (if you aren't familiar with
sewing machines) sew up the sides. Now
unbutton a couple of
the buttons and turn the shirt right-side out. Again, using a simple
stitch on the machine, sew down the front by the buttons! This will keep
the sock closed and not gap. Depending on the size of the shirt, fashion a
tie. - When I made the one from a toddler shirt, I cut the tail of the
narrow end of the tie off. You just need to turn the end to a point and
sew closed. Or, buy a toddler clip-on tie (thrift store - because it's
just for show!). After attaching the tie, tack the collar down (all
around) with thread. Put a small piece of velcro on the shirt where the
name tag will be. If your son
uses tie tacks, put a real one on the tie (doubles as an extra gift), or
use an old earring for show (again, a great buy at a thrift store). The
final addition is a name tag. Get a black piece of construction paper or
card stock. Cut out a piece the size that would fit on the shirt. Using a
white or silver pen (the kind used for scrap booking - can be found at any
craft store and most Wal-Marts now), print in small block letters his
name. Remember, unless you can write really tiny, you wont have room
enough to put the entire tag information on this - unless it's a large
size. Either laminate or use a small piece of clear shelf paper to cover
(the poor man's laminate). Put a dot of velcro on the back of the tag and
attach to the shirt. I just made it up and did it. Not much to fuss over.
I used a size 2T and it held two pairs of socks, a tie, stopwatch,
pens, shoelaces and
candy, etc. Quite a lot. Plus it was small enough to fit into a bubble
envelope to mail.
See a sample: http://home.comcast.net/~tams
stockings/nametag.htm
Other Variations
http://hoine.comcast.net/~tams
stockings/nametag.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~tams
stockings/nametag.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~tains
stockings/sisterl.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~tams
stockings/sister2.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~tams
stockings/bov.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~tamsstockings/boy2.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~tams
stockings/girl.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For a jar of homemade
bath salts:
While you relax in
your bath
Take thought of this,
not of math!
You've shared with me
all year long
Lessons I need and
maybe a song.
With husband, kids. a
friend or two
You say I'm loved in
all I do.
Well, know that you
are also loved
By me. our ward (or
class), and up above.
Thanks for serving and
caring
As a Visiting (or
Primary) Teacher this year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a Candy Cane–or a
box of Candy Canes:
The Candy Cane
represents the shepherd’s crook. The
crook helps bring wandering sheep back into the fold.
It helps us remember to love one another.
Or this story:
A candy maker in
Indiana wanted to create a candy that honor the life and memory of Jesus Christ. To accomplish his desire, he
incorporated several symbols into the candy's design which
represented the birth,
ministry, and death of Jesus.
The candy maker began
be creating a stick of pare A hard candy.
The pure white nature of
the candy symbolizes
solid rock, the foundation or the church and the firmness of God's
promises.
The candy maker
continued his creation by shaping this solid white candy in the form of
the
letter “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, the
Savior of all mankind.
To memorialize Jesus'
pain and suffering for us, and his blood that was spilt on our behalf,
the candy maker finalized his creation by staining
the pure white candy with red stripes.
The small
red stripes were used
to symbolize the scourging Jesus
suffered at the hands of his accusers; while
one large red stripe was meant to represent Christ's atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world so that all
might have eternal life.
Unfortunately the
candy became known simply as a candy cane, a meaningless decoration
seen once a year at
Christmas time but for those who "two eyes to see and ears to
hear" the true
meaning as the candy
cane is clearly evident, fulfilling the intention of its creator-a humble
candy
maker in Indiana.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oriental Trading
Company sells packages of Sand Dollars:
THE LEGEND OF THE SAND
DOLLAR
Upon this odd shaped
seashell
a legend grand is told
About the life of
Jesus
The wondrous tale of
old.
The center marking
plainly shows
The well known guiding
star
that led to tiny
Bethlehem
The wise men from
afar.
The Christmas flower,
Poinsettia
for his nativity
The resurrection too
is marked
The Easter Lily, see.
If you examine closely
You'll see that you
find here
Four nail holes and a
fifth one
Made by a Roman spear.
Within the shell,
should it be broken
Five doves of peace
are found
To emphasize this
legend
So may peace and love
abound.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a can of cocoa:
It seems that the
holidays find us so busy,
That we all begin to
get a bit dizzy.
So...take some time
off...prop up your feet.
Open the cocoa...put
the water on to heat.
Don't forget the true
meaning
Isn't found in the
hassle,
Or in the presents, or
tinsel or dazzle.
The Spirit of
Christmas is found in our love,
The kind brought to
earth by a babe from above.
So part of this gift
is a brief time to ponder...
To think of our
Savior, the joy and the wonder.
I hope this gift will
give you a rest,
And wish you a
Christmas that's one of the Best.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inexpensive
Christmas gift ideas–from Dear Abby’s column:
Dear Readers: The
National Foundation for Consumer Credit has some suggestions for holiday
shoppers who may be
overextended with their credit. You do not need to spend a lot of money to
be a generous and thoughtful
gift-giver. In fact, most people prefer receiving a gift
that comes from the heart and shows how much you care.
Here are some suggestions that could be helpful:
Make custom gift
baskets for the people on your list. Start with unusual baskets that can be found in garage sales or secondhand stores. For
someone who reads, fill the basket with paperbacks - from a used bookstore. For the coffee drinker, fill it with
coffee samples and two coffee mugs. Shop at dollar stores and discount
centers to buy safety goggles and work
gloves for the woodworker, kitchen utensils for the cook, and baby items
for the new parent.
Give a gift with a
theme. lf you have a friend who loves elephants, look for inexpensive
jewelry, pillows, trays or postcards imprinted with elephants. Many people
have a favorite animal or
hobby — think of people.
Use stamps and colored
ink pads and decorate each sheet or card and envelope. Package
them in sets of 10 or 20, and tie them with ribbon.
For the outdoor types,
make a pine cone bird feeder for someone's yard.
Plants from your
garden can make valued, yet
cost-free, gifts. Take a clipping from a
hearty plant and put it in an old teakettle or flowerpot. Paint the
container and put a bright red ribbon
around it.
Consider making
cookies, fudge, brownies, breads or casseroles.
Many tasty dishes are easy and inexpensive to prepare, and anything that
is homemade is always welcomed as a special treat.
You might also
consider flavored spoons. Buy a package of good quality plastic spoons.
Dip the spoon in melted
chocolate, when cool wrap in cellophane and tie with a ribbon and a sprig
of holly. Put a few spoons in a coffee
mug along with some individual hot Cocoa or coffee .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``
On a favorite
chocolate, sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells”:
Dashing from the mall,
With groceries yet to
buy,
Lesson, housework,
blah, blah, blah
life is so crazy, WHY?
Bells on my phone
ring,
Machine will take the
call,
I have no time for
family or friends-
It drives me up the
wall.
How are you? How's
your life?
I really want to know.
I'd love to chat and
hear the news
But please don’t
talk too slow.
How are you? How's
your life?
I really want to know.
Hope you're happy and
content
And rolling in the
dough.
A day or two ago,
I thought I'd make a
treat
For all my special
friends—
A Christmas gift to
eat.
My intentions were top
notch
But my schedule would
not budge,
Hence, here's this
year's edition
Of homemade Christmas
fudge!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a tiny box of
Whopers candy:
Christmas is coming
And so are the deer.
Listen closely and
bells your will hear.
And along with them
comes a special treat:
Reindeer Droppings for
your to eat!
On a small box of
Snowballs (white Whooppers):
Santa checked his
list, he even checked it twice,
But he found out that
you haven’t been very nice.
Coal is too expensive,
so here’s the latest scoop:
All you get this year
is Snowman Poop!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a package of
popcorn:
Christmas comes but
once each year,
And always keeps us
hopping!
Running around here
and there
Christmas wishes
dropping. So...
When your feet are
tired and sore,
And you feel you
should be stopping,
Sit right down and
have a rest
While this corn is
popping!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a card with a Nail
ornament:
It’s Christmas time
at our house and we are putting up the tree,
I wish I could findone
simple way to remember Christ’s gift to me.
Some little sign or
symbol to show friends stoping by,
Th little babe that
was born one day, but He really came to die.
Some symbol of His
nail pierced hands, the blood He shed for you and me,
What if I hung a
simple nail on my shining Christmas tree?
A crimson bow tied
round the nail as His blood flowed down so free,
To save each person
from their sin and redeem us for all eternity.
I know it was His love
for us that held him to that tree,
But when I see this
simple nail I know he died for me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a candle or
flashlight or a box of bulbs:
There once was a
Christmas tree
Standing out where all
could see.
It’s brilliance
captured every eye
and seemed to cheer
each passer by.
“The lights are so
bright” they all would say
and hesitate to walk
away.
The tree stood proud
ablaze with light
for every light was
burning bright.
Then one bulb was
heard to say,
“I’m tired of
burning night and day,
I think I’ll just go
out and rest,
for I’m too tired to
do my best.
Besides, I am so very
small,
I doubt I’d be
missed at all.”
Then a child lovingly
touched the light
“Look, mother! This
one shines so bright!
Of all the lights upon
the tree,
this one looks the
best to me.”
“Oh my goodness,”
said the light
I almost dimmed right
out of sight!
I though perhaps no
one would care
if I failed to do my
share.”
With that, a glorious
brilliance came
for every light had
felt the same.
The Gospel’s like
this Christmas tree
with little lights
like you and me.
We each have a space
that we must fill
with love and lessons
and good will.
Let’s keep one tree
ablaze with light,
with testimonies
burning bright.
For the gospel is a
living tree
that lights the way to
eternity!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a kitchen extension
cord:
“We’d like to
EXTEND a Happy holiday!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On an ice scraper with
a brush:
“May your holiday
season be free from life’s SCRAPES and may you feel the Savior’s love
and be able to BRUSH problems away.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a new dish rag and
dish towel:
This Christmas you
deserve the best
A present unlike all
the rest.
We considered a new
car or exotic cruise,
But decided on
something you could really use!
Finally we found a
gift to admire:
We hope you like your
new washer and dryer!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a small bottle of
JOY dishwashing liquid and a BRITE kitchen sponge:
May your Christmas
season be “JOY”-ous and your New Year “Brite”!
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