Frugal Gift Ideas For Christmas
As we are getting closer and closer to Christmas, I’ve been getting quite a few emails from folks who are looking for some inexpensive or frugal gift ideas. This year is tough financially for many of us and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and crafting and cooking to come up with some fun and interesting gifts for everyone in our family. I thought I’d share some of my own ideas and then invite you to share yours as a comment below.
Here we go …
Bath & Body:
Epsom Salts Bath: In pretty color plastic bag (found in party stores in goody bag section) pour 1 cup or more, depending on the size of the bags. Use matching twist tie, and embellish with pieces of ribbon, tulle, and little flowers. Or use clear bags and embellish with raffia bow and sea shells for a natural theme. These are great gifts for teachers, domestic helpers, co-workers, day care workers, etc. Epsom Salts are a sometimes forgotten luxury that really works to relieve sore and stressed muscles and weary bones. Instructions are: Run a nice deep, hot bath, pouring in 1 cup Epsom salts under running water and swoosh around. Quietly soak for at least 20 minutes. Write the instructions on a small gift tag and tie on bag with ribbon or raffia.
Epsom Salts Foot Soak: This may be more appropriate for a male gift recipient. (A lot of men don’t take baths… they don’t know what they’re missing out on, but oh well.) Put the Epsom salts in a clear plastic bag (found in party stores in goody bag section) and tie with twist tie. For a masculine look, you could put the plastic bag inside a small, brown cardboard craft box; you’ll find them in craft stores, around the decoupaging things. Tie either a raffia or jute string around the box, attach a card with the instructions for a foot soak after a hard day’s work.
Milk Bath: Using powdered milk, package in pretty color plastic bags (found with party supply stuff in goody bag section). Close with the matching twist tie, add pretty ribbon, flowers, etc. or raffia and seashells. Print instructions on a gift tag and tie it to the package. Optional: For a little larger gift, purchase a pretty tin or a cardboard craft box (found in craft stores). Purchase a small, natural bath sponge and put both the bag and the sponge inside the tin or box and tie with ribbon or raffia.
Soothing Baking Soda Bath: This is more of the same idea, just using one of my favorite bath ingredients. Package it pretty and flowery, or package it using more natural materials.
Brown Sugar Face and Body Scrub: I would look for “Dixie Crystals light brown crystals” when I buy the brown sugar. It has a nice “sparkle” and is a pretty color. Package it similar to the other bath products (Epsom salts, etc.). If you package a cup or more, you may want to include a pretty little spoon (look for unusual ones at flea markets or antique shops) so it can be measured for a face scrub. Just tie it into the ribbon along with instructions: Rinse face with warm water. Put 2 teaspoons of sugar in your palm, add a little water, and massage gently over face and neck. Rinse well. For Body: Put 1 cup of sugar in your palm, add a little water, and massage gently over wet arms and legs to exfoliate.
After-Spa Robe: For a young girl, buy two bath towels, lay together (wrong side, if there is one, facing out, unless the towels are fringed, then sew them face out. Sew short end of towels together, leaving a space open in the middle for her head. Then starting about six inches down the long side (for her arms), sew both sides closed, but stop about six inches from the bottom to allow for walking ease. Now, the size of the towels and the space for the arms and head will depend on the size of the child. Just use your judgment… maybe eyeball a t-shirt in her size and measure the neck and arm space. You could also make a Spa Package gift. Box together her new After-Spa Robe along with a pretty bag of “Milk Bath”.
Food Gifts:
Coffee Or Hot Chocolate Mix: Use one of the beverage mix recipes found here and then package it in a mason jar. Top the jar with a small square piece of cotton and tie a ribbon around it. Get out some card stock or a piece of heavy construction paper and write the instructions on how to use the mix on the paper. Punch a whole in the corner of the card and tie it to the ribbon on the jar. Depending on the recipients taste, you can make anything from fancy coffee mixes like Swiss Mocha or Cafe Vienna to a rich and delicious hot chocolate mix or even some spiced tea.
For an even more stunning presentation, measure the ingredients out into the jar and layer them. For the hot chocolate mix, top the jar with some mini marshmallows.
Chocolate Coated Coffee Spoons: Search the flea markets and antique shops for pretty, unique spoons. You may also use a plastic spoon for simplicity. Purchase any kind of melting chocolate. Chocolate chips will do. You may also want to crush up some peppermint candies to coat some of the spoons. Melt the chocolate slowly over very low heat. I put a pan on to boil, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Then carefully lower a smaller pan containing the chocolate bits into the larger pan. As soon as you see the chocolate start melting, start stirring. Remove your chocolate filled pan from the hot water as soon as the chocolate seems about half way melted and continue stirring until it melts all the way, and cools down a little. Now, dip your clean, dry, spoon into the melted chocolate, and place it gently on a cold cookie sheet. (If you have parchment paper, that’s great. But do not use waxed paper or tin foil as it will stick.) When you’ve done all the spoons you want, put the cookie sheet in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens. Remove the chocolate spoons from the cookie sheet by gently bending the cookie sheet until they ‘pop’ free. You may use little plastic ‘goody bags’ you find at party stores, or purchase small candy bags in candy making area of craft store, place spoon in and tie with ribbon so handle sticks out of top. Optional: Dip spoon in chocolate and carefully dip into crushed peppermint candies for a Chocolate Peppermint Coated Coffee Spoon. These are great gifts for Mother’s Day.
Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Sticks: Buy tiny pretzel sticks. Purchase any kind of melting chocolate. The way I melt chocolate is: Melt the chocolate slowly over very low heat. I put a pan on to boil, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Then carefully lower a smaller pan containing the chocolate bits into the larger pan. As soon as you see the chocolate start melting, start stirring. Remove your chocolate filled pan from the hot water as soon as the chocolate looks about half way melted and continue stirring until it melts all the way, and cools down a little. Dip each pretzel, first one end then the other, so you leave a bare spot in the middle, into melted chocolate and lay out on parchment paper on cookie sheet. Put cookie sheet in refrigerator until cold and set. Lay a pile of pretzels down and form a ’stick pile’. Tie your ’sticks’ together in the middle, gently, with a little raffia to form a little bundle of sticks. Then put in plastic gift bag and secure the top with raffia. You should use candy bags for these pretzels; you can find them in the candy making stuff in the craft stores.
Muffin, Cobbler or Brownie Mix: Mix the dry ingredients for a batch of muffins or brownies or even a cobbler. Pour everything into a plastic bag. Use some scrap fabric or a kitchen towel to sew a simple bag. Add the plastic bag with the mix along with some instructions on how to use the mix and put it into the fabric bag. Tie with a pretty ribbon and your gift is done.
You can easily make this into a bigger gift by adding a little homemade recipe booklet, or some recipe cards, an inexpensive baking pan etc. To make a pretty gift basket, keep an eye out for baskets in various sizes in thrift stores or at yard sales. Arrange everything in the basket and tie a pretty red bow to the handle.
Food Gift Basket: Make a batch of muffins, cookies, brownies or fudge and arrange them in a pretty basket. Of course you can also make a combination of all of the above. Include some beverage mixes as well. For a cute small basket, buy an inexpensive holiday mug (I like to look for these at the dollar store). Then scoop some coffee mix or hot chocolate mix into a small bag and stick it in the mug. Tie a ribbon around the bag and stick a small card with instructions on how to prepare the mix in the mug and you’re done.
Assorted Picture Framing Ideas:
“Thumb-Body” Loves You Frame: Purchase wood frame, it can be totally unpainted or already painted, as long as you can add your child’s thumb print in paint to the surface of the frame. Using acrylic craft paint, take a paint print of your child’s thumb and carefully press it on the surface of the frame. You may want to practice this a few times, and you’ll want to keep a wet paper towel handy just to wipe off the prints that don’t work right away. When you get one on the frame that you like, let it dry completely. Then go back with a Sharpie and draw dots for eyes and a smiley mouth. That’s all there is to it. You’ll want to take a Sharpie and write “Thumb-Body Loves You” along the edge of the frame. All it needs now is your smiling child’s picture. Good Grandparent gift, Mommy, or Daddy, too.
Picture Matting Refrigerator Frames: For that mess of pictures and art work on your refrigerator… purchase matting for picture frames in assorted colors and sizes, and purchase stick-on magnets (available in strips that you can cut to suit your needs). Cut and stick the magnets on the backs of your matting, making sure you have enough so they will stick to the refrigerator without sliding around too much. That’s all you need. Now when Grandma gets that picture for her refrigerator, she can “frame” it and anchor it to the refrigerator in one step. This is so inexpensive, you could put together a little assortment and present it as one gift. How nice to have a whole refrigerator turned into an art gallery.
“You Always Have Time For Me” picture frame: To let someone you love know that you appreciate the time they spend with you. Scrounge around flea markets for old watches that don’t work anymore. You might even ask your friendly jeweler if they have a drawer full somewhere that they want to get rid of. Once you have an assortment, find a picture frame that compliments them. You’ll probably want a metal one, but you’ll need to keep in mind the right glue. (Check your hardware store for glue that sticks metal to metal.) Now, glue your watches (just the faces, remove the bands) around your frame in an artful way. Frame the picture of you, and the person who always has time for you, spending time together. What a wonderful reminder to that special person that you know how important it is to spend time with people you love.
Family Tree: The size of this project will depend on how many pictures you’ll want on the tree. Find a nicely shaped branch with limbs, clean it up, trim it nicely, and be sure it’s dry. Take a clay pot, and cut florist foam to fit inside. Stick branch into foam. You may have to wedge in more foam to make the foam tight and the branch not wobble. Now, go outdoors, and take some spray acrylic sealer and lightly spray on the branches just to seal them and make them a little shiny. Choose a picture for each member of the family, glue a piece of paper ribbon on the back and tie it to the tree. There is your “Family Tree”. This is a good idea for Mom or Dad’s office, but keep the size in mind! You may want to keep the tree smaller and make small copies of the pictures and tie those up instead of the full size pictures.
Flip Flop Picture Frame: Purchase new flip flops, the simple $3.00 kind at Old Navy will do. As a special beach vacation souvenir, choose a picture from your vacation, trim it to fit the flip flop foot area if necessary, and using craft glue (the kind to use with foam crafts) glue the picture to the middle of the flip flop. You could also do a collage of several pictures, if you buy big enough flip flops! You may want to create something to make the flip flop hangable. Maybe even a pop top from a coke can. Ha! Stepped on a pop top, blew out my flip flop…
Bejeweled Picture Frame: Search the flea markets and the discount clothing stores for interesting old necklaces, bracelets, etc. Purchase a wooden craft-store frame. Paint the frame a complimentary color to most of the jewels. (You could paint it gold or silver.) Purchase glue that will adhere to glass and metal. Arrange the jewels artfully around the frame and glue on. This is a frame that will appeal to Granny or Auntie, especially if you have a picture from the old days that you give to them in this frame.
Candles:
Clay Pot “Bird Bath” Candle: Buy 4 1/2 inch clay saucer and 3 inch clay pot. Turn 3 inch clay pot upside down and glue it to the bottom of the saucer. You have a bird bath! Add some tiny rocks to the saucer with a tea light candle in the middle. You may also want to embellish the clay surface by gluing on a little sand (use spray adhesive and sprinkle sand) so it looks more garden like.
Clay Pot Candles: Clay pots make a perfect outdoor candle. First, purchase the votives and holders, or tea lights you’ll be using. Then purchase the clay pots and saucers to fit. You might want to embellish the clay pots by gluing on outdoorsy stuff, like sticks, pebbles, moss, etc. This is a nice patio accent.
Fish Bowl Candle: Purchase fish bowl or any round bowl (those beta fish bowls work well). Place glass votive with candle in center of bowl. Fill exterior space with found objects you enjoy, whether it’s seashells, rocks, sand, anything non-flammable. Marbles work well, too.
Knitting, Crocheting and Sewing:
Knit Something: Knit a hat, a scarf, a pair of socks or a pair of mittens. There are quite a few small projects you can get done in time for Christmas. Look through your stash of yarn, grab a pair of needles and get started. I like to browse through knittingpatterncentral.com for ideas.
You can also knit some very cute dolls. I came across this artist a few weeks ago and have been manically knitting quite a few of her dolls. I bought a couple of her pattern books through Annie’s Attic. She has some of the cutes free pattern on the site as well including some cute little baby dolls and a fun snowman. http://www.jeangreenhowe.com/
Crochet Something: You can crochet some pot holders, dish clothes or even a small afghan. Browse through sites like crochetpatterncentral.com for ideas.
I also like to crochet small dolls and stuffed animals for kids. They are fast and you only need leftover pieces of yarn to complete them. Google “amigurumi” for patterns and ideas. I love the patterns found on this website here. I’ve made quite a few of them last year for my daughter and my nieces and am working on more this year. amigurumipatterns.blogspot.com
Sew Something: Sew up some aprons, kitchen towels and the likes as gifts. Last year I made the cutest coasters by cutting two squares of fabric. I’d then appliqué a motive on one of the squares. Layer them like a little mini quilt with some thin batting and add a bias border. I made matching sets of 4 little fabric coasters for my mom and sister and they absolutely loved them.
Miscellaneous:
Eyeglass Case Necklace: Look at the flea markets and discount stores for long necklaces. If you can’t find one long one, you can also put a couple together, but you’ll need some tools, like a small needle-nose pliers if you do. Look at discount stores for an interesting cloth eyeglass case that is open at the top. You could sew your own using some nice quilted material. Open the necklace up and remove the closures from both sides so you just have a closed loop on both sides. Now, using a heavy thread, sew the loops on both ends of the necklace to the outer corners of the open end of the eyeglass case. You now have an eyeglass case on the end of the necklace. Grandma’s glasses are now protected in her eyeglass case, but she knows right where they are.
Dad’s Chair Pocket: Purchase a table runner (check out outlet stores and thrift stores). Lay the runner over the arm of Dad’s chair, with one end tucked securely under the cushion about an inch or two. Now, fold the part that’s hanging over the arm outside the chair over on top of itself until the runner is only hanging about 10-12 inches past the bottom of the arm. Now you know how much fabric you have to cut into pockets. Cut the length of runner that’s you’ve folded over off and cut it up into pockets. Put a couple little pockets on the inside of the chair and a couple larger pockets outside the chair. Pin into place and sew into position. You may want to cover the raw edges of the pockets with fabric glue and ribbon, depending on the fabric the runner was made out of.
Personalized Lamp Shade: You’ll need lamp with plain paper lamp shade and decoupage glue. Choose pictures of person with family, friends… at an event, or enjoying their favorite hobby. Copy on laser printer (ink jet will run). Cut out pictures and arrange on lampshade until you are satisfied. Now, one by one, brush decoupage glue lightly over back of picture and place in position on lampshade. When all pictures are in position, let it dry until pictures are secure. Then, lightly brush coat of decoupage over top of pictures and lampshade. Let dry, and brush a second coat over lampshade. Now, when your gift recipient turns on the light, they’ll be reminded of a special friend.
Ok, enough from me… now it’s your turn. Take a moment to leave a comment with your frugal gift ideas.
Susanne
Tags: christmas gifts, frugal christmas gifts, frugal gift ideas, frugal gifts, holiday gifts
November 11th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
thanks so much for these ideas very cool, I also have a tip check out the thrifty fun & website for more easy on the budget ideas
November 11th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Coffee Candle
Use any clear (or lightly colored) glass jar(fish bowl, vase, etc.), add whole coffee beans in the bottom. Fill as needed to anchor the candle of your choice. Use whatever color or scent you want.
The coffee beans will fill the air with a nice scent, even when the candle is not burning. Stir the
beans around every now and then, to keep the scent going.
November 11th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I SO love your Body & Bath ideas!!!
I have listed mine in my blog
November 11th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
PERSONALIZED SHOPPING BAG
CUT UP A PAPER SHOPPING BAG ALONG THE MAJOR FOLD LINES SO THAT YOU HAVE A LARGE PATTERN PIECE FOR FRONT AND BACK, ONE SIDE PIECE AND A BOTTOM PIECE. CUT TWO HANDLES 1″ WIDE BY 12″ LONG, OR WHAT EVER SIZE YOU PREFER. CUT ONE OR MORE POCKETS. MEASURE THE WIDTH OF THE FRONT AND MAKE THE POCKET THAT WIDTH BY 8″. SEW POCKETS TO OUTSIDE AND/OR INSIDE. SEW A LINE DIVIDING THE POCKET INTO ONE OR MORE SECTIONS TO FIT WINE BOTTLES, ETC.
USE STURDY FABRICS SUCH AS DENIM, COTTON DUCK AND INDOOR AND OUTDOOR UPHOLSTERY REMNANTS. MIX AND MATCH. BE CREATIVE.
CUT OUT TWO FRONTS, TWO SIDES AND TWO BOTTOMS. FOR STURDIER OBTTOM, CUT ONE PIECE OF INTERLINING. USE EMBROIDERY, APPLIQUES, OR FABRIC PAINTS OR PENS TO DECORATE FRONT, BACK AND POCKETS TO SUIT THE RECIPIENT BEFORE SEWING PIECES TOGETHER.
SEW THE FRONT TO ONE SIDE. SEW ANOTHER SIDE TO THE FRONT, THEN SEW THE SIDE TO THE BACK. SEW THE TWO BOTTOMS TOGETHER WITH TOPSTITCHING BEFORE ATTACHING THE BOTTOM TO THE MAIN BODY.
YOUR ONLY LIMITATION IS YOUR OWN CREATIVITY.
BY KARYN GOODE
LAS CRUCES, NM
November 11th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Just a quick note for those who want to Knit but can’t (THAT WOULD BE ME) check out the “Knifty Knitter Looms” at you local Discount Store. I knitted a Hat in about 3hr. And I have never knitted anything before in my life. Enjoy!
November 11th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I did the bath salts one year, and I added red food coloring to some of the salts, and a little bit of peppermint oil, and then went on freecycle and asked people for mason jars, and then layered white and red so it looked and smelled like a candy cane.
Also, my friend did those and the brownie and cookie ones and sold them to people in our department because then they didn’t have to shop. She made a lot of money.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
WOW!!! What great ideas!!
November 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I mainly have ideas that kids can do. My kids loved taking the shatter proof ornaments and using puffy glitter paint and decorating it. Then they chose a spot to put their pictures and we made a “frame” out of their favorite glitter paint color and made a cool ornament for the tree that can be enjoyed every year. We also have let the kids go pick one of those pottery type figurines and paint them themselves. It is a fun project to do and you get to spend time together! Not to mention, it is not expensive. The craft paints are really cheap at wal-mart.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
These are really great ideas! With the tight budget my family has to stick to just to make ends meet, some of these ideas will be lifesavers this Christmas! Thank you!!
November 11th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Wow! These are great ideas, and I’m planning to make several of these for Christmas this year. Thanks for sharing this!
November 11th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Work gifts: I go to the dollar store and buy a ceramic plate or bowl with a holiday motif (yes, for just $1!!) I line them with a coffee filter, place my home-baked cookies inside, and wrap all with colored cellophane or even just clear plastic wrap. Tie with a bow, attach a note and you have tons of office gifts for very little $$$. They can use the containers for their own holiday dinners.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I’ve been using the 40% or 50% off coupons for AC Moore and Michael’s from the Sunday paper. I’ve been able to get things the grandkids want or like to do for crafts at a real reduction. Also yarn to crochet afghans for gifts. Last week I bought some candle wicks and candle making supplies. Then I went to Goodwill and bought a set of cute cups and saucers for $2. The weekend after Thanksgiving, we’re have our “Grandma’s annual craft day.” Guess what the theme is this year?
The kids can use them for teachers, friends or parents. Last year we made pot holders out of fabric scraps. Another year we decorated straw angels with lace, beads and little flowers — all from Big Lots. I try to take advantage of what’s available cheap and come up with something to make – especially now that there are so many great sites available on the internet.
November 11th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
gifts
this yr i made applebutter i have a good recipe that can be done in the oven and if you do not want to take a lot of time making the applesauce you can purchase a gallon size restraunt size can for not so much and make it that way
soup mix in a pint jar makes a wonderful soup
we do lots of yrd sales thru the summer and fix up and find things they like this we all do it and we are all ok with it too
one yr i took drawings the children made when little (now they are grown)and made stitcheries out of them and pillows too cute
i do jerky for us kids don’t like it and we are ok with that….soy sauce and liquid smoke mix and slice meat into it and place on racks of dehydrator
we do not give to ea other my husband and i plan a date and we go to our fav used book store and find what we would like and have a meal out and that is what we do put it under the tree
i also do fruit leather in variety packs….i use applesauce and add jello to it till it is a pretty color about a tbsp or so stir well and make into leather and you can have quite a few flavors
i have made small quilts using mattress pads and perm markers and wrote a story about the child and added little buttons or charms along the way wrote up and down hill they loved them
homemade dishcloths always a hit
knitted socks and slippers are good too
i have one time gotten popcorn boxes and gave those with popcorn and flavored salt and you can add games to it as well
oh yes last yr i gave one of my favorite ones to give that is cookies in a jar that you take a qt jar and put in a cake mix any flavor and add one cup of oatmeal and one cup of choc chips or any flavor chips you want then put with a tag that they mix it with half a cup of oil and two eggs and stir drop and bake these were a huge hit…some fav combinations choc with choc chips or white chips or pbutter chips, lemon with rasp choc chips, cherry chip with cherry chips, carrot cake with raisens instead of chips, choc with mint chips really your imagination is endless on what you can do once you do this bake at 350 till done remove to rack and enjoy
take a reg can of sweetened condensed milk and i will say as many as you want to do at one time do and take off the label and cover with like four or five inches of water in a pan and bring to a boil and boil for two hrs always making sure that the water is over the can or cans at all times after two hrs take out with a canning tool and set on a towel let cool completely down totally cool….then you give apples with this can or cut apples for yourselves and open the can it is the best caramel dip your apples and have a fantastic family nite you could make your own label like your family’s name’s special apple dip open and dip
keep the extra cans in frig i don’t know if you have to i just always have and then you can have this for company coming unexpectedly too
and i have used this as filling in chocolates too but oh addictive i will say
cookie mixes are good to give too make up your fav cookie dry ingred only and then put a tag what needs to be added
i have always had to make gifts like these due to our income but i find that everyone has liked them better anyway
November 11th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
last year, I gave a gift to my mother-in-law that was a big hit with everyone. I found lots of great chicken recipes online and printed them on nice paper. I put them in a binder for her. I also put my own recipe for Mexican chicken soup on the first page. I put the binder and part of the ingredients to my mexican chicken soup(the canned items and spices) in a nice basket with green and red filler paper on the bottom. I titled the binder “100 of the best chicken recipes.” Everyone is always looking for more chicken recipes and I knew that she was a big fan of cooking chicken since she hardly eats red meat. Still to this day, she talks about that gift.
November 11th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I love these ideas! I’ve done the bath salt ones before, but went to the thrift store for pretty glass containers and mixed them with 1 packet of dry Kool-Aid for color (I tested it before I gave them as presents to make sure that it didn’t color skin or the bathtub).
I’ve also given homemade coupons to my sisters and mom for a manicure, pedicure, mask and scalp massage, foot massage, babysitting, etc. Print them on pretty paper and find clip-art for each coupon.
I really like the recipe binder that the previous poster made. Great idea!
November 12th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Another frugal Christmas craft/gift idea…. Throughout the year, save your thread scraps from knitting, crocheting and cross stitch projects. Stuff them into clear glass Christmas balls, replace the hanger and tie a bow on. They make cute ornaments for other crafters and for yourself, are a great reminder of all the projects you’ve worked on throughout the year.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:17 am
My hubby and I did homemade Christmas last year, and it was one of the most memorable Christmas’ I can recall. The kids only got three gifts from us (to go with the three from the wise men), and they enjoyed them more than the multiple items they had received each year prior. This year we will be doing the same. (Grant it one of those three gifts was a gift from Santa, within price reason, unwrapped under the tree.)
Last year I made my son a quilt for his bed, while my husband made bookshelves that could double as barbie doll playhouse for the girls. We were ambitious!! This year, I found a great idea for very frugal tu-tus for the girls. I am going to make them a couple each (ribbon and tule, just looped together), along with accessories (hair bands with tule wrapped around them and some coordinating ribbon wands) to make dressup kit. And for the boy, a lego table! We are thrilled!! (FYI for the third gift we get them each an educational item… last year was books.)
Just a fun idea. They also get whatever gifts the cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents send. Stockings are hung with homemade pajama bottoms, a package of socks, some craft supplies (foam stickies, beads, etc.), candy, toothbrush, etc.
Oh, and we are all knitting hats and scarves for the cousins this year (kids included) using the knitting looms.
November 12th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Going along with the epsom salts: I’m a consultant with a direct sales business that sells spa and beauty supplies, so I always have TONS of beautiful, expensive bath soaks on hand to give as samples. One thing my director taught us to make them go farther is mix just a little bit of the soak (1-2 Tablespoons) with some epsom salts (a cup or so). You can do this for gifts, too (I do!) and it adds an almost exotic feel to a very inexpensive gift! It adds the nice smells and colors of the soak, while having the softening power of the salts, and keeping your budget intact!
November 12th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
If you’re not crafty yourself but would like to give homemade check out Etsy.com. You can find many crafters and artists (including myself) who sell very inexpensively.
November 12th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I am lucky my kids are 1 1/2 and 3 yrs old. I think i’m going to make them placemats with their picture on it, decorated with things they like (trucks for the boy, glitter & ribbons for the girl), then go & get them laminated. I think they’ll love them!
Biscotti also makes a great gift, as it is easy to make, lasts a looong time, and is sturdy enough for shipping!
I am so grateful for all the ideas that have been posted!
November 12th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
I like your knitting idea. That’s a skill I really should learn — there are so many cute stuffed animals and objects that can be made!
I’ve just started a blog about stocking stuffer ideas, and one idea might be to buy inexpensive dice or playing cards, but to jazz up the gift by printing up rules for different games, such as Farkle for dice, or Spit or Spoons for playing cards. Wikipedia has the rules for games like those.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
One homemade gift I have given that was very popular was potpourri that I made myself. You can gather small pinecones, acorns, seed pods, etc., outdoors, and use kitchen items like dried orange and lemon peels. I have bought a small bag of cedar shavings from the pet department of a discount store to use as the filler of the potpourri, then added my decorative items, such as dried flowers, pine cones, etc. You can dye the cedar shavings with Rit dye or food coloring if you want, but they have to be thoroughly dry before using. One small bottle of scented oil will be enough for quite a bit of potpourri, since it takes only a few drops for each batch. I have usually gone to the dollar store and purchased a small decorative container with a top that could be closed to contain the potpourri, but a small basket covered with cellophane or a cellophane bag tied with ribbon looks nice also. You can mix fragrances if you want. One of my favorites is orange and vanilla mixed half-and-half to make “creamsicle” fragrance. Cinnamon and vanilla mixed together is great also. Have fun!
November 13th, 2008 at 10:31 am
I am so glad you included this in this month’s issue. Most of our gifts this year will be handmade. Here is one of the things I am working on:
Homemade Play Dough – Last week I needed play dough for a Sunday School lesson for my preschool class at church. I didn’t want to buy play dough for this project because we were going to leave the dough out to dry so I started surfing the net for homemade recipes. I have never made homemade play dough before, but now I’m hooked! This stuff is great – better than the stuff you buy in stores. Here is the recipes I used:
1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp oil
1/4 cup salt
food coloring
Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time.
I plan on making play dough in a variety of colors for my niece for Christmas. I am going to put them in plastic snack bags and then make colorful paper labels for the front. I am going to decorate an old shoebox for storage and probably put in some cookie cutters and cut dowl rods for rolling pins.
November 13th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
All these comments are so insipiring! Thank you to everybody who has added their suggestions. I am from New Zealand and don’t know what a few of the things mentioned are and I’m wondering if we have the same thing with a different name. Could someone tell me what dry kool aid is please, that sounds like a great idea to add some colour.
One thing that is simple which people love here is the homemade cookies cut into Christmas shapes with cookie cutters. Shortbread is a favorite for this. Also Christmas tarts… do you do those in the States? Or truffles are great, chocolate, apricot, brandy… whatever the receiver would like. Homemade fudge and toffee are also great. Then whatever has been made gets wrapped in red and green cellophane and tied with ribbon. These are great for neighbors, work colleagues etc where buying gifts would really be costly.
I LOVED the placemat idea. With the same idea scrapbooks are always a treasured gift, or you could do the placemat idea but framed (especially if the recipient is not a child).
Another idea which may have been mentioned already but I don’t recall, is to purchase small plain terracotta plant pots. Get children to paint their own pictures on them and then you can either get them glazed when the paint is dry, or a real cheap method is to completely paint over the pot with clear polyurethane. Then pop in a nice little plant for someone who likes plants. Or pop in some pens etc or whatever you want… it doesn’t have to be for a plant!
November 14th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
In response to Marlena’s question, dry Kool Aid is a sugary powder (sold in several different flavors) used to make punch.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I would love becky’s apple butter recipe that you make with canned applesause.
November 15th, 2008 at 1:54 am
Due to popular demand, I make cd’s of family pictures for my siblings, aunts, in-laws, etc. I do tend to take a lot of pictures. I especially take pictures at family gatherings…take lots of close-ups and smiling faces and get some of everybody. Making the cd’s takes a little computer time, but total cost is like 50 cents a gift. I had a Murphy’s law kind of week-before-Christmas last year and didn’t get them pulled together on time…what disappointed folks I had! Hadn’t realized how important these were to everyone. I’ve almost got this year’s done now…just waiting for Thanksgiving pics to add on. I do make small albums for a few older relatives that don’t use computers. Still, with dollar store albums that hold 36 pictures, I can do them for $5 an album. If anyone is interested is doing this next year, I recommend going to the Kodak site and reading/learning their 10 tips for taking good pictures. Also, takes tons and tons of pictures and you’re sure to get some good ones. You can always delete the ho-hum pics.
November 15th, 2008 at 9:48 am
One thing that has always been a big hit as a homemade gift is a cross-stitched framed picture that I made myself. The gift recipients are always impressed because they think they wouldn’t have the “patience” to do it. I find it very relaxing and enjoyable to do. I recently did one for my grandmother and she put it above her entertainment center and comments on it almost every time I see her. Depending on the intricacy of the pattern, cross-stitching can take you anywhere from a weekend to a few months but people always like it.
November 15th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
To clarify about Kool-Aid, there are two types, those with sugar added and those without. Usually when I see craft projects or recips that refer to it, they call for the mix without. Which is just a small packet of unsweetened powdered drink mix.
November 16th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
A great idea I love to give and get are mixes in a jar. Soups, cookies, brownies, coffees, lattes, there are several web sites with recipes to make and give. If you already have the jars the price is even less. I have gotten several off these over the years several soups, cookies and a brownies in a jar. Its great when you don’t have lots of time or just don’t want to take the time. I empty the jar in a bowl add the few extra ingred. and your ready to bake or cook the items.
November 17th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I’ve been making advent calendars for those younger members of our extended family. There are lots of great ideas for them on the web, but the one I’ve decided to duplicate involves leftover Halloween candy, paper grocery bags, duct tape, and construction paper. It is a little time consuming, but the end result is great.
Lay out approx. 5′ strip of duct tape, sticky side up. Put 25 “fun-sized” candies (like those that get handed out at Halloween) in a single line along the tape, keeping the candies about 2″ apart. Cut a paper grocery bag open (like you did in High school to cover books) and cut two or three 4″ wide strips – these will cover the candies and give you a surface to glue decorations to (make sure the bag printing faces the duct tape). I used small holiday cookie cutters to make 6 boots, 6 Christmas trees, 6 circles (for ornaments), 6 bells out of construction paper. I made a large star by covering a 3′5 card with aluminum foil and free-handing the shape (this was day 25). I wrote numbers 1-25 in puff paint (but a marker would work equally well) and added glitter for a bit of sparkle. I glued one shape over each piece of candy putting #1 at the bottom of the strand and working my way up to the star. To finish it off, I added ric-rack to the edges of the brown paper and a stick across the top to hang it from. The kids can start at the bottom of the “calendar” and cut off a small treat each day!
November 17th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
This year I am purchasing gifts, but I’m trying to only purchase when the profits go to a charity. I want to give money to charities, but our budget is so tight I never feel like I can. This way, I get a quick easy gift (no crafting time involved, I have a small baby!), and I get to give to those who need it. I can include that information on a gift tag, to make the person receiving the gift feel like they were a part of the “giving” as well.
November 18th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I recently purchased 4 beautiful baskets at an auction (for $2) and will make gift baskets for friends and family using them. I’ve already bought a few items to tuck into the baskets and will add things as I go.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
To give back to all who have contributed such great ideas here is my idea:
This year I am going to buy some really nice mustards and attach a soft pretzel recipe (you could also attach a bag with the ingredients in it)
Simple, quick and inexpensive!
http://strothotte.com/pretzels.php
Soft Pretzel Recipe
Almost World Famous!
For 3 dozen 6-inch sticks or
For 1 dozen 6-inch Pretzels
1 tbsp Yeast
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 tbsp softened butter or softened margarine
1 cup warm (115-+ deg F) water
2 3/4 cups flour
Coarse Salt to sprinkle on Pretzels before baking
5 tsp baking soda mixed in 4 cups water in a non-aluminum saucepan.
1 large slotted spoon to “go fishing”
Greased cookie sheet
Preheat oven to 475 F
Put yeast, sugar, salt, butter/marg, water and ONE CUP of the flour into a medium mixing bowl and pour in the water.
Stir till all smooth, and yeast starts to bubble.
At this point add the rest of the flour, stir till it is mixed in.
When mixture is too stiff to stir with a spoon, begin kneading.
Knead dough till smooth and till it no longer sticks to the bowl and your hands
Allow dough to rise to about double its height.
While dough is rising, grease the cookie sheet. and prepare the baking soda-water mixture and bring to a boil on stove.
When dough is risen enough, punch down, knead for a minute or so, then divide and roll the 6-inch sticks with your hands, to about 1/2 inch in diameter, or 12-15-inch long rolls to make into the pretzel shape.
Allow sticks or pretzels to sit for about 1-2 mins. Place them into boiling water-baking soda mixture one or two at a time.
Let the pretzels boil for 1 minute 10 seconds, then flip them over with the slotted spoon and boil on the other side for 1 minute and 10 seconds.
This boiling step gives them a firm skin and adds some flavour. Not boiling long enough leaves them too soft and allows them to rise too much. Boiling too long makes them tough.
Fish them out of the water, let them drip off and place them on the greased cookie sheet.
When all the pretzels or sticks are done, sprinkle the coarse salt on them.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or till sticks or pretzels are golden brown.
You can double the recipe in proportion.
ENJOY!!
December 31st, 2008 at 9:34 am
These ideas are awesome!
January 21st, 2009 at 2:04 pm
so the holiday frenzie is out of the way, and vaentines is next! We did a project made out of 25 cent wooden yardsticks and wooden clothspins. Paint the yardstick ( i sprayed it in espresso, but my 10 yr. old painted all kinds of colors onto it,) then paint each clothspin (or cover with fabric, just the tops), and glue them, about 6, to the yardstick in random directions. Attatch photos or special cards from loved ones to the clothspins.. Usually the yardsticks have a pre-drilled hole at the top for hanging, and if not you can loop some yarn or fabric, then hang. they can be hund horizonatally or vertically. fun, easy and cheap, but also recycled stuff!!!
December 13th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Hi Hillbilly Housewife, I featured your awesome article on my website’s big list of the Best Christmas Gift Ideas Blogs on the Internet! Come check it out!
December 14th, 2009 at 10:36 am
It took setbacks for me to learn also, and think its the case for a lot of people, its a marathon not a sprint.
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February 16th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Many thanks for finding the time to put this interesting ideas together. I am going to definately bookmark your blog to visit again. Carry on the high-quality job