Be Creative! Money is tight for a lot of us these days and as our holiday gift list grows larger and larger, I thought I would share some easy and inexpensive gift ideas. Go ahead and get started, many of these ideas can be started now so you have more time to enjoy the holiday season.
Recipe Books:
You can take postcard printer paper, print out your recipes from your computer and make personal recipe books or just give out a single recipe to go along with a homemade treat. You can put your index printed recipe cards in a recipe book binder or you can hole-punch the cards in the top, with two holes, add rings and you have an index sized recipe book. Check out www.ehow.com/how_5796846_create-recipe-card.html
Homemade Sugar Scrub:
These are so easy to make. Check out recipes and photos at www.tipjunkie.com/sugar-scrub/
Homemade Bath Salts:
Easy to make using Epsom salts, fragrance oil, etc. Use decorative bottles, mason jars, or any other container with lid. You can decorate the container or just tie a ribbon around it. Here is a website for more details: candleandsoap.about.com/od/bathbody/ss/basicbathsalts.htm
Make your own spices, bbq dry ribs, dip mixes, etc. place in airtight containers, personalize and makes easy delicious gift ideas. Google what you would like to make and you can find container ideas and even recipes, inexpensive yet delicious. My husband makes the best dry rub so who knows, we may be making a large batch and placing in decorative containers and placing your Christmas gift...You can be creative, and print off decorative instructions or ingredients and attach to each container of suggested use or mix with xyz to make 8 oz. dip, etc. Again, personal, unusual and delicious!
Sweet Treats: You can make up batches of your favorite holiday treats including cookies, brownies, etc. and place in clear bags with decorative ribbon or in decorative boxes, tins, etc. this holiday season. Add recipe cards noting the recipe for each type of treat and personally delivery. It's easy, fun and delicious. Just be sure not to let them melt in hot area or let them go stale if you make too soon in advance.
Popcorn Bucket Baskets: Right now Dollar Tree has the plastic Popcorn Bucket $1 with 4 popcorn cups $1, add some microwave popcorn or old fashion popping corn, a dvd or movie gift card, you can add bottle cokes, m&m, etc. and it makes a fun FAMILY gift idea. Get some clear cellophane and wrap it up like a basket gift once you have filled the popcorn bucket up. We gave these out a couple of years ago, fun gifts for guys, girls, and families.
Gift Certificates: Do you like to take the easy route and just give gift certificates for the holidays. They make great gifts. Why not dress up that G/C and either add a little something creative with it or wrap it up in a decorative bag with ribbon so the loved one you are giving it to has something to open and then they have the joy of spending your G/C at a later day. Be creative!
Photo Books: you can go through your photos from the past year of you, your family, your children, your animals, etc. and upload to a photo center and create a very unique photo book. It's inexpensive, personal and a fun gift for all. You can also create fun photo calendars for 2012, coffee cups, t-shirts, etc.
Art: Are you or your children artistic? Draw a simple picture, have copies made on cardstock, frame and give as gifts to each family member.
You can get plain white note cards and have your children draw/color on the front of each notecard. Tie up the set with their matching envelopes and you have a great gift of personal art stationary for your loved ones.
Painting, get a few inexpensive small canvases, have your kids or yourself paint on them for gifts. It can be as simple as a Cross, or put the family's initial in the center and add dots around it, it's creative, simple, inexpensive but would mean the world to the person you are giving it to. Think of their home colors and use coordinating paint colors so it will coordinate with their decor.
Mixed CD: Do you love music? You can make personalized mixed CD for your friends and family...
Photo CD: you can take family memories from the past year or for many years and make a photo cd, add a framed family photo and make a neat family gift basket.
Personalized Trivet: you can take small tile squares, add felt to back and with paint, paint designs, family initial, etc. on the front of your homemade trivet and give as a family gift.
There are many more things you can make, put on your thinking cap and remember to be creative...As I run across more ideas I will share them with you.
Have a blessed day!
No comments:
Post a Comment