Frugal Christmas Ideas 2005
Yes, I know it's only September, but I'm trying to plan early for Christmas this year. Hopefully by getting myself organised early enough I can hunt out bargains, and also have time to make gifts.
I am cross stitching bookmarks for my Grandad and my brother's girlfriend. They will be simple, with their names on and a motif of some kind. Maybe a tassel too if I can remember how to make them. DS14 has asked me to make a bookmark for him too, I am hoping to find a chart or kit for a dragon or something similar. If not I'll do his name too.
I'd like to knit a scarf for my Mum. This is one I have been considering
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel172064
-mainly because it has the word basic in the title 
I am a bit scared of Aran wool though - isn't it a bit thick and scratchy? Could I use doubleknit instead d'ya think?
This evening I have been very pleased with myself as I found two terrific gift ideas for DS....
I found fabulous printable stationery designs at
http://www.freeprintablestationery.net/
I've amended the designs to include our address at the top and printed out 10 sheets each of three different designs. I will buy a pack of 30 envelopes and a nice cardboard folder (which I may decorate) and voila! A writing set, very topical for us at the moment as DS is about to join www.ipfeurope.com
I also found printable coupons for breakfast in bed, dog walking etc at
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/projects/blprintcoupons.htm
I did a coupon book for DS a couple of years ago and he loved it. I made that one myself, just buying a small notebook and writing on each page. DS loved it, it was one of his favourite presents ever. I made ones for 'staying in pjs ALL DAY! and 'no chores' as well as 'an hour of Mum playing computer games with me' and 'fish and chips for dinner!' amongst others. The ones on the site are various colours and there is even a blank one to print out and customise yourself. I have printed out quite a few and will be making them into a little booklet.
My Christmas budget really is practically nonexistent this year, and it is surprising me how inventive I can be when I get down to it. Does anyone else have some frugal ideas for gifts?
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hi Honey
Do you remember that three-fold "what to get everyone" thing you told us last year? How did it go? There was cashmere sweater for everyone who should get something expensive; and bath salts either at the cheap or mid-price level? And something else?
I'm making cinnamon applesauce ornaments for some of the people on my list. I can't remember what else but I'll look it up.
Was it...
...cashmere sweaters, bath products, and a crisp note in a gold envelope for each of the kids? Something like that. I can't remember where I read that now
I'd like to make cinnamon applesauce ornaments to hang on our tree, but I think the dog might eat them! I suppose I could hang them high up. What is your method of making them Becky? I've seen varying versions.
Cookies for extended family
Probably not so good for immediate family, but my husband and I send tins of assorted cookies to extended family and friends every year. They get rave reviews all year long.
It's not cheap to make and send 25 tins of cookies out across the country, but it's cheaper than trying to buy them all presents!
no method
I haven't tried yet. I'm going to start on a websearch and cross my fingers.
Frugal Christmas thread 2003!
Lenora was making them in 2003........
http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/node/220#comment-1180
For keen cooks
If you need presents for someone who cooks how about pretty oven mitts/gloves made from offcuts of material or simpler still pot holders, decorated pots of herbs for the kitchen or pretty muslin bags of bouquet garni or mulled wine mix in a decorated jar or box.
For men something like sloe gin always goes down well.
Small children love little knitted rabbits made from leftover scraps of wool (I think I still have a pattern if you need one).
Friendship bracelets for older girls, as fancy as you can make them.
Decorated/embroidered covers for a favourite book themed to match the subject matter of the book.
'story bags' for small children with a copy of a book and related items in a pretty cloth bag
Um... that's all I can think of for now.
Great ideas
I've been planning to make a cover for a journal. I am making a journal jar for my son's girlfriend and I thought I would buy an inexpensive one and cover it with some nice material. Friendship bracelets would be a great idea for her too, but I have no idea how to make them! I'm a bit creatively challenged
I love the story book bag idea. I don't have any littlies to buy for anymore 
butI think I could adapt the idea for my DS14.
And although I don't have littlies to buy for, I'd love the knitted rabbit pattern! Think I might make myself one of those!
Thanks
me too!
I'd like a knitted rabbit pattern.
It's never too early for planning
I'm newly married and my husband has quite a large family so i've already started planning for Christmas gifts. I like doing embroidery and have plans for kitchen towels, pillowcases, and sweatshirts in the making. I would love to learn to sew and my mother-in-law is helping me although i'm not sure if i'll be good enough by Christmas to sew anything fancy. Anyways, I'm new here (this is my first post) but I look forward to getting some great ideas from this site.
Thanks!
Knitted Rabbit
I have an Easter crafts book with a knitted rabbit pattern that you make from knitting a square then selectively sewing, stuffing and tucking it up. It's cute as all-get-out. I made one for my DD out of a fine white mohair yarn. She loves it.
Anhata
www.familynaturally.com
Your Family's General Store, Naturally
Aha!
I *knew* I saw this thread somewhere.
Oh, how I wish I could knit. Oh well.
My idea for Christmas budget is to put a bunch of comic books up for auction at eBay and try to rebuild my PayPal account. LOL! Because I like to purchase things online for simplicity's sake.
DH's family is not very forthcoming about what they want, so it's probably gift certificates again this year. Boring, but useful. And not something I can handmake.
However, I was thinking about adding to that some "Why We Love You" photo albums. I saw brag books in the Dollar store for $1 apiece. I could print digital snapshots (I have some photo paper) and have the children make small drawings on index cards or card stock, and intersperse them throughout the book with little handwritten reasons why we love that person. I think grandmothers and aunties in particular would like that. They are always saying I never mail pictures. I don't, either. It's a lot to keep up with.
It may not be super cheap, but for a couple of recipients I was thinking about making up a spice bottle of my sticky chicken rub and printing the recipe on nice paper to go with it. My mother loves sticky chicken and would probably use that. Oh, and I meant to add that I found 6 empty spice bottles for $1 recently at a yard sale, and the dollar store has inexpensive spices.
I think I'll also do the chai tea mix from the hillbilly housewife site. Maybe with sweetener substitute for those who can't have sugar?
I can't think of much else, but I hope others will post ideas. I hope to go thrifting soon and maybe get ideas from whatever I find there.
Christmas Ornaments/Advent
Oh, I forgot to add that I like to give a Christmas ornament to each child every year. It can get expensive. Last year I bought cute little resin things at Wal-Mart, after my friend warned me to get there early for the best pickin's. That wasn't too costly. But this year I'm going to handmake little felt birds from familyfun.com. I collect bird ornaments and I'll probably make the dove for DH and me, and the cardinals for the children.
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11306
They also have really cute advent ideas:
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10635
That's one. I might just do 24 gift boxes this year, though, with a scripture verse tucked in side for the children to read aloud, plus treats all around.
http://www.earlychildhood.com/Crafts/index.cfm?FuseAction=Craft&C=95
We also have a purchased advent calendar (found at a yard sale) that we can lift-the-flap on for each night as well.
Good news...my eBay and PayPal accounts are still active.
All those e-mails I have been getting have probably just been scams, I guess.
those are cute crafts
And those Paypal scams are the worst, aren't they?
Stepping Stones
Last year we made cement stepping stones with each child's handprint for Grandparents. All 11 of my parents grandchildren gave them one.
My parents are the most impossible to buy for. What do you get for the person who has everything, blah, blah, blah. My dad was so excited about his stepping stones they brought tears.
It was cheap! We bought a kit a Michaels for the cement and colorful stones but for you handy types I bet you could figure it out even cheaper.
Trouble with novelty soaps
I want to make clear glycerin soaps with little fun things in them for my little nieces and nephews. But I can't find anything small enough to fit in the soap molds (regular bar size) that I'd want to give to a little one. I'm against cheap, breakable toys on principle so most of the little plastic stuff is out of the picture. My neices and nephews range in age from two to fifteen. I've looked at hair thingies for the oldest niece, even, can't find much. I want to do this soon, because I heard that glycerin soaps need to cure for six weeks.
Any ideas?
Anhata
www.familynaturally.com
Your Family's General Store, Naturally
Are there any sewers in that
Are there any sewers in that group? Thimbles would work.
Or metal jacks and tiny rubber balls for younger kids
Or a hot wheel /matchbox car
Or mini tubes of lip gloss
Or beads spelling out their name that they can later string into a necklace
Or...or...or....Can't think of anything else
Hope it helps
Heidi
Thanks, Heidi!
DH had also suggested the matchbox car, apparently they now make mini matchbox cars? And the beads spelling out their names is brilliant, thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm going to see if I can't find some nice big beads for that. That works for the boys AND girls!
Anhata
www.familynaturally.com
Your Family's General Store, Naturally
Thanks everyone!
You are really inspiring me. I was just this morning fretting about what in the world I was going to do for Christmas. I have absolutely zero money right now. Actually, less than zero.
All I could think of was my knitted dishcloths, but there's not much time to make very many of them. I DO, however, have a whole bunch of boxes and jars, etc., that I've been saving for just this purpose. It will also help me clean out my house!!!
I'll stay tuned to see what other ideas arise.
Julie
"We must have patience for love, born of an accidental look." --Me
Mug rugs
Julie, one idea is to knit 'mug rugs' - like a dishcloth, but rectangular, and striped, to use as a coaster to put a drink on. I am planning one each for Mum and Dad's stockings but haven't worked out how to attach a fringe at each end. You must just knot pieces of yarn onto the end stitches I suppose. Lynn?
I also have a pattern for a sort of round-with-small-petals coaster, which I have knitted in Christmas colours as a gift. I'm doing dishcloths too. I find I can do one in a couple of hours.
I have zero money right now, too, it's a challenge isn't it?? I'm not sure my baking is up to gift standard, or I'd give that a go. I might try shortbread for Dad and coconut ice for Mum, but it'll probably all go wrong - I don't really know what I'm doing
What about making flavoured popcorn? Would it keep, in a jar? That would be pretty frugal, as popping corn is so cheap.
buy nothing!
Came across this website
http://www.buynothingchristmas.org/alternatives/index.html
Great link, Honey!
There are a lot of good ideas! Thank you!
Rose
Sloe Gin
Hey, not just the men with that sloe gin, please! I love it
Zillah
Sloe Gin
I've always wanted to try it! Can't get it in the supermarket
Come and try some!
It's not far to Oxford you know. And you can get the bus! We have cranberry vodka too . . .
Zillah
Sloe gin alert!!
I saw it in the supermarket!
Cant afford it though, lol
My current fave....
Absolut's Vanilla vodka!
Blessings,
Lenora
"...if woman's work is never done, why bother about how much of it [isn't] getting done at any given moment?"
~ Claire Fraser in The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
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