Frugal Christmas Ideas 2005

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.

...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.

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!

I haven't tried yet. I'm going to start on a websearch and cross my fingers.

Lenora was making them in 2003........

http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/node/220#comment-1180

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.

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

I'd like a knitted rabbit pattern.

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!

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

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.

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=11...

They also have really cute advent ideas:

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10...

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.

And those Paypal scams are the worst, aren't they?

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.

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 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

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

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

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.

Came across this website

http://www.buynothingchristmas.org/alternatives/index.html

There are a lot of good ideas! Thank you!
Rose