Holidays

onsidering cancelling your annual holiday shindig because of cost? No need. "With planning and a little creativity, it's easy to throw a great party without spending a lot of money," says former caterer Denise Vivaldo, author of Do It for Less! Parties: Tricks of the Trade from Professional Caterers' Kitchens and Do It For Less! Wedding: How to Create Your Dream Wedding Without Breaking the Bank. Try some of her favorite themes for successful celebrations on a shoestring. Your guests will never guess that you didn't spend a bundle on them.

ost women love decorative soap. And most moms love a Mother's Day gift that shows off a child's creative work. For these reasons, personalized soap is an ideal gift for Mom, Grandma, godmother, or teacher. Decorative soap is so simple to make you might want to give several bars placed in a pretty basket, lined with a colorful napkin or piece of fabric.

ast minute details can take a holiday home from ho ho hum to spectacular, and doesn't have to cost a lot of cash! Here are some great quick, easy, and inexpensive ideas to wow your guests and comfort your family.

re you tired of sending the same old holiday message? Why not try something new; try writing an annual update to accompany the card. Well, letter writing isn't new, but with today's technology, a personal letter via conventional mail can put the cheer back into the holidays.

Your letter doesn't have to be long, just enough to let everyone know what your family is up to. A paragraph on each family member is usually sufficient. I have tried several formats, the typical newsletter style, an informal letter, a photo essay and last year I just sent a poem to let them all know I love them.

very year, right after Thanksgiving, I fill my grocery cart with delectable goodies that will fill my kitchen with wonderful smells. It's the time of year when I bake, and bake, and bake some more.
Every Christmas for the past 8 years I have made several types of homemade goodies, wrapped them carefully and sent them on their merry way. Some go to relatives, others to neighbors and some to friends.

hile other homemakers are spending a good portion of their holidays in the kitchen, chances are Debi Taylor-Hough will be out in the living room with her friends and family, enjoying hers. Why? Because Taylor-Hough has already prepared a good portion of her holiday feasts. They're waiting in the freezer to be thawed and cooked.

"The holidays can be so crazy, throwing in big meals on top of that can put you over the edge," says the Washington homemaker. "Having your meals planned and ready ahead of time can really ease the stress."

saw one of these in an expensive little boutique. I have heard of them, but had never seen one up close before. A mantle quilt is a row of quilt blocks that hang over your fireplace mantle or shelf; choose any quilt block you like that doesn't have to be set diagonally. Nine patch, log cabin, rail fence, attic window would all work fine with their straight side blocks. Maybe red and green for Christmas. Let your imagination go!

ou may have gone out and bought a poinsettia plant or two to decorate with for the holiday season. But now that the holiday is over, what can you do with it? Throwing it away seems so profligate, somehow, but how to keep it around?

Fortunately, it's relatively easy and quite rewarding. It also might make a neat science project for an older child. Plus, you can save tens of dollars every year, and have the satisfaction of saying, "Oh, no, that's the same plant again, sure." Friends and family will think you're a gardening genius.

ne of the best ways to save money over the holidays is by giving homemade gifts. Depending on your level of craftiness and creativity, these can range from simple baked goods or ornaments to intricate quilts.

My current favorite homemade gifts are cookie and cocoa baskets, treasure boxes, and bath bombs. The directions for these, as well as suggestions for a few other inexpensive and easy-to-make gifts, are below.