Any ideas for creative, meaningful, Christmas gifts?

Question

I refuse to go overboard and spend a lot of money this year or give a gift that someone is as capable of going out and buying for themselves. Any ideas? By the way, how will you decorate your tree this year? Do you have a theme? Real tree or fake?

Answer 1

you can take a wisk and fill it with hershey's kisses...put some celofane over it and ribbon....print out a nice recipe and attach to it...someone did this at work last year and it was a big hit...also, you can buy the ingrediants for something simple like sugar cookies...mix the dry ingrediants together and seperate into cute little bags...print recipe and attach to bag with cookie cutter...all they end up having to do is mix the butter and stuff in...cuts their time in half and is really cute....and an easy way to cover alot of people....good luck...oh yes and about the tree...i was given a beautiful fake tree last year and i am using it...love real trees, but their is the fire danger and everything with them...i have been doing a theme of green and red ornaments, with silver garland and bells....white or colored lights looks great with it and it is very festive looking....if you go with the fake tree there are many canldles that will still give you that christmasy smell...my favorite are the glade candles that come out during the holidays

Answer 2

Last year, I used a small alder, spraypainted it white, and glued sparkly fake snow to it. I lit it from the floor with a blue spotlight. Absolutely beautiful! It really showcased all the beautiful hand-carved and antique ornaments I have. Did I mention that we don't have kids or pets? Definately not an option if you have either.
Handmade gifts are my favourite and I love to quilt, so every year there's 1 or 2 under the tree. It's a lot easier than most people think but it is quite time consuming. I was 24 when I started, so it's not just for grannies.
As for a theme, I may decorate in a colour palette, but I'm not themey.

Merry Christmas!

Answer 3

My mother passed away about 18 years ago and one year I typeset all her poetry into books that I gave to all the family members. This year I'm considering doing the same with an old recipe book of my grandmother's...bringing back memories of when my aunts and uncles were kids.

Cost of each is little more than time and copying or printing on your own computer and can be bound cheaply enough at Office Depot or one of the many copy stores.

Another idea is one of the many "Gifts in a Jar" recipes that are so fun. You mix the dry main ingredients of a brownie, cookie, soup or other recipe into a quart-sized canning jar then attach a recipe card listing the additional ingredients (milk, oil, eggs, meats & vegies, etc.) and directions. It's a thoughtful gift and you can make up a bunch to keep on hand in case someone gives you an unexpected gift or if you want to give one to the mailman, co-workers, etc. My step-mother said she made about 20 last year and gave them all out. The best thing is if you don't give them all away, you can use them yourself!

Answer 4

Well, I like the smell of real trees but hate the mess so I do a fake tree now and it works and I don't have to worry about my cat climbing the tree!
As for the gift thing, I usually try to buy gift cards because then the people can get whatever they want

Answer 5

Baked goods really seem to be a big hit. Especially at the holidays because it seems people are far too busy to cook for themselves (or too pooped out!). So maybe some cookies or chocolate covered pretzels in a very nice tin? Or a nice bowl that they could later use again?

One year I made gifts for several aunts/uncles and this is what I put in them:

1) Small yankee candle (3.7oz jar).. you could also use the yankee candle plug-in air fresheners now or the car jars

2) Home made peanut butter cups

3) Home made chocolate covered pretzels

4) Home made cookies (various assortment)

6) Home made chocolate dipped spoons

7) Cocoas (individual packets)

7) A few scratch tickets

8) Bottle of wine (inexpensive bottle, like Sutter Home White Zin or something like that)

Then I put all of the items into a wooden sled that I bought at a craft store for real cheap. I painted each sled a different color (blue or white so they could use it throughout winter, rather than just at Christmas) and then wrapped them in cellophane and put a bow on them.

I thought they were really cute! And really, not that expensive. I bought things in bulk when I could and I'm a big sale shopper so it wasn't really expensive!

Answer 6

I cross stitch and frame little pictures for people. For example I made one that had flowers and said God Is Love. I stitched a portrait of Christ one year.

But it's really time consuming, so if you have a lot of people on your list, I wouldn't recommend doing that for everybody.

But they do have those little ornament kits that you can use. You only have to stitch a little picture and then the hoop serves as the frame.

When I was in college, I had less than no money, so I used all my scrap book supplies and made a special scrap book page for each member of my family. I put it in a slip cover so that they could add it too their own scrap books or books of rememberance, or journals or whatever. My mom said it was the best gift ever.

Answer 7

Buy a farm animal in their name from Heifer International
Bringing an End to World Hunger Through Unimaginable Blessings
Today, millions of people who were once hungry will be nourished by milk, eggs and fresh vegetables.

Families who for generations knew only poverty will be building new homes and starting businesses.

Children who once headed out to the fields to do backbreaking work will be heading into schoolrooms to learn to read.

And people who never thought they’d be in a position to help someone else will be experiencing the joy of charitable giving.

How is this possible?

With Heifer’s proven approach – almost 60 years in the making – to helping people obtain a sustainable source of food and income.


http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.201452/

Answer 8

I like to give people gifts of things that are little decadent things that I use all the time that they wouldn't buy themselves. Bathrobes are great. Really good quality sheets. A great shower product. comfy slippers. Something practical. My mum loves her coffees so for her birthday I rang the coffee shop she goes to and organised her next 20 coffees to be free. I paid by credit card over the phone. She loved it cause it saved her money and she felt really special when they new her b'day. I like a plastic tree. Call me crazy but the smell of plastic and tinsel smells like christmas to me!No theme, just as long as we decorate as a family!

Answer 9

Try a scrapbook for someone. or My grandma gave me a book one time that she got from a Christian book store it was asked questions and she answered them of her life and my life and why i am special to her. It was a really great gift, I cried but i was touched.
We have 2 trees one up stairs one down stairs, the one up stairs we all pitch in and decorate and it has white lights with red garland and whatever ornaments we feel like putting on. The one downstairs i decorate myself, it's decorated in a NASCAR theme, red & white lights with red garland, and I have Dale Jr ornaments all over it with a checker flag at the top for the star.

Answer 10

What about one of those blankets that you can make from fleece and you make fringe and tie them together? the fleece comes in so many colors and things that you can find something to fit most personalities. People love these blankets. Of course if you are in a warm climate then I guess that would not work.