The Cost Of Each
By Angie
@andriaperry (116860)
Anniston, Alabama
August 6, 2017 1:31pm CST
I know some people insist on buy Christmas gifts for people no matter what, even if the person has everything and does not want nor need more stuff. And when you think about it there is nothing small that people can afford to give that you really need.
Although some people say " its the thought that counts" I will say yes it is and no one should hurt that persons feels for buying a gift they do not really want.
One year, in the middle of Summer I started to ask people, especially my elders that I give a gift , " What do you like to get for Christmas gifts?" just about all of them told me they have everything they need and about the only thing they have to have daily is food. Homemade food was the best or gift cards to go out to eat.
This is when I began to give my homemade jams/ jellies/ pickled foods as gifts.
Some may say that it cost to much to make the jams/ jellies and others home canned items but it really does not cost much at all.
The break down for the 8 jars of jalapeno pepper jelly I made yesterday cost a total of $6.04 for all the stuff to make it. That is at .75 per jar. And what is nice to know it was made this year, not like the store bought that has set in the warehouse for years before getting to the shelves for us to buy.
Yes I know it takes my time and my electricity to make but that is the biggest gift of all from me, I gave them my time.
So see all it takes is a little money and a whole lot of love.
Now for the children, I bake! All of it from scratch, I will have to do the cost for each batch of cookies I make this year, but the kiddo`s love them as they wait for Santa to bring them toys and such.
How much do you spend on each persons gift per year?
19 people like this
25 responses
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
6 Aug 17
We give opened a savings account for the two grands and deposit money for Christmas and birthdays. We won't buy toys they have more than enough. Other than that I buy for the dog and my husband. He buys for me. The beautician and dental tech get a gift, that's it....we put a stop to family buying when we moved south. How much I spend I don't pay attention, I buy what I think the other person will like. But I will say I spent well over $100 on Ruby!
6 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
6 Aug 17
@andriaperry you are not the first person to say that!!!
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
6 Aug 17
If I had to die and come back as something, I would want to be Ruby 
2 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
6 Aug 17
Its only myself and my son now so we dont bother with gifts just a card Andria.
Sorry couldn´t answer that one for you.
Its nice that you give your time and home made gifts to others.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
6 Aug 17
I do understand because I am at the age of not caring about getting and I am trying to teach my sister the same.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
6 Aug 17
@andriaperry Yes in the end, it is nice not to worry about it anymore.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
6 Aug 17
I am like that also, seems the older I get the less I need or want.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
7 Aug 17
I agree with you on this. The cost to make special jellies and jams is rather small. I also do this here on the islands. I give gift baskets of fruits, veggies, and a few small cakes or cookies. Sometime I add in some jam or another item. People would rather have this than a gift.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
I will do 2 1/2 dozen cookies each box, its 6 of each flavor. For some I will do seedless blackberry because some can no longer have the seeded type.
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
7 Aug 17
@andriaperry Homemade breads is also excellent in the gift basket along with a nice jar of mango or papaya jam. People here love to eat homemade bread and papaya jam.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
@poehere I did make mango jam but I am not a bread baker.
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
7 Aug 17
Don't know what we spend per person, as we buy all throughout the year. But only get for one another, my bf, my grandmother, and whatever kids are in our lives at the time. Besides this year - we got 3-5 things for each member in a 7 person family, because they deserve it.
2 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
Well, I do pick a family with children, that I know, and I give them money to buy Christmas for their children. Or maybe this year it`ll be lower rent for several that do have children in the rentals, probably the lower rent this year.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157562)
• United States
7 Aug 17
My dad and his wife are very elderly. Her two daughters made them homemade "freezer dinners" of recipes they liked. Cooking has gotten to be iffy at their house. There was enough in them that when they wanted to have "all of us" for supper they could heat one up. We often take them meals. I do not do gifts for many and will do less for my son and daughter in law this year, and her girls, because the girls never even say "Thank you." In fact, I would like to buy them a dishwasher, cause theirs is broke. Her dad would install it, and we could call it good.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
That is an awesome gift and I am sure they would love it.
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
I actually found out by accident, one year I did not do cookies and some elderly person asked me if I was mad at them because I did not bring them cookies
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
That is it, you all know that you love each other.
1 person likes this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
7 Aug 17
It depends on the year, honestly. If I'm doing fairly well financially, I'll spend more on gifts for people. If it's a lean year, then I'll make my family salt dough ornaments to hang on their Christmas tree. Or something else crafty. I would rather just make homemade food items to give to people, especially my boyfriend's relatives -- they have everything and we never know what to give them, but they always complain about all the food they get for Christmas and how fat they're going to get from it. So some years we just don't get them anything. The only person I spend a lot on is my boyfriend, because I'm really the only person who gives him a gift. My family gives me gifts, and I always feel bad that I've been given so much while he gets so little. So I always try to make sure he has a good Christmas, even though he says it doesn't bother him.
1 person likes this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
7 Aug 17
@andriaperry My family will give my boyfriend gifts, just not very good ones and they get me way more than they do him, which makes me uncomfortable. My siblings don't get him anything. His family gives us one gift while we sit and watch them do an elaborate gift exchange among each other, and it makes me feel bad for him that he gets excluded. He was adopted and they don't treat him like a "real" family member.
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
My family ALWAYS included my ex in the gift giving, his family was the same they did not give nothing.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40529)
• United States
7 Aug 17
I think home made gifts are the best. There's lots of love and hard work involved!
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
I always enjoy home made stuff from paintings to food.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
7 Aug 17
While we don't celebrate Christmas , I agree that homemade gifts are the best.
I love it when I get any homemade cakes or pickles or jams..So I can imagine how much your gifts are appreciated
My mom makes beautiful bags and napkins and people do love them
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
Thank you, so you already know food is a one of a kind gift, sort of.
1 person likes this
@123sports (1)
•
7 Aug 17
Every gift counts. Regardless of the price tag, its the thought that counts. As cliche as that sounds, honestly, its true. Coming from a poor family, every penny counted for every situation.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
That would be nice to disappear for the month of December.
1 person likes this
@jobelbojel (34729)
• Philippines
6 Aug 17
It would be the great gift instead of material things.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Aug 17
Oh yes, I do have two elderly gentleman that wants sweet potato pies.
