Looking for ideas on Holiday Gift Giving!  

So True Oreo I find the same thing happening with me and more so since I gave birth to my son!!!

~Heavens~

I tried posting this picture of the vine ball like three times and it isn't working..Here is a link that hopefully when you go to it, the picture I tried sharing is on the top..
http://images.google.com/...

I actually received a mason jar once and it was a yummy hot drink with marshmallows!
The balls sound like a neat center piece for sure!

The problem I have is time and my boy letting me do these things as well as my work schedule also!

However, I do have some ideas....
If you can purchase some baking ingredients you can get holiday tins or jars from the dollar store you can fill them with goodies for friends and Aunts etc. I even have a recipe for relatively cheap homemade chocolates!

Thanks for the idea of this topic and feel free to interject whenever you want here! I hope you and I get some really great ideas! If I think of anything else I'll let you know as well!

~Heavens~

Yes, some will take time, but if you do just a little at a time..like the vine balls,took me a couple days because I was at my friends house for only a short time..Or with the mason jars, do one a day, or just a couple a week. And of course there will be other ideas..The cookie tins at the dollar store is also a great idea.
BTW, I would love the homemade chocolate recipe, yum!!!

I'll E-Mail you the Homemade chocolate recipe when I look it up! They are so easy to make!

Everyone enjoys them when I do them! I also have an easy Mint Chocolate Fudge I make! Boy, am I ever making myself hungry here!!

~Heavens~

Oh that would be great, both sound very good.. I also shared this discussion with a friend who is good at this kind of thing, I hope she responds, I would like to hear what she has to say..

That will be great if she does!!!

~Heavens~

I love the vine covered ball. So beautiful and creative.

Thanks bdugas I did do a bit of that throughout the year but not enough....
when I went to my closet to see what I had most of it was for my son and now I am afraid I will have nothing for my in laws or any others I generally give to!!!!

This year has been particularly tight because of my son's therapy costs and now I know there won't be much of a Christmas!!

~Heavens~

I believe a lot of us will have a rough time this Christmas. My son just ask me what I wanted and I said a Petegg, really don't need anything. I just want my kids and grandkids to have a nice christmas.

All I want is for my Son to have a good Christmas and His seventeen year old Aunt and then I need more funds so that I can continue my Son's therapy...that is more important to me then anything!!!!
A long as we get together as a family and have a meal I don't need any gifts for me!

~Heavens~

Hi Minnie! It is so great to see you!
How is every one doing?

I have made baskets also in the past but they too can get quite costly I find depending on what you put in them!

I am sorry to have to ask this but what is Black Friday? I have never hear of it!

~Heavens~

Thanksgiving is the third Thursday in the States (USA), the following day is called Black Friday. That is the day that people go crazy shopping. With any luck, it will be the first day of a really, really good holiday shopping season and the stores will be "in the black" as opposed to "in the red," which would be negative numbers. People usually line up early and go crazy trying to get to cheap items first before they're all sold out. My husband and I stay home those days because it's crazy. Take care.

O.K well here in Canada we don't have that after our thanksgiving at alll! that is why I never heard of it!

Thanks for the explanation Writersedge!

~Heavens~

That's neat Deb! I always liked to give something that they would have something to show of it but it is true that we all have to eat!

My problem this year is that there will be no gifts for anyone if I have to spend much money!

~Heavens~

Hello Writersedge!

Carmela told me you might drop by I really do appreciate this!

If you are talking about my son, he is only five and so none of these things would be any good for him! Anyhow, I am not as worried about him because I have some stuff for him already! Who I am concerned about is my husband parents and my seventeen year old sister-in-law! None of these things would be any good for her either...I know that!

I don't know what other information I can give you...

I must say, I am not all that crafty though!

~Heavens~

What do they like and what do you have?

Do they like plants and you have some pots, dirt, and seeds so you could grow a plant for them? Do they have pictures of your family? Often little photo albums are at the dollar store and you could put photos in one for them.

No one likes balsom pillows for their chests of drawers or closets? Interesting, really well-liked here.

I have some jams and jellies that I will be giving, too. I grew or had stuff grow that I added sugar to, heated, and put in jars, so I made my own jellies.

Without knowing the people involved, what they like, what they need, it is hard to tell what to make them or give them. If they have dishwashers and zap-it meals, I suppose pot scrubbers wouldn't work. There again, my family mostly still washes things by hand and cooks from scratch. I'm going to a meeting tomorrow night of mostly people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s ( my hubbie and I are in our 50s) and there is a request a few in their 30s and teens that want me to make pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin is $1 a can at the dollar store where I live and it's a large can. I made an upsidedown cake for them once and everyone went crazy over it because they hadn't had an upsidedown cake in years. Pineapple was less than a dollar a can, at the time, and the cake mix was a dollar. I had cake for 10 people for less than 2 dollars.

If I get going on the Paid to Click sites, I may have some gift cards to give them for only the cost of time because I have some points toward some gift cards, but I don't think I'll have enough by X-mas.

Without knowing what you have, it's hard to know what you can provide. Like cereal boxes can be made into gifts. Round oatmeal boxes can be decorated and I've been to families where the little kids used them for drums. Square boxes can be covered with magazine pages, gift wrap, cloth, wallpaper, etc. just by gluing and made into magazine holders if someone has a bunch of magazines they need to keep somewhere. The boxes are cut at diagonals and used to hold magazines. They look like the magazine holders you can buy, only usually better. If you don't eat cereal or they don't collect magazines, that wouldn't work either. So like I wrote, without information,it's hard to know what to tell you.

I have a brother who goes fishing. At the dollar store, I can buy him fishing line, and he'll be happy. My family has lots of interests and are easily pleased. Some people aren't so lucky. Take care

Sorry Writersedge!

My seventeen year old sister in law is into fashion and make-up very smart and very popular...Heading off to University in the fall! I can't imagine anything I made making her happy! She is the one I am most concerned about....
My parents are not wanting anything because they just bought a house and were able to down size...My Mom says she is happy with what she has!

Whoa I just had a brain wave for my parents and in-laws and it was brought on by you! I can't share anymore here as my Mother-in-law is on here and will likely read this! As for growing things, I live in an apartment in the city and am not that great with plants anyway...Wish I was though! I may also make some drink mixes or small baskets of baked goods for other friends and family members... Something from the heart! I think I am on my way to the Dollar Store and the Bulk Store!!

Only I wish there was a way to make a seventeen year old happy without money!!!

Thanks so much, you really have helped me! You made me think of something I should have thought of on my own...I think they will be very happy!!

~Heavens~

Glad something helped.

I had seen that a couple of people offered the premixes stuff before me. Those are great ideas. Aloe Vera, I've given that to people who live in apartments and trailors and even some that kill everything, still kept it going. I water mine every Monday. I usually kill house plants, too, but that one lives and multiplies for me to give to other people.

Here, right now, the teens are into funky scarves that can be bought at the dollar store. The ones with wild fur or eyelet yarn (stuff that is a wild color and shaggy). If you know her favorite color, that would help. Yes, teens are hard to buy for. Esp. now - a - days with all the money they seem to have, if they want it, they buy it. IPOD holders and Cell phone holders seem to be the thing if you look at Etsy Custom or Alchemy, lots of people are asking for those. If she's going to college at 17, I'm sure she is very intelligent. College students always need something. Trust me, I was one. So she is a she. Maybe if you talk to her about college, you'll get some ideas. I know when I had a roommate who bought tang and powdered lemonade for the hot days and hot chocolate ( college in the North) for the cold, I was eternally greatful for her buying that stuff and sharing it with me.

So someday let us know what sparked an idea that you had for your inlaws. I think it's better when an idea sparks another one than doing the same as a suggestiong anyway, then you can take credit for thinking of it yourself. Take care.

I'll let you know what I did when I have exchanged gifts with my Mother in law!

Thanks Again!
~Heavens~

First of all heavens, you're putting 'way' too much pressure on yourself, regarding this. I find it truly touching, that you're so very concerned about your seventeen year old sister in law. She's really not that hard to please. I 'know' that she's totally into all of the various types of tea (almost without exception.) She has a large Tim's mug, that she carries to school with her on cold mornings, filled with said beverage. If you can find assorted teas on sale, that would be great. The single serving pouches would be really good. You know, the ones with the string attached. This is one suggestion for her. She also loves 'Bulk Barn foods.' One of her all time favourite snacks, is those banana chips they have. She enjoys those 'Special K,' cereal bars too (with the strawberries.) An inexpensive tin, like you've mentioned here, with some of these goodies, would definitely make her happy. Just a thought, and I'm sure her mom will be speaking to her, about Christmas budgets this year. Is your 'myLotting mother in law' the curious type, who is easily intrigued by things? If so, I'm sure she's got your 'brainwave' here, on her mind. I bet she'll find it hard to wait until Christmas. I have it on good authority, that she's quite the detective too. But she never peaks at gifts in advance, so no worries. That's a Christmas 'no no!' By the way, a 'little bird' told me, that she's a fan of your delectable fudge. Chocolate mint! Yum!

Oh Mom!!!!
You sure don't know how to be subtle do you!?!?!?
Well, I am still not sharing what I have decided for my Mother-in-law until we have exchanged said gifts! I am determined to have a wonderful Christmas this year despite the lack of funds! You may have a point about my sister-in-law and I so appreciate the ideas here for her as I was still struggling somewhat with that! The fact that she is going away to University in the fall...I was trying to think of practical things for her dorm room...tea just might be a good idea

~Heavens~

Glad to be of help, regarding the gift suggestions. Even if your sister in law happens to decide to live at home and commute, she'll still appreciate these types of things. I'm really not "subtle" when it comes right down to it, as far as this situation goes.

Thanks for best response. You've been added as a friend. Hope we all have a terrific Thaksgiving and X-mas. Take care.

I thank you for your friendship and all of your help here!
Have a wonderful Holiday Season!!!

~Heavens~

Happy Thanksgiving and have a wonderful week-end my friend!!!!

HUGS
~Heavens~

Hi Writer!

I went to my Mother in-laws (Husband's Step Mom) for her Christmas Dinner on Sunday and so now, I am able to share with you just what I did!

I took a piece of my son's art that he did at school and mounted it on a piece of foam from the dollar store and then I added his hand prints that I got him to do at home and I cut around them to get rid of the excess paper! Then I added my son's printed name and the year and four photos taken in 2008 and wrapped it just as is with a card from my son also! She absolutely loved it and I know that my hubby's birth mom and my mom will love theirs also!

Thanks so much for the time you took in trying to help me and for the inspiration!!!

My Sister in law absolutely loved the basket of things I put together for her...A box of Specialty Tea Bags (Most expensive item) A 4x6 picture of her nephew in a nice dollar store frame, A Bracelet that I have had here waiting to give to someone for over a year, two Christmas tree ornaments from the Dollar store and some candy and a pot of gum (Which I already knew she loved and I found on sale)! It was definitely a good Christmas there and they are so happy with these gifts we gave from the heart! My Husband also found some really nice $8 frames and purchased three of them and chose one of his photos to place in each one for each parent...His Step Mom quickly took the picture down from above her computer and replaced it with my Husbands work (We have a really good printer and just printed them out here ourselves with photopaper that we purchased!

So, there you have it! I managed to make my family happy and I have you to thank for sparking the idea of doing the craft with my son!!!

Thanks again my dear friend and I know that the other two sets of parents will love theirs too!!!

Merry Christmas to you!
~Heavens~

That sounds absolutely wonderful! Glad you had such a great time. Those are all terrific ideas. That gives me an idea for my younger brother. Pictures of when he was younger ( he doesn't have any). Thanks and take care.

So glad I could be of some help!!!
She absolutely loved the collage including my boys art work and hand prints...I am so proud of myself for thinking of it! I am sure your brother will love it too!

Merry Christmas to you and your family!
~Heavens~

Thanks so much Canada Gal but my people are all non drinkers!
Fabulous idea though!

~Heavens~

One year I got really crafty, and I bought a bunch of regular sized stockings from the dollar store, as well as numerous sheets of felt, again from the dollar store. The felt happened to be sparkly on the one side, which I liked a lot. Then with the felt, I cut out letters to spell the names of all of the people I was giving the stockings too. I even cut out little girl and boy snowpeople wearing scarves to add to the stocking. Then out came my hot glue gun, and a touch of hot glue to add some googly eyes on the snowpeople and voila! A cheap and personalized gift. Time consuming for the cutting out of letters part, but they look fantastic.

I made one for each of my sons... but go figure... I didn't think to make one for me too. DOH!!! Now I can't find those same stockings, so we can't have a matching set on display. Sigh!

I love the sound of the stockings!
Too bad you can't find them now!

~Heavens~

Thanks nimnim! It has been a particularly rough year for us and so it would not matter if I had started six months ago! No one I give to would appreciate the wine and I really can't afford that anyway! Thanks for your input though, I really do appreciate it!

~Heavens~

I know all about boxing day, I am Canadian also!
Unfortunately that never works out for me as we are4 with family still that day and also, My son's therapy takes all of our money and so I would not be able to do that anyway! I bought a few small throughout the year but it is not near enough! I'm not very crafty in that I don't crochet or knit or anything like that but I do have a couple of ideas now!

~Heavens~

I'm not sure if she would or not, she is on her way to University in the fall!
I'm thinking it would be nice for her to have some pictures of us in some form as she is going away and we will not see her...this way she can take her nephew with her so to speak or something like that!!! Not for sure on this but it is one idea I have for her!

Thanks so much!
~Heavens~