Christmas gifts................

When it is a difficult person to buy for, I prefer to hand make the gift. Here are a few that I've done that people have loved and appreciated. Assorted homemade cookies in all shapes & sized. For this one, I usually take a week off of work and just bake. It is alot of work, but I enjoy it. I've made different homemade candies. I've made peanut butter cups, fudge, buckeyes, truffles, cream cheese candies, candies shaped into strawberries, pressed mints and hard tack candies, I decorate the tray with pressed gum drops into the shape of flowers and either M & M's or Hershey kisses to add color. I've made candles and jazzed them up with flowers on the outside of the container that I poured the jell into or I'll add marbles or shells inside the jars to give them class and to be different. Ok, I stole this idea. For Easter, I hate to buy alot of candy for my child, mainly because it gets wasted. So a co-worker gave me the idea to create coupons for whatever. I've made them for a trip to the local ice cream shop for a cone or sundae, a trip to the local arcade for $10 worth of tokens, a game of mini golf, a trip to the bakery for a dozen cookies, a trip to the video store to rent her choice of movies, to chose dinner one nighte. They can really be for anything that your child would want. I've made personal sachet bags to hang inside of your closets for a fresh scent. I've made personal Christmas ornaments. I've done personal mugs that I've painted and filled with either cake in a mug mix or with rice pilaf that I've made and all they have to do is microwave with water. I've done the throw blankets where you tie the ends together. I made mine with two contrasting colors so that they were reversible. A nice cozy idea for the chilly winter months. I'm toying with the idea of making spring wreaths for everyone this Christmas. I know it will be out of season, but everyone gives Christmassy things that you end up putting away 2 weeks afterwards. I'm thinking, wait until fall when the spring flowers are all reduced and do a nice wreaath a something different and personal for each family memeber. Wow, I never realized I was this crafty or with how many gifts I've made over the years. I hope these have given you some inspiration and will lead to charging your creative side to help ease ont he burdon of over spending during crucial buying times.

I love to make all my gifts. I am a firm believer that homemade is the best gift. I make gifts in a jar, gifts in a mug for college kids or elderly living alone, wheat heat bags, quillows and many other homemade gifts. I have just joined mylot and have began to post my gifts in a jar recipes and homemade mixes such as biscuit mix, homemade bisquick that is made in bulk so it is ready to go when you need it. These are great as gifts also. I make them and tuck them into a basket. I make theme backets. For example, baking basket may contain, oatmeal cookie mix in a jar, chocolate chip cookie mix in a jar, a measuring cup set and a measuring spoon set added to the ribbon. Theme gift baskets are great for wedding showers, anniversary, birthdays or any other occasion. They are always well received and my family ask for them over and over. I have a sister in law that returns her jar for a refill once a month.

An obvious gift that would suit everyone would be a gift card or money. But I think as far as an actual gift that would suit everyone would be examples like a fruit basket, pajamas, something for the home like a wall clock or picture of art.

I think that a thoughtful gift would be something homemade. I love getting those gifts in a jar. They store nicely in the pantry and you only have to add a few ingredients to make cookies, breads, or soup.

Oh this is easy since I always have several people I have to buy for that I either do not know well, co-workers from drawing names, or drawing names at church. I always go for anything from FIGI's, the assortments of nuts, cheese, meats, cheeseballs all in a basket. I think if you shop around every store in the world now offers these type basket of goodies. It is safe to give because even if the person doesn't like cheese they will usually like the rolls of meat or the nuts so it seems to be a good gift for anyone!

Every year when we do our Christmas shopping, We always pickout a nice couch blanket, (one that can work for anyone, last year it was a maroon throw)...Then when that unexpected guest arrives, or we get invited to a party last minute. We can hand over a nice gift. And everyone can always use a nice cozy blanket.