Do You Still Need Some Last Minute Gifts?

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Well we are on the count down to Christmas. If you still have a few people to take care of, now is the time to do it before you get totally stressed out. Here are some frugal and easy gifts to make. You can even involve the kids in making them. They are great for teacher gifts, college kids, hostess gifts and just about everyone else. Homemade gifts of food are always well accepted. I get many requests for them. Last year, I made a lot of Hot Chocolate Mix and gave them as Christmas gifts. Everyone loved them. In fact, Victoria as requested more this year. It is so easy to make. It is very frugal and tastes better than the commercial mix. I use my kitchen aid mixer to mix all the ingredients well. It seems to give it a powdery mix that you cannot create any other way. Hot Chocolate Mix 3 cups powdered milk 1/2 cup cocoa 3/4 cup sugar Dash of salt Miniature marshmallows (optional) Sift the ingredients into a large bowl. Distribute the mix into an airtight container. I save my jars all year long and use them for gift giving. Attach this to the Jar Hot Chocolate 4 tablespoons Hot Chocolate Mix 8 ounces boiling water Marshmallows or whipped cream Place the Hot Chocolate Mix into a mug. Pour in the boiling water. Stir until the Chocolate mix is dissolved. Garnish with marshmallows or whipped cream -------------------------------------------------------- Christmas Soup In A Jar 1/2 cup dry split peas 1/3 cup beef bouillon granules 1/4 cup pearl barley 1/2 cup dry lentils 1/4 cup dried onion flakes 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup uncooked pasta DIRECTIONS In a 1 1/2 pint jar, layer the split peas, bouillon, barley, lentils, onion flakes, Italian seasoning, rice, and bay leaves. Wrap the pasta in plastic wrap, and place in the jar. Seal tightly. Attach a label to the jar with the following instructions: Christmas Soup 1 pound ground beef black pepper to taste garlic powder to taste 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes - Do Not Drain 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 3 quarts water. TO PREPARE SOUP: Remove pasta from top of jar, and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef with pepper and garlic; drain excess fat. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and soup mix. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the pasta, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta, peas, lentils and barley are tender. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Scented Bath Salt You will need an attractive Container - these can be found at Dollar Stores for cheap You can also use small jars with lids and decorate with fabric. Epsom Salts Scented Oils Food Coloring Scraps of ribbon or small bath puffs on hanging cords in different colors. You can pick these up at dollar stores. They come three to a package. Pour enough Epsom salts to fill several jars into a plastic and throwaway container. Add a few drops of food coloring until desired color is achieved. Add a few drops of scented oil in the salts. I use a small dropper to add the coloring and the oil. It is easier to control the amount added this way. If you have soap coloring, use it instead of the food coloring. It is so much better and will not stain the tub. Tie the bath puffs or matching ribbon around the top of the bottles to decorate. These make your bath water so soft. Epsom salts is good to use in bath to ease aching bodies and the scent is so nice and relaxing ------------------------------------------------------ These are great to use as decoration on the tree or on the jars of the items listed above. They are so easy to make and the kids will love helping. I do not use expensive laminating machines. I use clear contact paper that comes in a roll to cover them. This is very inexpensive and looks just as well as the expensive laminating. I purchase mine at the dollar store or big lots. Homemade Christmas ornaments Have kids use colored construction paper and either cut out a Christmas tree shape, Gingerbread man or bookmark shape. Use glue stick to place picture of child on cut out. Decorate with glitter sticks etc. and laminate. Use hole punch and tie a ribbon through for ornament.