Frugal Christmas Gifts

Tis the season for handmade gifts. I LOVE making crafts with my children, especially ones from the heart to give as gifts. Because both my husband and I have a big family (moreso him), the past couple years I have decided to make gifts, this year is no different.

Last year was blankets. I made everyone a blanket and boy did they love them.\

In thinking, hmmmmm, now how can I outdo last year's gift??? This year I have decided to "make" baskets for each of the kids, to their own liking of course. For the boys, they are getting a "movie basket", containing a movie, popcorn, movie candy, movie pass, etc... For the girls, each are different, one is getting a "book" basket as she loves to read. This will contain a book (or 2 - depending on how great of a sale I can get at Borders), a Journal, a nice pen, and a handmade bookmark. Our other niece is getting a "beauty" basket. This contains assorted nail polishes, nail polish remover and cotton balls, nail file, nail clippers, foot scrub and lotion, hand lotion.

I am hoping these gifts are well received this year, which I am sure they will be. As kids get older, I know the easy way out is a gift card, though that is so unpersonal. I love getting them a gift, though, the question is, would it be better to get them a gift card that they would buy what they want, or get them something that you think they would like???

Kylie & I also make bead candy canes ornaments. You use pipe cleaners, 3 star bead (assorted colors, or red/white and green/white. We added these to the kids' godmothers baskets last year and each year as they put up their Christmas tree they will have their ornament on the tree as a remembrance of Kylie or Emma.

For ornaments this year, when we went to Cape Cod for our family vacation this past August, we picked up TONS of sea shells wherein we are going to decorate and string to make ornaments. Hoping everyone will like their new ornaments to hang on their trees.

Are you making any "frugal" gifts this year? If so, please share as we all need some ideas.

Happy Savings,
Tracy