thrifty holiday gifts

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pinkflutterbys

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I have been trying to think of "thrifty" presents for my immediate family. I am also planning to buy them modestly priced "new" items but I thought a thrifty gift would also be special, because they know I am into that kind of thing. Here is what I have come up with. I hope other people will also contribute their ideas.

For Mom, 2nd grade teacher & homemaker: A bundle of Hallmark magazines from 2007. I know she doesn't subscribe to this magazine but I think she would enjoy reading my old copies.

For Dad, retired math teacher: A set of geometry crossword puzzles with vocabulary words and problems that I have made for my classes (I am a math teacher, too). He loves to do crossword puzzles and I know he enjoys math.

For Brother #1, college student living on his own for the first time: A set of easy recipes that I have made successfully and that he can make in his apartment, or cook for my parents if he decides to ditch his slacker roommates and move back home. He seems to enjoy cooking and talks about how his roommates only eat "gross frozen food."

For Brother #2, aspiring auto-mechanic: A monogrammed mechanics clean-up kit. This will consist of a bottle of dishwashing detergent with his initials written on it with a sharpie, as well as shop rags also with his initials in sharpie. Of course, the shop rags would come from my husbands pile of old clean socks with holes. (I know, it's kind of a stretch...but he is hard to think of gifts for.)

For Hubby: Fresh AA batteries and a new brush head for his electric toothbrush that he hasn't used in a few months just because he's been too busy to charge the batteries and I keep forgetting to get him a brush head.


I hope other people will also contribute their ideas!
 
I am a book lover, and, usually I grab a cup of tea with the same. If I know the individual enjoys tea, I scout around for a nice tea cup and saucer, some flavored tea, and, a scented votive candle. I write a note wishing them a "Silent Night" for peace and quiet, attach it to the tea cup.

Many ladies enjoy "scents of the season", as such, have you thought of making a pomander ball? Or the dough cookies which stay scented for a long time?

I always scout around for baskets, and then stowe them away for the holidays. Depending on the person, I fill them with candy and cookies, popcorn and a movie, maybe a new CD, book, bath gels and a sponge etc.

I don't remember where I saw this idea, but I thought it was cute. Take a wire kitchen whisk, put Hersey Kisses inside the whisk, tie a bunch of curling ribbon to the top, and a little note: We whisk you a Merry Christmas! (or you could say We whisk you a Merry Kiss-mas!)

How about making a "Coupon Purse?Book" and sharing out the coupons? Hey, money saved is a gift that keeps giving!

One year at the hospital, I grabbed up boxes/packages of brownie mix, cake mixes, cookie mixes, muffin mixes, tossed them all into a box tied with ribbon and a card that said "Pointsettias are red, and babies are sweet, I'm busy in Delivery, make your own dam treat!" ROTFLMAO The staff loved it, and, many brought the treats they made on to the floor for everyone to enjoy! Didn't cost me much, I think I got the mixes for like fifty cents a box, or a package on sale with my coupons! :)

I am a big fan of the Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Big Lots and I usually will case them out to see if I can find anything to add to a quick gift. Most of those places again have lovely Christmas mugs which can be filled with candy, nuts, trail mix, soup mix etc.

If you are a Crafter, how about a small ornament that you made yourself? Or if you are camera savy, how about going out, taking pictures of your area, and, sending those off to friends and family far away as a reminder of home?

Just a few thoughts from me to you! :)
 
shhhhhhhhhhhh, but I sometimes burn dvd's or c.d's and give them to friends and kids. I go to the library and get music c.d.'s, adult dvd's and childrens movies or books on c.d's
 
pinkflutterbys said:
For Brother #2, aspiring auto-mechanic: A monogrammed mechanics clean-up kit. This will consist of a bottle of dishwashing detergent with his initials written on it with a sharpie, as well as shop rags also with his initials in sharpie. Of course, the shop rags would come from my husbands pile of old clean socks with holes. (I know, it's kind of a stretch...but he is hard to think of gifts for.)
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Socks do not make good rags. It's got to be t-shirts. Surely you have a collection from past marathons LOL
I'd like to suggest the ones applied for for free on Spoofee but I've yet to get one of these myself :(
 
For the outdoors types: I'm making fish hook holders (out of certain feminine products).
For the homebodies: I'm making slippers (out of certain other feminine products).

youse guys should be happy none of youse is on my gift list.
 
This year for Christmas I am making my own cookbooks full of my recipes to give as gifts. I found the cookbooks for about $5 each with 50 blank pages and sorted into sections.
 
I want to see what monkfish is making, could you post a picture of those homemade gifts that you are making?
 
I submitted my thrifty gift ideas to thriftyfun.com, and they do a contest every month... and today they emailed me to tell me I won $25!!! Yay!
 
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