Struggling about Christmas already

[Blueridge]

Hey everyone. I want to put in a plea for imaginative, creative ideas for Christmas. This year has been the pits, financially speaking. :nopity: Every payday (and yes, I am very thankful that dh has a payday!) we have enough for food, gas, the mortgage, and the utilities, but nothing is left after that. When he has some rare overtime, we get a few things at Goodwill. I miss the days when we could just call a school-day vacation and head for Walmart or the craft stores, just for fun. I don't know what I'll do about Christmas because I haven't been able to get things here and there through the year like I usually do. Honestly, we'll have to go without some groceries to be able to buy anything. :tongue_smilie: Times weren't always like this, and I am praying for my attitude to change. So, please send me your ideas for Christmas memory making ideas, inexpensive presents suggestions, frugal websites, anything at all. Thanks!

[eternalknot]

Could you do one family "experience" gift, instead of individual gifts? Some board games or puzzles, rent or buy movies to watch together, baking supplies, karaoke machine, or [fill in the blank]? If you like tv shows, maybe recreate one: a survivor or amazing race type of afternoon; a cooking challenge; mythbusters or dirty jobs. If you have a camera already, you could record it in stills or video to look back on later.

 

Maybe you could start a new tradition, putting a more fun spin on the tighter budget. Something like giving each person $5-10 and saying you can only use that and anything around the house to make a gift for (one, predetermined) sibling. Or doing some kind of inexpensive party game. Or See how creative people can become, maybe make it about gag gifts, etc.

 

Perhaps you could gift everyone a small increment of gift card - all to the same store or restaurant - and as a family, shop/dine together. My family would love a $5 to Starbucks, and to caravan there as a family (each with our own gift card) and hang out playing games or just relaxing away from the cold weather. Everyone would still have something to unwrap, you know?

 

I don't know. I'm not terribly creative, but have lived through some very tough financial times. I'm also incredibly cheap, in general LOL. My kids are used to (and truly enjoy) the things above, and reflecting back on my own childhood -- what stands out are the memories and traditions, moreso than individual gifts in any given year.

 

HOpefully this bump will elicit responses from more creative folks!

[Blueridge]

... reflecting back on my own childhood -- what stands out are the memories and traditions, moreso than individual gifts in any given year.

 

Me, too. Thanks for that reminder, and the suggestions!

[FeFe]

Check out this blog. She's doing 12 Days of Handmade Christmas. I've got some good ideas from it in the past.

 

http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/

[Sherry in OH]

Do you have any family heirlooms or "treasures" that you could pass down to your children this year? Something that one of your children might have admired? For example a necklace your mother gave you or grandfather's watch? Write up the story of the item to go along with the gift. You could also suggest to your children that they gift their siblings with their own treasures.

 

Do you sew? If so you could make memory quilts (or pillows).

[HayesW]

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/

A new set of tutorials and crafts every day in November. They've been doing it for at least 2 more years in the apst, so lots of ideas there.

[ConnieB]

Your children are old enough to understand that times are rough right now....and to remember when they weren't so tough. I would suggest having a family meeting to discuss whether they'd like to do without some groceries to pay for a few small gifts....or if perhaps this year could be one about the LOVE of the season rather than the material side of the season.

 

There are MANY wonderful loving gifts that you can give your children (and that they can give you) that cost nothing or next to nothing, but that will properly represent this season of giving and love.

 

A heartfelt letter to each member of the family telling them how proud you are of them, and of all the accomplishments you have seen in them over the last year. My mother wrote one of these to each of us every year from the time I was 9 until she died when I was 21. I still have each one of these letters, even though the first was nearly 40 years ago. She used beautiful paper and envelopes and they were stuck in the tree and always the very last thing handed out. The paper/envelopes were different for each of us kids....I later learned that she was on the watch for paper throughout the year. I have followed this tradition with my own children from their first Christmas. And for my husband since our first Christmas together as a married couple. He picked up the tradition a few years later writing to me.

 

IOU notes have been popular at our house for many years. Each of us give a booklet of handmade IOU notes....they usually are one for each month, though some ambitious children have done more, lol. Bake your favorite treat, do the dishes on your night, back rubs, car washes, make Mom and Dad a date night dinner (where the kids eat elsewhere and are quiet all evening long so we have quiet time together), do your chores for a day, etc etc. etc. Last year my daughter gave the family a "movie of the month"....she picks up a movie from the library each month, makes us dinner, then when we move into the living room for the movie, she brings popcorn, drinks and a sweet something she'd made. We look forward to it each month and I'm hoping for it against this Christmas so it continues through 2011.

 

A photo collage is something I do every year for each of my children. This one isn't completely free since you have to buy a frame, but sometimes Goodwill has them, or Walmart sells them for about $10. You can also do them in a plain frame, just stacking the photos right up against each other rather than having a fancy frame to separate the photos...you get more photos that way and of course non-fancy frames are easier to find at a cheap price.

 

Ok, you get the idea....make the gifts from the heart instead of from the store and you pack more into each gift than all the money in the world could buy.

[AuntieM]

We are thinking of putting the focus on giving rather than receiving this year, as in, giving our Christmas to others. We may go work the soup kitchen at the homeless shelter that day. We are in the same place, having no excess cash, I appreciate the ideas others have shared. DH and I feel like doing something memorable together In service to others will hopefully start a new tradition.

[WarriorMama]

:lurk5:

[Heather in MD]

Check out this blog. She's doing 12 Days of Handmade Christmas. I've got some good ideas from it in the past.

 

http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/

 

This website makes me want to buy a sewing machine!

[clementine]

Check out this blog. She's doing 12 Days of Handmade Christmas. I've got some good ideas from it in the past.

 

http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/

 

 

Ooh, I'm keeping an eye on this blog - looks like great ideas!!!

[Blueridge]

Wonderful ideas, ladies! Thank you for these encouragements!

[treestarfae]

Homemade cloth animals. Homemade candy, chocolate, fudge, truffles, cookies. Homemade christmas hair bows made with ribbon. Toys for Tots http://www.toysfortots.org/

[Sahamamama]

:grouphug: It's been that year for us, too. Here's what I've been thinking lately:

 

1. We can decide to be happy. We can have a Merry Christmas, with or without a pile of presents. We have each other, employment, a warm home, enough food to eat, and good health. We are so blessed. We are going to have a Merry Christmas this year. Maybe even a better one? ;)

 

2. We can bake and decorate cookies! My three girls (almost 4, 4, and 6) are the perfect ages for this, but your girls (11, 12, and 17) are good ages for even more creative Christmas baking -- a gingerbread house, or stollen, a Yule log, or yummy pies. Take photos while the girls create!

 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Childrens-Gingerbread-House/Detail.aspx

 

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/nanas-christmas-stollen/Detail.aspx

 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Yule-Log/Detail.aspx

 

3. We can bless others. We have planned to bake several loaves of my famous homemade cinnamon-raisin bread, and give it away to others. The girls will enjoy doing this, especially if we keep a loaf or two for them, LOL!

 

4. We can visit Christmas-in-the-Park, a free event in the nearby township -- lights, Christmas music, the fun of being out at night (usually in the snow). :001_smile: The girls LOVE this!

 

5. We can go caroling at the grandparent's house, the aunt's house, the pastor's house. It's free, fun, safe, and we'll have hot cocoa when we come home. :D

 

6. We can decorate for Christmas. My girls are young enough that simply making red and green paper chains will be a smash hit! :lol: Aren't little girls easy to impress? But your girls might still enjoy making homemade Christmas decorations with GLITTER, metallic papers, doilies, fabric, ribbon, and so on. Could they make snow flakes and thread them up in a hallway or doorway? Could they string some pop corn for the tree? Could they make a Christmas tree for the wild creatures? We did that last year, and it was fun to see the bright red cardinals against the dark evergreens and white snow!

 

http://www.suite101.com/content/decorate-a-christmas-tree-for-birds-a82334

 

7. We can drive around to see Christmas lights. We won't have any lights out, because we don't have any lights. But we can still drive around and enjoy what we see (in other neighborhoods), and the girls will be making a memory.

 

8. We can attend a Christmas concert, if we can find one that is free. I'm looking around for this ahead of time, because there is usually something that I find out about after it's happened. Not this year! LOL!

 

9. We can go to church. We would do this anyway, rich or poor, but it does put it into perspective for me that the church doors should be OPEN to ALL, especially at this Christmas season. This year we will take the girls out on Christmas Eve, to attend a candlelight service at their grandparents' church.

 

10. We can play Christmas music at home. Simple, but effective for creating a sense of the season, an excitement, and a joy in our hearts. Just put on the Christmas music!

 

11. We can go to the living nativity at a local church. We went to this free event last year, and had a FANTASTIC time (and it was cold). We had our family photo taken, enjoyed cookies and hot cocoa, and took the "Bible story tour" that took our breath away. Wow! We hear the same church plans to do it again, and we hope to go. Wonderful!

 

12. We can give a few simple gifts to each other, and be content. This is the first year that I will not be giving individual gifts to each of my sister's children. Bad Aunt. But it just isn't there, and those kids are old enough now to understand that they are part of the "Family Gift" I plan to make/buy -- something like a basket of baked goods (homemade), plus some chocolates from Aldi. :D We are giving the same to my parents, plus a $20 toaster. Bad Daughter. But that's the way it is. Whatever I can pull together this year will be for our three little girls. They are young enough (and old enough) to enjoy MANY other things, besides gifts, but a few simple gifts will still delight them.

 

I hope this helps you, and others out there this year who may be frustrated with financial limitations. It's not the end of the world, really. Be encouraged to know that kindness is a gift, and you can give it this year.

 

:grouphug:

[Blueridge]

Lovely ideas! Thanks so very much! I'm going to sit down tonight and make a list of everything that we can DO this holiday season. I am encouraged! :)

[ColoradoMom]

How about a treasure hunt for their presents? That way the whole "present" experience takes longer and feels more substantial - even if you feel it is meager. Plus, it is good family fun, and creative in that you'll have to make up clues and hide them around the house. You could even have the kids make clues and hide presents for the others.

[Gwenhwyfar]

one thing i've noticed is that people often suggest "handmade" gifts for when money is tight ~ but that only works if you already own all sorts of crafty stuff....otherwise you're looking at spending a lot of money to buy all of the crafting SUPPLIES and EQUIPMENT. ;)

[Gwenhwyfar]

 

8. We can attend a Christmas concert, if we can find one that is free. I'm looking around for this ahead of time, because there is usually something that I find out about after it's happened. Not this year! LOL!

 

 

 

check the websites for your local elementary schools ~ they usually have christmas concerts throughout december and those are always fun to watch...christmas songs, plays that always go a little wonky... :laugh:

[jg_puppy]

one thing i've noticed is that people often suggest "handmade" gifts for when money is tight ~ but that only works if you already own all sorts of crafty stuff....otherwise you're looking at spending a lot of money to buy all of the crafting SUPPLIES and EQUIPMENT. ;)

 

I have often thought the same thing. This year I am trying to plan ahead and part of my Christmas budget is buying a few supplies ahead of time to use to make Christmas crafts.

 

Jan

[Unicorn.]

:

12. We can give a few simple gifts to each other, and be content. This is the first year that I will not be giving individual gifts to each of my sister's children. Bad Aunt. But it just isn't there, and those kids are old enough now to understand that they are part of the "Family Gift" I plan to make/buy -- something like a basket of baked goods (homemade), plus some chocolates from Aldi. :D We are giving the same to my parents, plus a $20 toaster. Bad Daughter. But that's the way it is. Whatever I can pull together this year will be for our three little girls. They are young enough (and old enough) to enjoy MANY other things, besides gifts, but a few simple gifts will still delight them.

 

I hope this helps you, and others out there this year who may be frustrated with financial limitations. It's not the end of the world, really. Be encouraged to know that kindness is a gift, and you can give it this year.

 

:grouphug:

 

Bad sister/daughter....NO! I think this is fabulous, and how it should be. I hate all the stuff my kids get from relatives....and hate buying for nieces/nephews that I don't know well enough to shop for, because we never see them.

[Garga]

Memories from my childhood:

 

Making it a BIG DEAL to drive around looking at christmas lights.

 

Making homemade Christmas cards. Handing them out (no postage.) Requirements: construction paper. A pen. One year it was "silent knight" with a picture of a knight on the front and a bubble coming from his mouth with nothing in it. Another year we drew a rooftop with Santa's legs sticking out of the chimney. Inside it said, "Help Rudolph!"

 

Making roll out cookies and frosting them with colored frosting. You'd need food coloring, cookie ingredients and frosting.

 

In another thread I wrote how you can make homemade wreaths out of sticks and stuff you find in the yard. You'd need some sort of string or cloth to tie the wreaths together and a hot glue gun, though. (here's a link to my post about homemade gifts--I'm post #30 and 32)

[Julie in AZ]

I love the idea of focusing on what you can do together this year. It's tight here financially too. I'll add to the list.

 

We like to:

* celebrate Advent with Jotham's Journey series book and/or Jesse trees

* sing Christmas carols at night around a fire

* celebrate St. Nicholas Day by making gingerbread cookies for neighbors (St. Nicholas loved gingerbread)

* go to see lights at a local railroad park

* walk neighborhoods to look at lights

* leave wrapped nativy scene pieces each night at a friends house with baby Jesus arriving on Christmas Eve (I can usually find a nice nativity at the drug store for around $4 on sale)

* make/decorate ornaments with Nana

* make something with the kids handprints (snowman pictures, snowmen ornaments (grab ornament from bottom with white painted hand), reindeer aprons (use foot for face and hands for antlers)

* read Christmas books and listen to Christmas music all month long

 

This year, we're thinking of making a music video on Christmas Day. Each person will lip sync to the song and we'll edit it.

 

I like the idea of everyone getting a nerf gun to have a huge war which could make for some great memories, even for the adults. :D

 

I've heard of families taking a small amount and shopping at the dollar store for each other in a group so they had to be sneaky.

[Jane in NC]

I see that you have three children who study French. Could you incorporate some French Christmas traditions into your own this year? Europeans are often more focused on family time than material goods. Could you and your children make a bûche de Noël to share with neighbors? Learn some French carols. Perhaps some new fun things might turn the focus away from previous traditions that you may not be able to afford this year.

[Sahamamama]

I see that you have three children who study French. Could you incorporate some French Christmas traditions into your own this year? Europeans are often more focused on family time than material goods. Could you and your children make a bûche de Noël to share with neighbors? Learn some French carols. Perhaps some new fun things might turn the focus away from previous traditions that you may not be able to afford this year.

That is a great idea!

[Nan in Mass]

When mine were about that age, we did heifer one Christmas. For $20, you can send some chicks to a family in Cameroon http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.2667525/. I talked my children into just having stockings and doing this for Christmas instead. We all age especially frugally for a week to save the money. (We didn't need to, but I thought it would make it more real to the children to do it this way. It was something they themselves could do.) For stockings, you could do small handmade gifts and candy with a game from the dollar store. It was a nice Christmas. We concentrated on making Christmas cards and going to parties and singing carols and doing things for other people. My children gave everyone else in the family gift certificates for chores, like "Good for one afternoon of window washing" or "Good for one lawn mowing". Because everyone was forewarned, it wasn't an unhappy thing. Between their stockings and the presents from grandparents, there was enough to open Christmas morning to make it seem like Christmas, and then we played board games, has a nice dinner, and went for a family walk. It all worked out very nicely.

-Nan

[Sebastian (a lady)]

:grouphug:

I would "shop your closets" first. If you're anything like me then you may have stuff for great decorations and projects sitting in boxes and bags in your closet already. If you have Christmas books, wrap them up (we use a lot of free maps to wrap stuff at our house. Sunday comics are also pretty fun) and read a book every couple days.

 

I've seen some nice advent printouts that you could color. Paper Dali has some nice ones. (Look for the Freebies link at the top of the page.) With a little stretching you could use them to represent different characters in the nativity story.

 

Do you have construction paper? Make paper chains to decorate your rooms. Lots of left over broken crayons? Melt them to make crayon "cookies".

 

Instead of thinking about what you can't buy; think about what you can do if you're not tied to your normal way of doing things. Maybe this will free up time for an extra read aloud. Or time for taking hikes in local parks. Or doing nature observations in your backyard. Handbook of Nature Study has two years of winter nature observation ideas.

 

And one unsolicited idea is to avoid the places that used to trigger you to spend money. I know that I have a horrible time going into a craft store and coming out with just one thing. I would recommend looking at what you have and thinking about what you can do with it, rather than looking for ideas first.

[Joyofsixreboot]

(((Hugs))) to you. We've made a tradition out of doing things simply and going for experience not things.

 

We go to the local park and gather downed pine and pine cones. We lash the boughs (Ok sticks) with thread and decorate with them. We put the pine cones in a bowl with some white lights on top of our piano. We've also painted or glittered them and used them on the tree.

 

The obligatory cookie baking.

Gingerbread houses (graham crackers on a box work).

We make our own cards.

All advent activities I can find. Light lighting, plays, cantatas, library programs, anything that looks interesting.

Caroling and looking at lights. Make it a big deal. Cocoa and some cookies afterward.

We try to do some 'good deeds' for people in our church and community who may be alone. Shoveling snow, running errands, etc.

We read a Christmassy story every night. The library has tons. Then we add to the advent calendar.

Ditto a weekend Christmas movie free from the library.

Gifts tend to be from aunts and grandparents. We get them things from garage sales/Goodwill/etc. We work from the something you want/something to read/something to wear/something you need. That can translate to a small dollar store toy/a used Goodwill book/socks/new toothbrushes or crayons.

[Blueridge]

Ladies, y'all have made me get all teary-eyed! :001_wub: You're suggestions are all so wonderful and creative. I got my legal pad out and wrote every single one of them down. Tomorrow the girls and I have our Friday afternoon tea, and I am going to share the wonderful activity ideas with them. They have such tender hearts and never complain...I know that the memory making ideas will make them so happy, and give us all a lot to look forward to. My goal is to do something each day of December as a family. I'll hit the Goodwill for some unexpected gifts to wrap. Thanks so much!

[justamouse]

my aunt made my kids mittens out of old wool sweaters she found at the salvation army. she bought them for a dollar, cut them out, sewed them and felted them. We LOVE them!

 

Repurpose old sweaters into shrugs

 

make wool felted slippers from old sweaters

 

we always make our own cards, and envelopes!

 

Make granola and special tags

 

one year I made everyone a "green clean" bag with homemade detergent (which I'm already getting asked for) homemade soaps and bathbombs, a spray bottle, a repurposed container of dish washer powder ...you get the drift.

 

I love making Moravian stars out of old wrapping paper

 

HTH!

[just Jenny]

Hope you have a Merry Christmas. May God Bless you and your family.

 

Jen

Edited November 5, 2010 by just Jenny

[NightOwlMama]

I don't have any ideas to add but I'm praying for you guys! That you are blessed this year in many ways:)

[Laurie4b]

Natural ornaments and decorations (can be gifts for others)

http://www.suite101.com/content/christmas-milkweed-pod-and-pine-cone-angel-a162417

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1089067/natural_items_for_earthfriendly_christmas.html?cat=30

http://www.ehow.com/how_2092496_make-natural-christmas-decorations.html

 

Would your or dh's parents give you a gift of cash before Christmas? You could use that for the children's gifts.

 

If your dc are okay with the delay, buying after Christmas gets you new items at bargain prices.

 

Could you go to a local food pantry and get some extra food? That way, you would have a little extra $$ for some Goodwill shopping. When you are back on your feet financially, you can send it back around to someone else by donating.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Ladies, y'all have made me get all teary-eyed! :001_wub: You're suggestions are all so wonderful and creative. I got my legal pad out and wrote every single one of them down. Tomorrow the girls and I have our Friday afternoon tea, and I am going to share the wonderful activity ideas with them. They have such tender hearts and never complain...I know that the memory making ideas will make them so happy, and give us all a lot to look forward to. My goal is to do something each day of December as a family. I'll hit the Goodwill for some unexpected gifts to wrap. Thanks so much!

 

If you have photos of previous holidays, don't forget to take out those photo albums and ooh and ahh over how small everyone used to be or remember when A got a bike and B got that doll.

 

When is the last time your kids cleaned their room. I always find that room cleaning reveals "long lost" toys that they'd forgotten even having. It sort of renews their interest and is good for a lot of new play. (And if they aren't interested, then it can go to a thrift store for someone else to enjoy and for us to not have to pick up around anymore.)

 

What about writing down family stories. Or doing interviews of family members with a video camera. This might even work as a gift for extended family.

[amy g.]

With my dad in hospice, I'm not sure if his health is going to keep me so busy closer to Christmas that I won't have time for many of the activities we usually do.

 

I decided use every good day we have to do a project with Miss Bossy. I told her that I'd get one thing out of the attic for every room that she helps me deep clean.

 

Yesterday, she helped me scrub the porch, so I got down an old grapevine wreath, and let her decorate it with quail eggs and some old potpourri that she won in a raffle.

 

 

Today, we tackle the kitchen, so I'll get down some rustic santa that my great aunt carved to place in the window sill. If she is really good, I'll let her make cookies too.

[Mallorie]

I 2nd the idea of mittens made from old wool sweaters. SO warm and cute! And you can get a couple of pair from one sweater, for a couple of bucks. Saves money on mittens!

 

Would it simply help to know that you're not alone? I know when you walk into big box stores it makes you feel like you're the only one struggling. But you're not. Also, we make it a point to leave the TV OFF this time of year. It rarely comes on anyway, but once halloween is over, it stays off even more. All of those commercials can make you think you need "xyz", and they do a good job of luring the kids into the mindset of "everyone else has this, don't you want one too?". We've done this for quite a few years now, and the kids no longer request those junk toys/gadgets. It's actually flipped to where they don't know what to ask for, or they ask for more purposeful things.

 

I'm writing down everyone else's ideas too, for a reminder to myself, so I appreciate this thread.

 

For a gift idea, I have two. The first one came about when my grandmother passed away this year. In her things that were given to me, was a book that I had given her when I was in third grade. It's called "memories from grandma". It had pages of questions about her childhood, her family, a family tree, etc. If you google, you'll find similar ones. It would be really easy to make your own with a printshop program and a printer.

 

The second one, a few years back my SIL started a tradition of family recipe books. She gave everyone a binder with a few of her favorite family recipes, and asked everyone to contribute one. Then each year, every family adds one more. You could do this expensively, or cheaply, depending on how creative you are. These would be excellent to start on now with kids, and then each child would have a book of their own when they grow up and leave home.

 

Lastly, looking back at my own childhood, I would have given all my gifts back for quality family time. Baking cookies, singing, playing together, reading together may not sound like much, until you realize how many children go without those basic blessings. I know a lot of children who have every toy out there, but are never snuggled with on the couch under a quilt with a good book. :(

 

ETA: oops, one more. How about a trade they can learn? Some yarn and a crochet hook or set of knitting needles. I know this costs a bit of money, but as a mom now, i'm so thankful I know how to crochet, and am working on knitting. It's a skill they can use in later years for making their own gifts/blankets/clothing, and the internet and library have a LOT of how-to's. Any skill you can teach them with basic materials...

Edited November 5, 2010 by Mallorie

[treestarfae]

Lastly, looking back at my own childhood, I would have given all my gifts back for quality family time. Baking cookies, singing, playing together, reading together may not sound like much, until you realize how many children go without those basic blessings. I know a lot of children who have every toy out there, but are never snuggled with on the couch under a quilt with a good book. :(

This is so true. I have a bunch of Christmas books to read. There is always the library. Watching Christmas movies.

[OnTheBrink]

This website makes me want to buy a sewing machine!

 

It makes me want to dig mine out!

[Annie Laurie]

My parents are having a hard year financially and my mom apologetically asked me if the kids would mind all homemade gifts from them. I told her I LOVE that idea, and would love that all the time, not just in lean years. My mom is a fantastic seamstress and made the kids some neat stuff. I think that is so much nicer than mass-produced, made in China stuff, and I think my kids will really treasure these things.

 

This is all just to say, I think people underestimate how much people enjoy hand crafted items nowadays, and that it's nothing to feel bad about. I think it says something when someone is willing to take the time baking or making things for another person, instead of just handing over a gift card or store bought item.

 

Some of the most simple things my kids have enjoyed- a small gift card to Blockbuster, along with some popcorn was a big treat to them and didn't cost much.

 

I was nodding my head in agreement when people said that looking back, it's the memories of things we did together, more than the gifts that are special. I can't remember what we got as gifts most years, but I can remember the joy of having extended family all together, toasting marshmallows in the fireplace, playing board games together while watching a Christmas movie, baking cookies, and going sledding and drinking hot chocolate after.

[mommytobees]

one thing i've noticed is that people often suggest "handmade" gifts for when money is tight ~ but that only works if you already own all sorts of crafty stuff....otherwise you're looking at spending a lot of money to buy all of the crafting SUPPLIES and EQUIPMENT. ;)

 

Oh, so not true!! You are only thinking of expensive to start crafts!!

 

Here are a few specific ideas:

 

(these links are all Amazon, but Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Joann's, and other craft stores sell this stuff cheap AND many have 40-50% off coupons!)

 

Sculpey clay Here I have a BULK pack for $17.00, BUT, you can get individually wrapped colors for $1 or less at the craft store --- I just can't find the link at Amazon and am being lazy and NOT hunting them down.

 

Plus:

Ornament hooks: a butt-ton for about a $1

~ Hand print ornament -- probably better for smaller kids LOL, I don't know how many grandparents want hand print ornaments of your teens LOL!!

~ ____ ornament

One

Two

Three If you already own stamps, OR, you can take pens and draw your own ideas. (this is one of my favorites)

Four

Five

Six I married into a family of nerds.

Seven

Eight or Eight, again

Nine You do NOT need the fancy "pasta" press, just use a rolling pin with a bit of wax paper between.

Plus: Translucent Liquid Sculpey clay $5 (about), glitter glue $2-3, and you do NOT need the clay gun or the Pearl-x.

Ten I never use a clay gun (borrowed one once, wasn't worth it), I just roll it out with my hands, it makes the "string" less even and uniform and gives it great texture.

 

Places to check for hundreds of ideas:

One

Two

 

Polymer clay has thousands of possibilities. You can use magnets (baked or glued), earring hanger-thingies, pins, hair clips, tie clips, cuff links, clothes pins (both the stationary kind and the clippy kind), you can make game pieces (one year my kids gave tic-tac-toe games to their friends), picture frames or picture frame details, or just plain figures.

 

Fabric:

 

Coasters This _should_ lead to pictures of dozens of designs. I make quilted coasters and a few years ago I figured out the costs. Purchased new the top, middle, and bottom fabrics, thread, and fabric pens (I go through dozens in a year) I could make a set of 4 coasters for about $5. I would make 3-4 dozen. Plus, I hand stitched most of it, so you don't even need a sewing machine. But, you can also make a braided rug coaster and those are even easier and cheaper to make. Both have been highly popular and one lady (even paid me $200 to make her another 50 of various styles).

 

No sew blankets - A bit more expensive, but relatively no waste. You pay what you pay for the fleece and that's it! You can do one layer or two, your choice!

 

No sew pillows

 

No sew quilts - This is the only picture I could find. BUT, I've done the same type of quilt with regular quilting fabric. It can look very very elegant with the same principle.

 

Quillows and Quillows- sew -Again, a bit more expensive, but little waste.

 

 

Alright, I've now spent an hour hunting down links.... I have a messy kitchen and kids about to wake up..... for some reason they think "breakfast" is a necessity.

 

But, there are hundreds more things you can make that don't take special tools and are USEFUL and cost very little to make. My kids make Christmas gifts every year and they are dollars a gift. This year they are making elastic book markers with beads. I figured the cost, $.25 each.

 

Kris

[Blueridge]

Oh, ladies, now I have even more beautiful ideas to add to my list! It's up to almost 3 pages long! I did talk to my daughters yesterday about my idea to *do* something Christmasy every December day, and they loved it. They came up with ideas of their own to add to the list, too. I'm just not going to worry about the presents, and will let the Lord provide them. Thanks every so much! I plan to post some additional ideas here as they come to mind to share with you all. Thanks again!!! Merry Christmas!!! Joyeux Noel!!!

[Mallorie]

I just made the crayon roll from the 12 days of handmade Christmas blog, and it turned out SO cute!! I had all the materials on hand, some extra fabric, except the felt liner, so I cut up a receiving blanket that we no longer use. This would be super easy to make out of old pillowcases or sheets that are scrap-ANY old fabric. I think my DD is going to love taking this to church.

 

And wanted to bump this thread so more can see it/add to it.

[Holly IN]

I love these ideas!!!!! Will use them to make gifts for our co-ops teaches of my kids.

 

Thank you so much OP for starting this thread and thanks to all of you for the ideas!!

 

Holly

[Tina]

You could perhaps check Freecycle for craft items or used gifts.

 

I'm another who can't remember specific gifts from growing up--except for a used board game the year Dad was on strike. lol

 

My memories are of the time spent together. We didn't have a big Christmas dinner growing up, but we spent all day playing games together. Doing things together is the cement. :)