$100 Christmas - just read the book, how to implement scaling down

[A.J. at J.A.]

Okay, I'll admit it. I dread Christmas. I get really depressed during the whole holiday time period. I am not a shopper, I HATE shopping, therefore, I truly do not enjoy shopping for Christmas presents. For years, I have tried to get my family to tone down Christmas and they don't want to, so then I feel like a jerk if we are scaling back.

 

I just read the book by McKibben called One Hundred Dollar Christmas and I'm going to have DH read it too. If he's on the same page as me, then I am really going to try to make this a quieter more sacred & peaceful Christmas. One nice thing is that we are NOT having Christmas celebration this year at my house! YIPPEE! We're going to drive to my parent's house Christmas Eve (~3.5hrs away) and stay over, have Christmas lunch and then head back home. That will help a lot.

 

Anyway, if you have ways that you give homemade or less expensive but nice gifts...can you share?

 

I know it seems early, but I"m not particularly "crafty" and will need all the prep time I can get to not get stressed out.

 

Thanks,

Angela

[ticklbee]

Gifts in a jar are always nice. Here is one site: http://www.geocities.com/giftsinajar/ But if you google "gifts in a jar" you'll get a bunch of different sites.

[Guest 4boys]

One thing that I have found helpful is making photo gifts for people. Snapfish has a lot of different options and many are reasonably priced. Plus you don't have to be crafty! Last year I made my MIL a calendar full of pictures of our kids.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Last year I made flannel pillow cases for everyone. Each family got a box with hot chocolate mix, homemade cookies, and a pillowcase for each person. I bought the flannel half price at a pre-Christmas sale and I got prints that matched the interests of each person.

 

Each pillow case was a little less than a yard of material. I just used one of my pillow cases as a pattern, accounting for seam allowances and a deep hem at the end. They are sooooo easy to make.

[Kate CA]

Anyway, if you have ways that you give homemade or less expensive but nice gifts...can you share?

 

I know it seems early, but I"m not particularly "crafty" and will need all the prep time I can get to not get stressed out.

 

Thanks,

Angela

 

I used these: http://www.loomroom.com/knifty-knitter.html to make wonderful winter sox for family with thick yarn like this. If you are near a Joann's or Michael's they sell these and with a coupon they are very cheap. You will usually need more than one to make the sox go up the calf, but you can decide the size you want as you go. They wash really well and are so nice during fall and winter! :) My daughter uses the bigger size to make hats.

[Chris in VA]

I'm not that crafty, but last Christmas I made those fleece afgans that you tie together. They go really fast--I made one Christmas morning before anyone got up! (talk about last minute gift...). I got mine from Oriental Trading for about $20. It came precut and everything. It's a little expensive for a budget of 100 dollars, but maybe you can find one cheaper.

[readwithem]

I'm not that crafty, but last Christmas I made those fleece afgans that you tie together. They go really fast--I made one Christmas morning before anyone got up! (talk about last minute gift...). I got mine from Oriental Trading for about $20. It came precut and everything. It's a little expensive for a budget of 100 dollars, but maybe you can find one cheaper.

 

You reminded me of scarves my dd made one year - she cut lengths of colorful fleece into 6 inch strips, cut the ends into a fringe or braid - easy, cheap, and fast. She did this for all her friends and relatives - we got the fleece on sale at Joanns - each scarf was < $1 :)

[TXMomof4]

Last year for my grandparents and dh's grandparents we bought little 3x5 scrapbooks. I think they had 8 pages. I had each girl write, or tell me what to write a letter to that gp (one for each gmother and gfather) telling what they loved about them.

 

It was amazing to me the things the girls thought of. For example, my gf has an amazing garden. He's put down a brick pathway all around the yard. The girls apparently play like that's a train track, so one of the girls wrote how she loved to take the pretend train through his rose garden.

 

It meant the world to them that the girls know them, have specific memories of each of them, and then took the time to write it down.

 

Altogether I think I spent $10 for 3 sets of gp and it was the best money spent last year.

[Jane in NC]

 

I just read the book by McKibben called One Hundred Dollar Christmas ...

 

Bill McKibben is one of my favorite authors. Many public and church libraries have this book on the shelf. It is definitely worth borrowing!

 

Regarding your request for gift ideas: I bake for the neighbors and friends, we draw names on my husband's side of the family. But I have not cracked the nut that is my side of the family. Last year I spoke to my sister about simplifying--she was upset at the suggestion even though she says that she hates Christmas shopping!

 

Anyway I thought of a gift that I will be making for some of my family members and friends who fly: luggage tags which I'll make using this tutorial or this one. I plan on using loud fabrics to help travelers identify their bags.

 

The Sew Mama Sew blog ha some wonderful project ideas if you are into sewing.

 

Wishing you peace of mind,

Jane

[Kate CA]

I'm not that crafty, but last Christmas I made those fleece afgans that you tie together. They go really fast--I made one Christmas morning before anyone got up! (talk about last minute gift...). I got mine from Oriental Trading for about $20. It came precut and everything. It's a little expensive for a budget of 100 dollars, but maybe you can find one cheaper.

 

Here are directions online for making these:

http://www.exploringwomanhood.com/homelife/ideas/pom-jan03.htm :001_smile:

[Nakia]

Thanks, Angela, for this post. I just requested the book from my library!

[HollyDay]

Last year I did Gifts in a Jar and Fleece blankets for everyone.

 

For Gifts in a Jar, I did:

Qt mason jars of brownie mix

Pint jars of hot chocolate

"jam" jar size of vanilla sugar

 

In previous years I have also done:

Pint jars of bath salts

Pint jars of "russian" tea

 

I bought a couple yards of holiday fabric and cut squares with pinking shears to dress up the top of the jar.

 

The fleece tie afghans are super simple. JoAnnes has fleece on sale 1/2 price at the moment (it might be online only so check the website first).

 

Some gifts I received that are super neat and simple:

chocolate dipped plastic spoons

chocolate dipped jumbo pretzel sticks

fleece baggies stuffed with cotton balls and vanilla powder

 

 

mugs with a tea bag or 2 and a honey stick or 2. I actually looked into this one The only way to make it cheap is to buy the mugs at the dollar store or the week after christmas. Then buy the tea bags and honey sticks in flavors or plain in bulk.

 

homemade breads are always a hit!

 

cookie dough in a jar with a cookie cutter tied to the top.

[laughing lioness]

Don't forget homemade vanilla:) (a hive mind classic).

And homemade biscotti. Dip in chocoloate and then drizzle with white chocoloate or put colored sprinkles on it. Then put 2 in a cello gift bag, tie with pretty ribbon. Put a small, gourmet bag of coffee with, or package in a pretty mug- voila!

Buy a pack of "bib" aprons at Sams (3 for under $10). Put cute Xmas sayings with fabric paint or X-stitch (i.e, "Dear Santa, Define Good," "Me, Naughty? I can explain." etc).

I love theme baskets: gardening (now is a good time to get stuff with the end of the season sales), cooking, pets, book lovers, chocolate lovers, scrapbookers, pampering basket.

Coupon book with special coupons in it for the recipient: time together, foot massage, do a yuky job for the person, clean the car, etc.

There are websites with salt and sugar scrubs, bath bombs, etc.

have fun!

[chaik76]

Okay, I'll admit it. I dread Christmas. I get really depressed during the whole holiday time period. I am not a shopper, I HATE shopping, therefore, I truly do not enjoy shopping for Christmas presents. For years, I have tried to get my family to tone down Christmas and they don't want to, so then I feel like a jerk if we are scaling back.

 

I just read the book by McKibben called One Hundred Dollar Christmas and I'm going to have DH read it too. If he's on the same page as me, then I am really going to try to make this a quieter more sacred & peaceful Christmas. One nice thing is that we are NOT having Christmas celebration this year at my house! YIPPEE! We're going to drive to my parent's house Christmas Eve (~3.5hrs away) and stay over, have Christmas lunch and then head back home. That will help a lot.

 

Anyway, if you have ways that you give homemade or less expensive but nice gifts...can you share?

 

I know it seems early, but I"m not particularly "crafty" and will need all the prep time I can get to not get stressed out.

 

Thanks,

Angela

I always make my Christmas gifts for relatives, and my children get one toy each. Our budget is less than $100. Let me look at my list and I'll get back to you on what I've made over the past few years. There are a few people we buy for...we try to make these cheap, but very special gifts. We've had great feedback from these gifts so far!

[Tree House Academy]

Just put this book on reserve at my library. I have been looking to scale down Christmas for YEARS.

 

More than just spening less on all the hooplah, I want to bring back into our celebration the true meaning of Christmas based on our beliefs. It gets so commercial and stressful.

 

I also suffer depression during the holidays. Part is seasonal depression, part is because my oldest son leaves on Christmas day to go with his dad for a week. Never fails. You would think, after 6 years of it, I would be used to it...but it never gets easier. :(

[LauraL]

I love all of these ideas--thank you! Here are a couple more: bath bombs and eye pillows.

 

For the eye pillows, cut a piece of material into a rectangle about 7 and 1/2 inches by 6 inches. (You can really do whatever size you want, smaller for children. The idea is that when it is folded in half, stiched and stuffed, it will cover your entire eye area and block out the light.) Fold the rectangle in half so you have 7.25x3--wrong side of material out--and stitch 2 of the three open edges closed. Turn right side out and fill with flax seed and dried lavendar (or lavendar oil works too). Then stitch the remaining edge closed, folding the seam under. Someone gave one of these to me and then my girls all wanted one. We love them--very relaxing!

 

Bath bombs--there are various "recipes" I'm sure you could google. If you want, I am happy to send you the one we use. We make one that fizzes. We pack the mixture into various shaped soap molds (frogs and turtles are the favorite), but a half of a plastic Easter egg works great too. Kids love these, and I like them too (guess I can't speak for other adults, but I've given plenty to adults as well). One year for Christmas I took them around to all of the 3 yos in the church class I taught with a little message about being clean on the inside as well as the outside.

[paula j]

One year I went to the Phaltzgraph outlet on labor day and they had their pedestal mugs without decals on them for $1 each and bread platters for $1 each. I bought these in bulk, not sure what I would do with them. For Christmas gifts I made up baskets around these items. I made jars of layered hot cocoa mix, Chocolate dipped spoons, homemade breads - banana, cranberry, and pumpkin, bread cloths with embroidery in one corner, chocolate dipped oreos, 1/2 pint jars of apple butter, jams, and conserves and some of those cute little coasters that are like tiny pillows filled with spices so when you sit the hot mug on top the aroma of the spices fill the room.

 

For some baskets I included

 

2 mugs

2 coasters

1 jar of hot cocoa mix

a few chocolate dipped spoons

a bag full of chocolate dipped oreos tied up with curly ribbon

 

For others I included

 

Bread Platter

A loaf or two of bread

A breadcloth

A jar or two of jam or jelly

 

These went over really well.

 

Aprons are easy to make and are a cute gift with a tin of homemade cookies or a loaf of bread wrapped up inside. I like to use holiday fabric.

 

I have embroidered pillowcases and even table runners and cloths.

 

This year I will be making old fashioned flour sack towel sets, you know, the day of the week ones. I will pick a design that each person will enjoy so they will all be different. I will probably include a tin of fudge or cookies.

 

I always pick up cute baskets and tins at yard sales when I see them.

 

Almost forgot, flannel or fleece jammie pants are really easy too and the kids and teenagers really like them. I have even made these for American girl dolls to match.

[BizyPenguin]

I'm going to see if my library has this!! Thanks!

[Mom2boys]

I like to give cookies, pumpkin bread, fudge, and white chocolate popcorn.

 

Also, my kids make ornaments. You can buy cheap supplies at Michaels or order cheap kits from Oriental Trading Company.

 

Bookmarks are pretty easy to make too.

[angela in ohio]

I haven't read the book, but it sounds like what we do. We eliminated gifts for our siblings years ago, just buying small items for each other's children. We have always bought our dc three small gifts each, so they don't expect a big production. And we (and dd) make gifts for grandparents. They much prefer something sentimental from the grandkids than a store-bought gift.

 

Dh and I don't buy for each other (for any holiday, really.) This year, for our anniversary, we did give pretend gifts. We each told what we would give each other if the sky was the limit. I got a $3,000 gift card to CBD, thank you very much, LOL! Sometimes we "gift" each other things we needed anyway - new brakes for dh's car, new shoes for me, etc. Or we buy something we need for the house and call it our gift to each other. I recommend that, because then that item is always there to remind you of each other. ("Baby, I always think of our tenth anniversary when I make toast in the morning...") :)

[JennifersLost]

I definitely want to read this book. I'm totally on board with this concept, but I don't know how to get the family on board. Maybe I should just get the book and leave it lying around so that they "discover" it, too.

 

Sometimes that works.

 

Barring that, I'm trying to emphasize Christmas presents that are "experiences" rather than "things". My personal Christmas list includes prepaid dance lessons (exercise), ballroom dance with dh, going out to a restaurant and movie, etc.

 

I'm hoping the rest of the family can get excited about this idea.

[Hannah]

I love all the great gift suggestions!!

 

Bath bombs--there are various "recipes" I'm sure you could google. If you want, I am happy to send you the one we use. We make one that fizzes.

 

Would you mind posting it please? That way I know its a recipe that really works.

 

We did a Jesse tree for the first time last year and read Geraldine McCaughrean's "The Jesse tree" at dinner each evening during advent. It was a really nice way of countering all the commercialisation of Christmas.

[Hannah]

Barring that, I'm trying to emphasize Christmas presents that are "experiences" rather than "things".

 

I really like this idea as well.

[TammyinTN]

My favorite gift to give and receive is a nice gratitude journal. My sister in law made me one years ago and she decorated it beautifully. I really enjoyed it and shared it with her the next Christmas, I don't know who was happier...Amy or I.

 

Another favorite gift idea is a basket filled with my favorite goodies. Homemade cookies, brownies, sauces, cooking utensils and homemade recipe cards handwritten, maybe a nice DVD.

[lwilliams1922]

I havent read the book but....

 

One thing I started doing was card making.

 

I have serous issues with greetings cards: $5.00 and requires very little thought. I make 90% of greeting cards. Nothing terribly fancy but I use a graphic program or even word sometimes.

 

I select the graphics and text from either somethng meaningfull i've read or in a few cases write my own.

 

I do them in anywhere from 15 mins to an hour. I just feel so much better than the 3 mins it would take me to pick one out in the store.

 

I'm also thinking about starting soap making.

I'd like to make them for the house and give them out as gifts.

[lynn]

I havent read the book but....

 

One thing I started doing was card making.

 

I have serous issues with greetings cards: $5.00 and requires very little thought. I make 90% of greeting cards. Nothing terribly fancy but I use a graphic program or even word sometimes.

 

I select the graphics and text from either somethng meaningfull i've read or in a few cases write my own.

 

I do them in anywhere from 15 mins to an hour. I just feel so much better than the 3 mins it would take me to pick one out in the store.

 

I'm also thinking about starting soap making.

I'd like to make them for the house and give them out as gifts.

 

I do this also. DH gave me scrapbooker delux and it has a greeting card feature. We all use it for everyone's birthdays and holidays. DH gets very creative with my cards. I have been quite impressed.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I make our cards each year too. I usually use our old mac computer and Printshop Deluxe, some of the cards have been unusual, but fun. I love to search for bits of poetry or quotes about Christmas from famous people to put in the cards.

 

I've also found beautiful pen and ink drawings that you can download for free. Then I use colored pencils or markers and glitter to enhance them.

[Kelli in TN]

What a great thread!!

 

My husband's niece and I are trying to convince the rest of my inlaws to stop the gift exchange and replace with themed ornaments. Everyone would announce their theme (like, I'll give snowmen and you give Santas and someone else is doing trains, etc).

 

It is going over like a lead balloon.

[RoughCollie]

Along this same line, one year I made pillowcases for the kids out of remnants of holiday fabrics. When they were younger, every year on Dec. 1, the Christmas pillowcases were put on their pillows. They liked having these to help decorate their rooms for Christmas. I intended to make pillowcases for other holidays (Valentine's, St. Patrick's, patriotic holidays and Halloween) for them, but I never got around to it.

 

Mind you, no kid is going to go nuts over pillowcases, but mine did like these very much after they were put to use.

 

Last year I made flannel pillow cases for everyone.

[A.J. at J.A.]

You guys are TOTALLY AWESOME!!! I just LOVE :001_wub: all the ideas and know that most of them are ones I can handle!

 

Thank you so much! What a plethora of information the "hive" is! I am so very thankful!!

 

Angela:hurray::hurray:

[Angel]

Kate,

 

Can you post a link to the pattern for the sox? Are they easy? My dd has one of those looms and I've been dying to knit socks but I still a knitting newbie.

 

Thanks!

[A.J. at J.A.]

Aprons are easy to make and are a cute gift with a tin of homemade cookies or a loaf of bread wrapped up inside. I like to use holiday fabric.

 

I have embroidered pillowcases and even table runners and cloths.

 

This year I will be making old fashioned flour sack towel sets, you know, the day of the week ones. I will pick a design that each person will enjoy so they will all be different. I will probably include a tin of fudge or cookies.

 

Almost forgot, flannel or fleece jammie pants are really easy too and the kids and teenagers really like them. I have even made these for American girl dolls to match.

 

Paula,

 

Do you have pattern links for any of these things? I'm not very handy sewing-wise, but I can do a straight stitch! :D

 

Thanks,

Angela

[A.J. at J.A.]

My favorite gift to give and receive is a nice gratitude journal. My sister in law made me one years ago and she decorated it beautifully. I really enjoyed it and shared it with her the next Christmas, I don't know who was happier...Amy or I.

 

Tammy,

 

Can you describe the gratitude journal a little more? Did she write anything in it so you knew that's what it was?

 

Thanks,

Angela

[A.J. at J.A.]

I love all of these ideas--thank you! Here are a couple more: bath bombs and eye pillows.

 

For the eye pillows, cut a piece of material into a rectangle about 7 and 1/2 inches by 6 inches. (You can really do whatever size you want, smaller for children. The idea is that when it is folded in half, stiched and stuffed, it will cover your entire eye area and block out the light.) Fold the rectangle in half so you have 7.25x3--wrong side of material out--and stitch 2 of the three open edges closed. Turn right side out and fill with flax seed and dried lavendar (or lavendar oil works too). Then stitch the remaining edge closed, folding the seam under. Someone gave one of these to me and then my girls all wanted one. We love them--very relaxing!

 

Bath bombs--there are various "recipes" I'm sure you could google. If you want, I am happy to send you the one we use. We make one that fizzes. We pack the mixture into various shaped soap molds (frogs and turtles are the favorite), but a half of a plastic Easter egg works great too. Kids love these, and I like them too (guess I can't speak for other adults, but I've given plenty to adults as well). One year for Christmas I took them around to all of the 3 yos in the church class I taught with a little message about being clean on the inside as well as the outside.

 

Great ideas! I'd love your "recipe" for the bath bombs. Sounds great!

 

Angela

[Mrs. Readsalot]

My dh and I used to make the calendars, now our ds makes them himself. He prints a page for each month and has a photo from that month in the previous year for each month. The grandparents love it. The software we use is old and is called create a card. I am sure their are probably better programs available now. This is always a highly anticipated gift on the grandparent part. Our ds has a blast making them.

[Jane in NC]

In an earlier post, I mentioned the Sew Mama Sew blog. Last December they linked to tutorials for several projects per day which you can find on this master list of Handmade Holidays.

 

Even if you don't sew, you'll find cool projects via the Sew Mama Sew site, like this rag rug tutorial.

 

The aforementioned site also has a tutorial for a woven ribbon/bias tape pillow--simple but cute.

 

Keep the inspiration coming, folks! I'm loving it.

 

Jane

[Sara R]

Here's one I did: I decorated 5x8 mini clipboards for female family members. That's about the size of a to-do list. My to-do lists kept getting lost among paper clutter, and the clipboard helps prevent that.

 

I selected some of my favorite little kid pictures. In my photo editing software I placed multiple pictures on one page, so when they got developed there would be multiple mini photos on one 4x6 photo. I saved these as jpg and uploaded them to Walgreens, where they were developed. (Don't print these up on the computer. My friend tried that and the pictures bled.)

 

I painted the clipboard a neutral background color and let it dry. I cut out the mini-photos and fit them together the way I liked it. Then I painted one side of the clipboard with Modge Podge (from the craft store) and used it as glue to stick the pictures to the clipboard. After it dried I painted over it with Modge Podge. I did a few coats so it would be durable.

 

Doing 5 of these took a couple of evenings to complete.

[A.J. at J.A.]

Here's one I did: I decorated 5x8 mini clipboards for female family members. That's about the size of a to-do list. My to-do lists kept getting lost among paper clutter, and the clipboard helps prevent that.

 

I selected some of my favorite little kid pictures. In my photo editing software I placed multiple pictures on one page, so when they got developed there would be multiple mini photos on one 4x6 photo. I saved these as jpg and uploaded them to Walgreens, where they were developed. (Don't print these up on the computer. My friend tried that and the pictures bled.)

 

I painted the clipboard a neutral background color and let it dry. I cut out the mini-photos and fit them together the way I liked it. Then I painted one side of the clipboard with Modge Podge (from the craft store) and used it as glue to stick the pictures to the clipboard. After it dried I painted over it with Modge Podge. I did a few coats so it would be durable.

 

Doing 5 of these took a couple of evenings to complete.

 

Cool idea! We can probably handle that. Did you have to use special paint for the neutral color so it would stick to the clipboard?

 

Angela

[Tina]

For several years, instead of gifts for the adults in my extended family, we had a white elephant game/exchange. The item had to be something you didn't buy. Everyone's got something available! We draw numbers to open a gift. You can either pick an unopened gift or steal someone's opened gift. If you steal, they have the same option. The game just goes on until stealing/opening are done. We have had loads of fun with this one!

[Mom to Aly]

One of the best gifts I've ever given to fam members was made by my dd. I got plain wooden picture frames, unpainted, and plain white mats. When she was younger, she finger painted the mats, as she got older, she used gel pens or markers and wrote, drew pics, etc. Then she would paint the frames. When she was older we picked out the pics together to go inside. I would get mats that held a bunch of little pics, and last year we picked the pics first, and she wrote something about the pics next to each pic--her "memory" of it. It was wonderful, took a long time to do several, but was well worth it. I just want one for us now :). Using glitter paint looks great, btw.

[Sara R]

Nope. The Modge Podge does that.

[Rosie_0801]

Barring that, I'm trying to emphasize Christmas presents that are "experiences" rather than "things". My personal Christmas list includes prepaid dance lessons (exercise), ballroom dance with dh, going out to a restaurant and movie, etc.

 

Ha ha. We do a bit of this too. One year I paid for my grandmother to do a short course, and my sister bought the train tickets so she could get there!

My mum was big on bulking up the spread by including stuff we needed anyway, like new clothes, pencil cases, coloured pencils etc.

:)

Rosie

[Sharon H in IL]

My 11 yo DS seems to be growing out of the toy stage, and I thought we'd try giving him more experiences instead. So for Christmas we'll probably get him a beginner snowboard and take him to a place to take snowboarding or skiing lessons. Not a lot of time, just a plan to take the family vacation in the winter rather than summer, with some special time for him on the hills. The rest of us aren't skiers, so we'll scout out the scenery and shops, and hang by the fireside with cocoa. :-)

 

For the family, in addition to the WTM vanilla (they all loved the first batch!), I am going to make dryer balls. I don't remember which frugal blog I saw the idea on, but you wrap up wool into a ball, then felt it by washing and drying in hot water & high heat. Then put each ball into a wrapper of old pantihose. You add it to the dryer when you're drying clothes and it helps things dry faster. Supposedly. My guinea pigs, I mean, my family will get to test them.