Comments on: Simplifying the Holidays: Homemade Gifts

By: Lynwood Grinter

Lynwood Grinter — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:56:23 +0000

This internet web site is my inspiration , genuinely excellent layout and perfect topic matter.

By: Sunny

Sunny — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:32:25 +0000

I so enjoy your information, Lindsay and wonder if you might have an answer to this dilemma when it comes to making the gift jars…I am trying to use only natural foods and do not want to use non fat dry milk which is called for in some of the recipes. Any thoughts on what to substitute? I think coconut milk powder would work in the chocolate milk recipe, but not so sure about something like beef stroganoff.

By: brittany

brittany — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 23:28:10 +0000

One year, when funds were on the low side, I made trivets for my family. I went to Lowe’s and bought large ceramic/slate tiles, put felt on the underside, and painted them with acrylic paint. I painted in black on most of them and put the household’s name (like “The Smiths”). I also found some inexpensive “transfers” that you can rub onto the tile (scrolls, other borders). I gave them with a black easel, so that they could be stood up the kitchen counter as decoration like a pretty plate. I suppose you could also hot glue picture hanging brackets to the back to make a wall decoration. Each one probably ended up costing about $4-5. I also thought about using smaller tiles to make personalized coasters, but I haven’t actually tried that yet.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 15:03:42 +0000

It’s 2010, so don’t know if anyone will read this. Two ideas – one is that Santa fills the stockings. Certainly keeps the realism and because kids DO know their parents’ budget limits makes them understand their wants have to be realistic for items out of the stocking. The other one, I should have listed it FIRST, is that the kids get 3 gifts or toys. After all 3 gifts were given to the Christ child on his day, so should certainly be right for children now.

By: janay

janay — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 05:34:27 +0000

in reading your gifts, one thing that came to mind is hand making games for the kids. i saw in a magazine how to make like a tic tac toe game out of sea shells. i know you are creative enough that once you have a basic idea you can make anything happen. i really thought this was a cool idea. my kids love games and puzzles. i saw at walgreens here in my town that you can put pictures on puzzles and all sorts of things. even playing cards. how cool is that. its not too expensive. about 20 bucks. but who would have thunk it?!!! any way, just wanted to share that.

By: Dana @ Letters to Elijah

Dana @ Letters to Elijah — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:36:16 +0000

I’m all over photo gifts. They are personal, simple, and generally frugal. Thanks for the links – I’m already starting to think about Valentines

By: JJ

JJ — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:33:05 +0000

Each Christmas I make homemade calendars for each household in my family. I purposefully keep them simple so relatives will feel free to write on them. Each calendar has family birthdays, major holidays, and anniversaries. Over the years I’ve added the year and place where family members were born and more recently the birthday and date of death of great-grandparents and further back.

I use Calendar Creator Plus, but I’m sure you could use other programs. I update with any deaths, births, marriages, divorces, new partners, etc. All you need to do is print off one calendar and then you can copy as many as you need. With three branches to my family, I keep three calendars, print off a new set of three each year, and then make all the copies I need. Oh, and be sure to include a January for the next year (13 months total). This is a very inexpensive but much used gift, I find. One year I was busy and did not mail out my calendar to uncles, aunts, etc. and quickly started getting requests. My poor uncle forgot his daughter’s birthday because he had no family calendar. ha

Thank you for your site. Very helpful.

By: Niki

Niki — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 05:53:56 +0000

It is so encouraging to me to see others out there jumping on the homemade gift train. I am also doing this, mostly because I want to give something personal but also to help save money.

I have recently learned to embroider, so I am embroidering pillow cases, kitchen towels, baby shirts, you name it. You can embroider on just about anything so it’s very practical. I’ve also been using scraps of cute fabrics to stitch together rice packs, which can be warmed in the microwave and used as heating pads. I’ve stitched peoples names on them to further personalize the gift.

By: DeAnna

DeAnna — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:30:38 +0000

Andrea, I LOVE this idea of the handprints!! My only problem — I don’t think I have any brown paper bags since we’ve been using “green” bags. I’m sure I could buy some kraft OR, I do have almost 2 months, I’m so getting brown paper bags next time at the store.

By: Maxime

Maxime — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:52:40 +0000

We’re doing pictures for the grandparents, aunts & uncles. I’m making my sister in law a sock monkey, she loves homemade stuff… We still have to see what we’re getting for everybody else. Thanks for all the ideas!