Creativity needed...ideas for gifts for neighbors other than cookie trays!

[AZKathy]

Okay, all you wonderful creative people. What are good gifts for neighbors other than the standard cookie trays? I know you all will come up with great ideas and I don't want to do the cookie thing this year and I am drawing a blank for what to do for neighbors for a holiday gift. I know there will be tons of wonderful ideas pouring out of the keyboards! Thanks!

 

[JC2]

Ack! I wish I had some ideas for gifts like that.
I'm sure some people on the DIS have some creative ideas! I look forward to hearing them.

 

[CamColt]

Im getting 1 family of neighbors a thing with all differetn flavored coffees. Its actually called the 12 coffees of Christmas. They also have cocoas. I ordered it from a company that sells mail order stuff through my mothers work so Imsorry,I cant really tell you where to get it.

The kids Im getting toys for.

 

[amid chaos]

I have a wonderful recipe for apple bread. it has apple slices placed neatly on top and it yummy. I make it in those small loaf pans and wrap creativly.

 

[Otimon]

How wonderful you have such great neighbors to exchange gifts with!

You didn't say how many there were, but how about this year having them all over for a Christmas get-tegether on a Sat. or Sun. afternoon. I did this last year witrh some neighbors and a good time was had by all. Found a wonderful strawberry punch receipe on the net (you could "kick it up" any way you pleased) and served various cheeses and crackers, Christmas cookies, etc. We all sat in the family room and chatted the afternoon away. I gave little boxes of fancy chocolates as they left. A nice way to let them know they're apreciated as friends and neighbors.

 

[holycow]

There is a web site recipies in a jar...has some fun stuff from bath salts to recipes ...just a thought if you didn't want to spend money.

HC

 

[pumba]

walmart I love........they have some really cute baskets....small to large size.....I get a few of those......a nice linen napkin......go to the food section and get a bottle of apple cider......in fancy bottles.....2.99 usually......and a couple of fancy glasses..usually a dollar each......six bucks....for the basket and the drinks.......or you could put some non refrigerated cheese pkgs and some crackers.....our neighbors really liked this idea......

 

[Pam]

The local Rite Aid had snowball candles on sale - regular price $4.99 for a large one, $2.99 for small - and they were then 33% off! They also had some other winter scenes ones.

If you can make hardtack candy - that's always a hit.

Pam

P.S. Pumba - I loved your idea - I'll have to "swipe" that one and do it this year!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

One neighbor is MAKING dough ornaments for us. She did it last year too. They are beautiful.
Other neighbor gave us a cute little snowman for decoration that said 'Frosty Friends'.
One neighbor gave us homemade "Christmas Loaf"...it was yummy.
I gave out homemade cookies & Yankee Candles in a cute gift bag.

Thanks for the reminder ! Good luck finding a gift.

 

[RitaZ.]

Every year I make a new ornament and all my neighbors get one, plus some other little thing. I have already made my ornaments for this year, and I think I'm going to add one of those jars with the layered ingredients for making cookies.

The ornament thing has become a tradition for me. The neat thing is that when I visit my neighbors, they point out the various ornaments that are hanging on their tree plus the ones that I have made for them.

 

[tkyes]

I always make homemade caramels. Every year my challenge is to find something new to put them in. Last year I bought a cute metal bucket and painted it cream and then painted a snowman on it. This year I am painting those paper mache boxes from the craft store that have lids on them.

If I didn't give out my caramels every year I think I would get in big trouble!

Tamie

 

[MerryPoppins]

Check out the jar mixes on www.recipegoldmine.com. They are easy to make and people seem to enjoy them.

My in-laws always receive a handmade Christmas ornament from their next-door neighbors. They have several daughters that have made ornaments for the whole neighborhood for years. It's something that they all look forward to.

Or how about going to Walmart and getting some poinsetta plants? They aren't very expensive and look pretty over the holidays.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

How about an offer to babysit the kids? Maybe with movie passes? I don't know how many neighbors you are dealing with, but I know I would appreciate that!!!

 

[GEM]

You guys have officially made me feel bad. I don't even know any of our neighbors names.

 

[AZKathy]

Originally posted by GEM
You guys have officially made me feel bad. I don't even know any of our neighbors names.

Thanks for the ideas. From some of your links, I found a recipe for Christmas ornaments that are made from cinnamon and applesauce. DS made some in fourth grade and two years and they smelled WONDERFUL! Should be easy if fourth graders made them!

 

[Robinrs]

I checked that site also. I've been looking for something that the kids and I can do this weekend to get ready for Christmas. Those applesauce and cinnamon ornaments sound like a winner!

 

[AZKathy]

Originally posted by Robinrs
I checked that site also. I've been looking for something that the kids and I can do this weekend to get ready for Christmas. Those applesauce and cinnamon ornaments sound like a winner!

These ornaments smell SO wonderful. It had been two years since DS made them in fourth grade last Christmas, you know they still smelled! Certainly not as strong as the first year, but still pleasant! Get some glitter glue to decorate them and use raffia to hang them with; nice country look! Happy ornamenting! (I still have to get the ingredients!)

 

[Boots]

I like the gift basket idea. You could fix each basket to the interests of the neighbor you are giving them too.