"Frugal" Christmas Gift Ideas

My kids made soap for their teachers, family and friends. We bought plain glycerin soap (melts in the microwave). We bought molds in the shapes of wrapped gifts, stockings etc. and a regular soap size. They put mini erasers or the themed buttons from AC Moore (ballet, cards, golf) in the soap.
 
I too made the homeamde soaps. I found the molds & soap to be cheapest @ Hobby Lobby (even when not on sale). My 2 dds & neice made them back in Oct & had a blast-something everyone could fo even 2yo dd could add color/smell & stir. Turned out SO CUTE! CAnt'w ait too give them to everyone!
 

subscribing... :sunny:
You all have some great ideas!
The most doable for me that I have seen is the movie basket...
 
I made "warm and cozy" gift baskets last year. Old Navy had the fleece throws for $3 on BF, and I added hot coco mix, small bags of marshmellows, and a mug.
 
One year I made gifts in a jar for all the women in our family. MIL had a BUNCH of huge canning jars that she didn't want so I gladly took them and I found the recipe online and put everything in the jar as the recipe followed. Then I printed the remainder of the recipe on cardstock on my printer and then I cut it out with scrapbook scissors for the "nice" edge. I bought some plaid red and green fabric and gave it the same edge and put it on the top of the jar. I tied the directions on the jar with some raffia and put labels on the front of the jar with the name of the cookie it will make....THEY WERE A HUGE HIT!!!!

MY ONLY ADVICE: do it when the kids go to bed, it is very messy and they tend to knock things over..... which is never good!!!
 
I love the SNOWMAN kit idea. Super Cute!

We've done the movie baskets and they are a big hit. Target has the plastic popcorn containers in their Dollar Spot section. They also had packs of Movie Trivia cards that would be neat to include in a Movie Night basket.

Last year we did Breakfast on Christmas Morning baskets and they were a big hit. I included pancake mix, syrup, a red Silicone Spatula from Bed, Bath and Beyond, a Christmas themed pancake mold from Williams Sonoma, hot cocoa, marshmallows, and snowman paper plates and napkins. I put them in a big basket and used a Christmas printed basket bag over the top.

BTW, I purchased coupons for the cocoa, pancake mix and pancake syrup on eBay. My Kroger doubles coupons so these items were very cheap.
 
Now I'm actually trying to think of people I can make presents for with my 3 DDs! This would be so much fun for us (and a bonding experience)!
 
frannn said:
Now I'm actually trying to think of people I can make presents for with my 3 DDs! This would be so much fun for us (and a bonding experience)!

Buy some stockings at a Dollar Tree store for $1 each - they have 1'-3' sizes. Decorate them with glitter (Dollar Tree has packages w/3 bottles of glitter-glue combined - although - may be too difficult for a 3 yr old to squeeze).

I would make a stocking for each person you are sending a gift to. Outline the girls hands & put their name under each set of hands. Then, let them decorate the rest of the stocking with good ol' Elmer's glue and other sparkly stick-on decorations. Geez, I wish my 13yr old daughter was little again ;)

Then bake cookies sugar cookies (they can roll it out & cut) & let the kids decorate; mini loaves of bread (they can kneed it); & put some tea, hot chocolate, cider mix, etc. into the bag to fill it. Put a few candy canes in the bag and it is ready to "gift"
 
I will be doing some baking, but I also shop starting right after Christmas (once Target hits 75%). I bought a bunch of Healing Gardens lotion and perfume sets last year for like $2.25, normally $12.99 (it was closer to 80 or 85% off), I picked up items at the Disney Store on a trip we were on very cheap - kids sweatshirts and such for like $3.00. I bought my niece some pajamas at Target with Hello Kitty on them for $5.00, normally $20.00. My family loves the Buccaneers, and I found nice books for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree. I also found Ralph Lauren Polo mens shirts for $4.00 at Sams Club earlier this year, and bought a bunch (I kept a few for myself too).

Anyway - mostly, I just wrap gifts and don't shop so much during the holiday season. It is too crazy! I have a few people to buy for, but much of my list is done.

Denise
 
You are the smartest folks EVER! I love these ideas and can't wait to check out Martha's sugar scrub. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks again all you smarties.
 
Oh - for my sister and her husband, I got an Entertainment Book. It was $28 shipped (I went through My Points), and the value back from mypoints is around $6.00. So for the two of them, it was about $22.00 (and a few small other items, not much else).

Denise
 
Last year I bought taper bayberry candles, then took fancy paper and wrote the new years poem on it. I then punched a hole and tied the card onto the candle. I used these to decorate the packages.
 




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