Planning for Christmas

Planning for Christmas will be a bit of a challenge this year since I'm on bedrest. I'm not worried about shopping because I can do most of that online. In the past DH and I have made smaller gifts for coworkers, neighbors and such. For the past couple of years we've made a yummy snack mix (many, many batches) to hand out. It worked great, but it's really a two person operation and I can't help this year. Are you giving gifts to coworkers this year? If so, what are you doing? We really want to keep the cost down since the babies will be here in the month or so after Christmas. Or, are you planning to skip gifts to coworkers and neighbors?

 

We really aren't planning on doing too much this year for Christmas. Everyone that DH works with (and I used to work with) know I'm on bedrest and that the twins will be here before Christmas, so I think they all understand why we're being very low-key.

 

I LOVE making Christmas gifts!!! I made all of our gifts last year for family and only spent $100 on EVERYONE (Both sides). Because we are having the twins and trying to save money we are making coasters for everyone this year and they look real nice and it is so cheap. Got to homedepot (Or send your hubby since you are on bedrest) and you can pick up a box of tile (it is not ceramic, but soap stone that absorbs moisture - they are cream color and look real classy) then you can get a stamp from your local scrapbook store and stamp the middle of them. We are stamping them with a floralei (We are from Louisville, and it is their symbol). We are using brown ink and it goes well with the stone. Then just tie them in shear ribbon and you have a great gift. The box of tile only cost like $5 for 20 of them. Oh - on the bottom of them you would want to buy those felt stickers to stick on them so they won't scratch up things.

We also did Popcorn Bowls - (these are my favorite). You go to goodwill and get old records for .50 a piece. You turn your oven on to 350 and place the record on top of a small bowl - you put it in the oven for 2 minutes until it gets flimsy. You then take it out wearing hot pads and place on a big bowl (I used a collender). You then push the record into the bowl and it forms a bowl. While it is still hot you can shape the edges any way you want. If you don't like how it turns out, you can put back in the oven a redo it. I then bought a box of popcorn and put some bags of popcorn, some candy, and soda in the bowl (For family I bought a dvd on clearance at blockbuster and put it in as well. ) I then wrapped it up in clear paper. I would cut lots of pieces of ribbon and put in in the bowl for decoration. It is a cheap gift that cost $1.50 a piece. PERFECT!!!

I then made some other gifts that I will post, but I don't know how well you would do making them on bedrest - they might require more get up and go.
- From my computer I printed off black and white pictures of some of our family members and bought a $5 frame from wal-mart that had a clear background and put them in. They looked real classy and nice!

- I made purses for my sisters out of placemats. We have a cute store here in Louisville that sells real adorable placemats for two dollars. I just folded it in half and sewed the sides together (inside out, so you turn it out and the seems don't show) and then took matching ribbon and sewed them on the top for handles. On my sisters, hers was black and I took a white iron on monogramed letter of her name and ironed it on. It looked Great! If you go over the stitching on the handle several times it will hold up real well. My friend uses hers ALL the time. And this gift looks nice and cute and only cost $3. PERFECT!

- For my mom and grandmother I made stepping stones for their garden. I already had 2 molds (an octagon and a butterfly) and I just bought a bag of cement from Michaels for $5 and bought colorful plates from goodwill for .50 a piece. We shattered the plates and used the chips to make mosaic patterns in the cement. They had to dry for 3 days but they looked GREAT!!! They loved them and only cost me around $7.

I have a friend that is GREAT at thinking of cute homemade gifts that don't look cheap - so if you want anymore ideas just PM and I would be happy to send you more.

 

QUOTE(spiveyplustwins @ Nov 4 2007, 07:39 PM) [snapback]480775[/snapback]
I LOVE making Christmas gifts!!! I made all of our gifts last year for family and only spent $100 on EVERYONE (Both sides). Because we are having the twins and trying to save money we are making coasters for everyone this year and they look real nice and it is so cheap. Got to homedepot (Or send your hubby since you are on bedrest) and you can pick up a box of tile (it is not ceramic, but soap stone that absorbs moisture - they are cream color and look real classy) then you can get a stamp from your local scrapbook store and stamp the middle of them. We are stamping them with a floralei (We are from Louisville, and it is their symbol). We are using brown ink and it goes well with the stone. Then just tie them in shear ribbon and you have a great gift. The box of tile only cost like $5 for 20 of them. Oh - on the bottom of them you would want to buy those felt stickers to stick on them so they won't scratch up things.

We also did Popcorn Bowls - (these are my favorite). You go to goodwill and get old records for .50 a piece. You turn your oven on to 350 and place the record on top of a small bowl - you put it in the oven for 2 minutes until it gets flimsy. You then take it out wearing hot pads and place on a big bowl (I used a collender). You then push the record into the bowl and it forms a bowl. While it is still hot you can shape the edges any way you want. If you don't like how it turns out, you can put back in the oven a redo it. I then bought a box of popcorn and put some bags of popcorn, some candy, and soda in the bowl (For family I bought a dvd on clearance at blockbuster and put it in as well. ) I then wrapped it up in clear paper. I would cut lots of pieces of ribbon and put in in the bowl for decoration. It is a cheap gift that cost $1.50 a piece. PERFECT!!!

I then made some other gifts that I will post, but I don't know how well you would do making them on bedrest - they might require more get up and go.
- From my computer I printed off black and white pictures of some of our family members and bought a $5 frame from wal-mart that had a clear background and put them in. They looked real classy and nice!

- I made purses for my sisters out of placemats. We have a cute store here in Louisville that sells real adorable placemats for two dollars. I just folded it in half and sewed the sides together (inside out, so you turn it out and the seems don't show) and then took matching ribbon and sewed them on the top for handles. On my sisters, hers was black and I took a white iron on monogramed letter of her name and ironed it on. It looked Great! If you go over the stitching on the handle several times it will hold up real well. My friend uses hers ALL the time. And this gift looks nice and cute and only cost $3. PERFECT!

- For my mom and grandmother I made stepping stones for their garden. I already had 2 molds (an octagon and a butterfly) and I just bought a bag of cement from Michaels for $5 and bought colorful plates from goodwill for .50 a piece. We shattered the plates and used the chips to make mosaic patterns in the cement. They had to dry for 3 days but they looked GREAT!!! They loved them and only cost me around $7.

I have a friend that is GREAT at thinking of cute homemade gifts that don't look cheap - so if you want anymore ideas just PM and I would be happy to send you more.


You are so creative, thank you for your ideas!

 

This year, it is cards for everyone. NO gifts. No way we can afford it!

 

How about:

Getting Christmas mugs, I think you can get them in the $1 store. Filling them with small
chocolates. Like hershey kisses. You can wrap them in cellophane.

 

I don't have any real cost saving ideas unfortunately I have bought only for my family like I do every year. I am hoping that the twins stay right where they are until after xmas though as I haven't really budgetted for them making an appearance.
Those are some great ideas there spiveyplustwins I will have to remember those. I love making stuff.

 

Since I will be 38 weeks literally on Christmas, DH and I expect that the cherubs will be making their appearence sometime around then. We are cutting back on our cost of presents this year. The homemade presents are a wonderful idea, I just wish I was creatively endowed like that!!!!

 

every year i did homemade candies and gifts for everyone but im afraid this year with the cost and lack of energy; we wont be doing so much; the parents will get the lastest protrait of the kids they love this! i give them 8 by 10's and frame it--the kids get a few gifts but they are so young; they dont need a ton of stuff--I might do xmas cards but im not sure; Ill do alot more catalouge shopping this year and on line-no more days and days of shopping in the malls which i love im just to tired now i cant imagine how tired i will be in 2 months-ack!

 

On bedrest too and not really planning any Christmas gifts to anyone. Not to DH, family or friends, let alone neighbors and co-workers. May send out some holiday cards though.

I am stuck upstairs and can't use the stairs so I can't really process packages as they come in even if I went online shopping! So if you want to feel better about not exerting yourself use me as a low baseline.

I think it all depends on how strict your bedrest is how ambitious you get with some of the craft suggestions...mine takes the only moving from horizontal to go the bathroom variety!

 

My aunt makes the BEST shortbread and for the last two years I have gone over a made some with her. I usually package them in little goody bags and that is what I give to coworkers.

I'm not sure about what to do on bedrest, though... spiveyplustwins had some great ideas!