<p>One year I gave very inexpensive silly gifts in the gag genre to all of the many children at the big family gathering (whoopie cushions, see-behind-you spy glasses, plastic “spilled milk”, plastic doggie droppings, handshake buzzers, etc.). It was the hit of the party. The kids ignored the very expensive gifts that they received, and spent the entire day playing “tricks” on each other and the adults. They had a blast, and it was the cheapest Christmas spending I ever did.</p>
<p>Copies of the NYT on election days for H and for my son who worked on the Obama campaign are in my gift closet. Have been collecting inexpensive desk, calendar, office/organization supplies to put together a pack, bag for each family member. Have bought bargains in gloves, hats, socks, underwear, pajama bottoms, t shirts that I have had stashed too. Scored on a giftcard tree that will get it’s “leaves” distributed as well, and I have traded cards that I won’t use. I have a great Talbots card that I will use for ME. I have collected lots of cute dollar shop stocking stuffers and even enough stuff for a fun basket. </p>
<p>One of my all time favorite gifts is a tin filled with little snippets of things that my one son remembers. I love pulling out each little slip of paper that has a memory on it.</p>
<p>One really big hit with the grandparents (who already had everything) was placemat collages of the grandkids. I just bought cheap plastic plastic placemats, covered them with pictures, and then put clear contact paper on top. The grandparents loved them, used them for their casual placemats and enjoyed being able to look at their grandkids while eating.</p>
<p>Recently I went and took a class at a bead store. I learned how to knot pearls. So, I have been making a variety of “pearl” things…necklaces, lariats, bracelets, etc. I watch the ads in the Sunday papers…stores like Michaels or AC Moore or Joann’s Fabrics all have reasonably priced jewels…especially when they have their 2 for $5 sales etc. Michaels recently told me they honor ads from any of their competitors… so I was able to use another’s coupon on a purchase there. You can get large potato pearls and small tiny ones…all sorts of colors and shapes… and the knotting is actually easy. </p>
<p>I also make the jewelry pouches that have 8 small inner pockets…and I sometimes make these for my pearl gifts…or for graduation presents in the school colors of the graduate’s chosen school. </p>
<p>I also like to give books…and will go to the local library book sales and find older donated books that have funny names or are just not in print these days. I got The West Point Fitness book one year…another year I found Bedtime Manners which has chapters on all sorts of fun things, staying on someone’s boat, coming home after a Bachelor Party… I found The Science of Beauty one year…which has really dry reading about beauty…some books I do give away, others remain in my collection.</p>
<p>One of the best Christmas presents I found was for a close relative who was born in 1971. Several companies make series of Christmas ornaments, and Towle made a wonderful series in sterling silver, starting in 1971, based on the twelve days of Christmas. I have been able to buy these on Ebay, and have given one or two every year. Soon the series will be complete. I was reminded of this by maineparent’s post about the jewelry pouches, because I would love to have someone make (not skilled enough to do it myself) a case to hold the 12 ornaments, maybe out of velvet or silver cloth. Here’s the one from 1974:</p>
<p>[TOWLE</a> Sterling 1974 FOUR CALLING BIRDS XMAS ORNAMENT - eBay (item 400005128079 end time Nov-27-08 18:03:19 PST)](<a href=“http://cgi.ebay.com/TOWLE-Sterling-1974-FOUR-CALLING-BIRDS-XMAS-ORNAMENT_W0QQitemZ400005128079QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item400005128079&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318]TOWLE”>http://cgi.ebay.com/TOWLE-Sterling-1974-FOUR-CALLING-BIRDS-XMAS-ORNAMENT_W0QQitemZ400005128079QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item400005128079&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318)</p>
<p>I have “THE LIST” in my purse. Has all immediate and extended family and neighbors and friends likes (and have-to-haves), favs (colors, hobbies, authors, artists), sizes (shirt, jacket, pants, shoe, glove and hat sizes), decorating colors (bed sizes, color schemes, decorating themes) pets and children’s names-spelled correctly, and other seemingly non-important tidbits scratched into the margin next to their name.</p>
<p>Its a really messy piece of paper. Have had it for years and it is ready to fall apart. You’d think I’d re-write it. Nope. Piece of history.</p>
<p>So I shop, find, discover holiday gifts all year long. Some gifts I have had for YEARS. Keep them organized in buckets with an inventory list. </p>
<p>When oldest son was born there was an exhibit of a particular artist at the Smithsonian which depicted a specific profession/hobby he was destined for, 2 years later same week as his little brother was born had another exhibit same thing just different picture (bought the discounted lithos, and later had them signed by the artist and those depicted in the picture).</p>
<p>20 years later I took the lithos out of their tubes and had them framed. Was on the wall when he came home for the holidays. He knew from the time he was little I had them but they would go up when/if that particular dream was realized. Well he has accomplished much so up they went (had a 60% coupon and a clearance price on the frame!). Held on to that gift for a while. </p>
<p>Nephew has a train obsession so have picked up different pieces and he has his own little bucket. Some years go by and nothing is added and other times it is hard to keep track, hence the inventory list. When money has been really tight through the years my buckets and lists have gotten us through. When we moved across the country my buckets were the first things in the U-haul!</p>
<p>“The List” is well known amongst our family/friends/coworkers and it is not surprising to get called by others asking for info on the list. Even between spouses! I give the info freely, but nobody but me gets to see it and I mean nobody!!</p>
<p>I am still using the wrapping paper I bought in 2002 at Target at 90% off. Same with our tree and other decorations (especially the lights!). Last year one of the rolls of paper had a copyright date of 1987, I said it was retro-kiddos loved it!</p>
<p>It is acknowledged in our little town that we have the Christmas house…</p>
<p>Kat
aka Auntie Claus</p>
<p>We decided that the kids and grandkids have all the stuff they need and more. So just token gifts for the grandkids and we are spending the Holidays in Hawaii. Thanks kids and grandkids. We’ll enjoy your gift much more than the random last minute stuff we usually receive. 
sortof.</p>
<p>I recently received an email from one of my sibs. Money is very tight at her house this year. She’s asked all of us, sibs, spouses, grandchildren, to write down a family memory of our childhood, a time with our parents or grandparents. She plans to put them all in a pretty jar for our parents so they’ll have a new memory for everyday next year. I know my parents will love it.</p>
<p>NYMomof2…
my girlfriend used to sell Towle Silver…I have several items … funny how worlds can collide…</p>
<p>thought on a container for the 12 ornaments…maybe you could take an egg carton and spray paint it? cut out and glue in velvet circles?? I use old egg cartons for my easter decorations…</p>
<p>actually, you could even sew up a long rectangle…and fold up the long side 2/3rds of the way…and then sew lines down the duplicate area…to make 12 pockets…put ribbons on the ends…and then fill the pockets and roll it up into a Christmas Cracker type of roll?? Tie the ribbons around it? and that way they can unroll the 12 days of Christmas one day at a time?</p>
<p>good luck…</p>
<p>maineparent, Thank you for the great ideas! Your second one is very close to what I had in mind - soft, fabric, foldable, with ribbons to hold it closed, maybe the same ribbon binding the edges? I even imagine a monogram. The problem is that this is all beyond me. I could do the straight lines, but don’t own a sewing machine. I will look for someone to do it for me one of these years, though. I only have 3 or 4 more ornaments to buy.</p>
<p>Do you have ornaments from that same series?</p>
<p>I made chili-spiced apple jelly and jam today, and it is really good. I still have lots of apples, so I think I will get some more jars and make some more instead of our usual cookie plates for colleagues and casual friends. Or maybe a jar of the jam, a round of brie, some good crackers, and a pretty little tray. </p>
<p>I was surprised how easy it was to make (the jam was even easier than the jelly). I’ve only made freezer jam before this experiment, and I was always kind of nervous about jellying points and acid and pectin tests and all that. But I just skipped the tests and cooked it until it would set up on a cold plate, and it’s yummy and pretty. And with free apples, it is economical.</p>
<p>I wish I were on your gift list, Renee - the brie/jam/tray gift sounds wonderful!</p>
<p>NYMom, I have a number of attractive gold boxes that used to hold champagne flutes. You can have one if you like. PM me.</p>
<p>I scored big today with a 20% off coupon at the Christmas Tree Shop. I love that place. I had always liked Bed Bath &Beyond but their stuff is just too expensive. I was able to get a bunch of quilts that came with shams for just $20 after the coupon. Great for decorating. Even the king sized ones were the same price. Also found sherpa sweats jackets for the older boys for $20, actually $16 after discount. And some inexpensive messenger bags. I am set.</p>
<p>Also found some really cute collectibles on clearance there for under a buck and some great books at $2.99 before coupon. Coupons are on line good for this week only. They also take BB&B coupons.</p>
<p>I enjoy making edible gifts. They are more fun and hearfelt. I usually make a fruit and nut granola that I put in glass jars. I also make all natural dog cookies and give them to all my friends that are pet owners.
ReneeV, I make jam, what is your recipe for tha chili apple jelly?</p>
<p>My sister buys pretty bottles with corks (often at Pier 1 on sale after the holidays), and fills them with homemade Irish Cream. She also makes spiced cider with mulling spices and candy spoons for the office party. Easy to do and everyone looks forward to both.</p>
<p>I’d love to see the recipe for fruit and nut granola - sounds right up my alley!!!</p>
<p>We are giving memories instead of tangible gifts this year. Instead of the time, effort and cost of going out and searching for, purchasing, wrapping, etc (and possibly the time & effort of returning an unsatisfactory gift) we are planning activities together. For example, my mom. stepdad, teenage daughters and I are going out to lunch and then to “Marley and Me” movie after Christmas. Even at the cost of movie tickets, etc, its more economical than gifts and certainly more memorable. My sister and brother have long since done Christmas for the kids only and in the last few years have reduced that to a “family gift” instead of individual kids presents. My firends and I have canned individual gifts and have a get together at my house each year and just bring inexpensive gifts for a card game. The office gals and I have gone to making donations (each one makes whatever contribution and to whomever, sometimes its a donation of help instead of $$) and foregoing gift exchanges. My family has in the last few years favored homemade and handing down family heirlooms(term used loosely) now rather than later. Last year I gave my daughters rubbermaid ornament containers with a note. We spent a wonderful afternoon after Christmas taking down the tree and parceling out the ornamnets to each daughter. Now I can downsize and they have a start ornament collection to begin their households with. This year its a nativey from my collection and a wonderful handmake wooden chest to store it in…</p>
<p>I love the idea of handing down family “heirlooms” early. I only wish my two had households of their own to put things in. Since H and I are still the “storage closet of last resort,” it wouldn’t do us any good yet, but one day. :)</p>
<p>Many good ideas on this thread. It makes me want to get started!</p>
<p>I really like the suggestion of favorite memories in a jar!</p>
<p>milkansugar - I was experimenting and don’t have an exact recipe. It’s something like this: wash the apples, quarter and cut out bad spots and the blossom ends, but you don’t need to peel or core. Chop them up (maybe 1/2 - 1 inch chop) and fill a big pan (I think my pan is five or six quarts). Add about three cups of water and then simmer until the apples are mushy, stirring occasionally. If you want to add red pepper flakes, just go by taste. I would say I used a bit more than a tablespoon, but it was the last of a big jar I’d had for a long time, and they probably had last some potency. I think you could also add the pepper flakes when you are in the actual jam or jelly-making stage and that would probably let you have more control over how spicy the finished product turns out. The only other seasoning I added was some fresh-ground nutmeg, probably around a teaspoon.</p>
<p>After the apples are cooked, strain off the juice in a fine sieve or muslin-lined colander. You will probably have to do it in batches since it is a lot of apples. I ended up with four cups of juice. For jelly, I used 3 cups sugar for the four cups juice. Cook it over medium-high heat, stirring constantly at first, then just once in a while after it gets boiling. The jelling point is 8 degrees above boiling point of plain water, so 220 at sea level. If you are at higher elevation, check the temperature of boiling water and then add 8 degrees. My thermometer seemed to be off quite a bit, so I used the “sheet” test, cooking to the point when it would form a sheet when poured off a spoon instead of two streams, and I double checked it by putting a little on a cold plate and sticking in the freezer for 30 seconds or so, and it set up just fine. Then pour it into hot sterilized jars, put the lids on, and process for five minutes in boiling water. My jars are 175 ml (3/4 cup?), and that gave me four jars of jelly. </p>
<p>When I strained the juice out, there was a lot of fruit pulp left, and I thought I might as well try to do something with that, so I ran it through a food mill to remove the seeds and peels, and I had another 8 cups of fruit (basically a very thick applesauce, but it already had the pepper flakes in it, which limited what I could do with it). I pulled out my old Farm Journal freezing canning book that my MIL gave me when I married her son in 1977 and read about jams and fruit butters, and I would say what I did is sort of a cross between the two. I used six cups of sugar and started out with only half of the apple pulp. I wanted to get it cooked down and close to the jelling stage without having the pan really full and boiling all over. I was worried about it sticking since it had more fruit instead of just juice, so I stirred it more or less constantly. After it cooked down some, I added the rest of the fruit pulp and kept cooking until the cold plate test worked again and then put it in the jars. This made another 11 jars. It didn’t seem spicy enough when I added all of the fruit, and I was out of the regular red pepper flakes, so I added another kind that we got at a Turkish grocery that is darker red, slightly sweet, and not quite as hot.</p>
<p>I don’t know what kind of apples I have. They are big and round, streaky red and green skin, and quite tart until just recently when it turned cold. The red peel gave the juice a bit of a tint, so the final product is a reddish amber. I think next time I will skip the jelly and just make the jam/fruit butter instead. I still have lots of herbs (sage, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, oregano, etc.), so I might try it next time without the red pepper and just put some different leaves in some of the jars. I already had some of the first batch with neufchatel and crackers, and it was great.</p>