Cheap Christmas Gifts

I am always looking for cheap Christmas gifts. Not that I am a cheap person,  but I like to save money and I have lots of friends and family to buy for.

Now I could cut back on my gift list, but this is the one time of year that I can say to important people in my life that I care about them and I want to get them something special. And so every year I start the panic mode of how to manage on a small budget and yet find just the right gift. Cheap gifts can be the best ones of all.

Quality is important to me, so when I say I am buying cheap Christmas gifts; it is not really what I mean. I want to spend my money wisely and have something nice to show for it. So if you are frugal and want cheap Christmas gifts, take a look of some of my favorite stand bys. Have fun and use your imagination and remember it really is the thought that counts.

• Gourmet coffees with a personal coffee cup –flavored creamers and a variety of specialty hot chocolate is a great idea too

• Pound of pistachios or actually any nuts.  Peanuts are less expensive and dipped in chocolate they are simply delightful

• Teacup with box of herbal tea

• Homemade cocoa mix in a pretty jar

• Collage of special photos

• Bottle of sparkling cider

• Home baked bread, include recipe

• Basket filled with deli cheese and fruit

• Craft supplies and art supplies

• Gardening gloves with a plant or flower seeds

• Homemade cookie mix with instructions for baking

• Variety of bread mixes

• Special coffee cup filled with candy

• Fancy magazines tied together with a pretty ribbon

• Gourmet popcorn and flavored oil

• Locally made barbeque or steak sauce with basting brush

•  Pancake or waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup

• Movie theater gift certificates

• Puzzles

• Home baked cookies

• A gift basket full of family favorites

• A gift basket full of chocolate of all kinds

No matter what you give, have fun, save money and give with a gift of your heart and it will be a wonderful, yet cheap Christmas season.

　

Home Work Stations for Kids

Instead of having your kids do their homework all over the house, having a permanent place set aside for homework activities can help everyone get their work done quicker. If you are lucky enough to have a work space that will allow a desk top computer you will be all set.

Here are a few things to add to your homework center.
Pencils and a sharpener
Colored pencils
Crayons
Markers
Sharpies
Pens
Glue Sticks
Tape
Sticky Notes
Dictionary
Thesaurus
White out
White paper
Notebook paper
Construction paper
Scissors
Stapler
3 hole punch
Paper clips
Rubber Bands
Brads
Computer and Printer

Now you are ready for almost any project your children will bring home. Having it all in one place will keep you from running to the store at the last minute looking for those simple things. Creating a homework work station will help your children concentrate and get their work done quicker.

Space Saving Tips From Tiny House Blog

I just had to share these tips from the Tiny House Blog. Simply great ways to make any space look more open!

7 Space Saving Techniques

Saving Space in the Kitchen
Lighting Tricks
Cheat Your Storage Space
Shelving
Smart Furniture
Create Versatile Rooms
Cutting Clutter
Visit them now at Tiny House Blog to read how each of these things can help you save space!      

Father’s Day Gifts for Kids on a Budget

Children delight in giving gifts to their parents. They want their mom or dad to feel the same excitement and joy at opening a present as they do. The younger the child the harder it is for them to feel like they are giving a gift. Around the holidays and special days like birthdays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day it’s a great idea to get some extra chores done and pay your children to do them. This way they earn a little money to purchase gifts with, and your child gets to feel as if they truly gave it.

Here are some gifts that kids can give their dad on Father’s Day that will not break the piggybank.

Coupons for a foot rub

Coloring a nice picture

New coffee mug

A Tie (yes some dads do need new ones)

Cologne

New wallet

Dad’s favorite candy

New slippers

Tools

His favorite meal

Dessert

Coupons for chores you normally get paid for

   Example: clean the garage, clean out and wash the car

Most of all dad’s need to be thanked for all the hard work they do all year long so you can be provided for. Make sure dad feels extra special on his day by letting him know you have noticed all he does.
For more ideas on Father's Day Gift Baskets check out Planet Gift Baskets

Writing A Friendship Letter

Friendship letters can be a lot of fun. Now days, however, we find it easier to text a short message or E-mail a quick note.  Yet, it is still valuable to sit down and write a letter to your amigo. It will be a friendship gift to cherish.

Everyone loves to get mail. Years ago it was the best way to communicate with people who were far away. It is important to let a friend know that they are important to you whether they live close or far away.   So put away the computer  for the afternoon and get out a pen and paper and share your thoughts with your  friend.

Start with an easy greeting. A good one might be to use their name in some way or to include in the title that you are writing to a good friend.

If you have trouble getting started, you can pretend they are sitting across the table from you. Relax and just share what it happening in your everyday life. The level of intimacy depends of the level of friendship. Try not to be overly dramatic Just talk about what you have been doing in the last few weeks and what you are planning to do.

Don’t forget to tell them how important their friendship is to you. Most of the time we take friends for granted and we need to remember that building a strong friendship takes some work. It is a giving situation. 

It is important to ask questions about how they are doing. By asking questions if also encourages them to respond to your friendship gift letter.  You do not have to use fancy or expensive stationary to write a letter, but it is fun to try some different types of paper to write on.

Writing letters is beginning to be a lost art and yet it still has a place in our life styles. A written letter can be kept and re read over and over. It can also be shared with other friends, if that is appropriate.

So if you have a friend who is important to you, set down and write a letter to them and let them know what is happening in your life and tell them how glad you are that they are part of your circle of friends. Your letter will be a friendship gift for many years to come.

Friendships are important to all of us. We need friends in our lives. So take a little extra effort and try this not so old fashion method form or communication.

Have You Ever Felt Like You Have No Time?

What do you do when you feel like you have no time in your life to organize? Well, the simple answer is MAKE time. How do you do that? Here is a simplified version.

• Prioritize The Essentials to Your Day:
• Getting your Kids ready for school
• Helping your Spouse get started for their work day
• Lunches, Breakfast, planning dinner
• Getting ready for work

• Find Your Time Wasters 
• Facebook
• Email
• Phone Calls

Rethink Your Routine, you might find the time you need. Or you can adopt a different philosophy.

Honoring Mom---- Think Ahead and Plan For A Special Day

In the United States Mothers day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. The very first Mother’s Day was observed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1907. President Woodrow Wilson set that day to be a national day when Mothers would be honored all over the United State of America.

It’s fun to know that Mother’s day is also celebrated in Denmark, Finland and Australia on the same Sunday.

Did you know that there are more phone calls made on this holiday than any other day? It is the third largest card sending day and one of the biggest days for eating in a restaurant.

There are many fun ideas for how to spend this special day. Some of the most popular Mother's Day Gift Ideas are:
SENDING FLOWERS

MAKING BREAKFAST IN BED

BUY OR MAKE A CARD

FAMILY PICTURE

TAKING MOM OUT TO EAT

GIFTS

Because we live in a society where people do not necessarily stay in the same location they grew up in, it becomes difficult to always have a personal visit on this Holiday.

More and more people are using the internet to send gifts to loved ones. It can be very effective to shop this way. There are a number of things you can send and do by using the internet. You can send flowers, Mother’s day cards, or gift baskets containing some of your mom’s most favorite foods. The list is endless.

Something that is becoming more popular is a Mother’s day gift card. People are using these cards instead of buying gifts because they are easy and the person receiving the card can then use it as they please.

A mother’s day gift card can be purchased on line very easily. Think of a store you know your mother might enjoy and then goggle it and there you go. Most major stores offer these cards and will send it directly to the person who you are buying it for. Just have your credit card and the address handy.

Mother’s day gift cards can also be bought at most department stores and next time you are in the grocery store, notice there is a large display of gift cards ready for you to choose from. They include restaurants, chain stores, airline cards and the list goes on and on.

So if you want to get your Mom something you know she will enjoy, take the guess work out of it and get her a Mother’s day gift card.

How Do You Say Thank You To Your Clergy?

October is officially pastor appreciation month. Most people don’t realize it.  It is a great chance for the congregation to pause and let their pastor know that they are valued and appreciated.  While no pastor is perfect I think we can all agree it is a tough, wonderful, difficult, and rewarding job.  Hours are never ending and as soon as you take on that calling someone will almost always be disappointed with you.  But words or acts of encouragement can go a long way.  So why not do something wonderful and special for your pastor and better yet for your pastor’s spouse as well?

A thank you gift basket can be created in many ways.  Ask different groups in the church to help out.  Place a huge basket in a hidden spot and have members fill the basket with coffees, teas, cookies, muffins, books, really the list is endless.   A gift certificate for a night away is an often wonderful treat for a pastor and their spouse.  Have the kids wing color thank you pictures.  The kids could even create their own thank you gift basket.  And if you are worried about perishable items and want to really surprise your pastor order a beautiful personalized thank you gift basket. 

 A thank you gift basket can be from a family or an entire church body.  The important thing is that you do something to let your pastor know that the role they serve makes a huge difference in your and others lives.  So get started……….the blessings will be overwhelming and it can be a barrel of fun too.

Personalized Gift Baskets

When you give a gift making it personalized is the best. It tells the person that you know a lot about them and have taken the time to give them a special gift.  One of the most fun and exciting gifts to receive is a personalized gift basket.

How do you get a personalized gift basket?  There are many way to create or purchase one.  Most of us are busy, and by the time you pay the gas, put in the time, and find just what you want, oh and don’t forget you have to get the basket, it can really add up.  If you enjoy shopping and looking for nice quality things then making your own personalized gift basket is an excellent choice for you.   But if you are like most people meaning you are short on time and don’t like going from place to place and actually have no idea how to personalize a gift basket don’t worry.  I have found a site that has done all the hard work for you.

Plant Gift Baskets is an amazing site. While there are actually many sites to choose from, not only is Planet gift baskets my favorite it has I believe the better quality selection and a ton of choices.  They specialize in personalized gift baskets too.  So it is a win win for me when I want to give a special gift to that someone in my life. 

You can give a personalized gift basket to just about anyone.  Young or old, an acquaintance or a bosom buddy, everyone enjoys a gift that is personalized.  Planet gift baskets can personalize just about anything.  Can you imagine the new mom opening a personalized baby blanket with her new little ones name on it?  Or a beach themed basket with the families name on each towel.  How about a lap blanket that says “Grammy” on it?  She will love seeing her grandma name each time she is a little cold and snuggles up to the gift you took time to pick out.

Go outside of the box when it is time to give a gift of love to someone you appreciate or care about.   Gifting a personalized gift basket filled with items you know your special someone will love is a fantastic gift idea…………for anytime or anyone~