Tired of endless mall walking in search of a perfect Christmas gift that is nowhere to be found? Hate giving gift cards or gift certificates and cash just because it seems impossible to come up with anything better? This holiday season, find unique ways to let the people in your life know that you care. Get creative, get personal and get fun; get a gift that will bring joy to her or him you love this Christmas.Projects to Do and MakeInstead of toys that quickly lose their appeal, projects to make and do entertain during the process of creation and then become all the more special because they were made by the recipient. A craft set for making beaded jewelry, a T-shirt or canvas bag and special fabric crayons and pens for decorating, or a small set of wood working tools and pieces of cut wood can provide hours of entertainment. These gifts also often teach useful skills and encourage artistic abilities. Some kits can be purchased with the supplies and tools included. For a more personalized gift or to monitor the quality of the tools included a gift giver might choose the supplies and tools and pick a useful bag or box that could serve as storage later.Homemade Items that Everyone NeedsSometimes a gift item of a usable, consumable product with a personalized touch can be both affordable and appreciated. Children’s artwork can be scanned and made into calendars or greeting cards. Lip balm, bath salts, or bath oil can be made with items from the grocery and craft store. For kids simple recipes abound for play dough, homemade bath crayons, and homemade sidewalk chalk.Since everyone needs to eat, ready-to-make meal mixes such as soup in a jar or muffin and bread mix can be great gifts as well. The gift of something useful need not be boring. It can be a playful twist on the usual or something a bit more extravagant than expected. But the element of usefulness ensures the gift will be appreciated rather than stored away.Gift Tickets to Local Attractions, Museums or Performances Gifts of tickets to local attractions, museums, or performances can encourage the appreciation of the arts. Families might appreciate an annual pass to a zoo or Children’s Museum near their home. Some performing arts centers offer packets of tickets to various events. Concerts or even movie theater tickets can be great gifts especially as families cut back on the entertainment budget and such attractions become a rare treat.Instead of focusing on things to purchase, gifts that focus on activities can bring smiles and avoid both the shopping pitfalls and the return lines.Gifts that interest and give fun to the recipient need not be expensive or even purchased. With some planning and creative ideas, thought, smart gift givers can get through Christmas with some money left in their pocket.

Christmas shopping – or lack of – sneaks up on me every year, no matter how good my intentions.
I am traditionally the original Scrooge at Christmas, the stress and pressure to try to make everything nice and find the perfect gift idea gets to me before the first ornament is out of the box, just the thought of it usually makes me grumble.
Sound familiar?
But this year I am kind of looking forward to it. Why?
Because I’m doing Christmas gift giving a little differently this year.
1. Instead of trying to do too much, I am cutting back and am determined to enjoy the experience (dammit :0)).
2. We picked names this year for the adults in the family rather than each of us buying for all of us. I can’t tell you how much my stress level has already gone down, and I especially like it because now I have time to do something really unique for my father in law (he was my pick).
3. Getting the jump on things in plenty of time. Gift planning and some shopping was done in October by being on the look out when I was out shopping – I bought a few really cute things here and there. This way instead of buying “en masse”, I am picking something fitting for each recipient.
4. Putting a limit on spending. As my sister said “I’m sick of the commercial crap of Christmas”, and aren’t we all. It isn’t in how much we spend, a small, well thought out gift is better received than a large one that was obviously tossed in the cart with no forethought.
5. Decluttering – I’ve been working on decluttering so that the decorations will look nice. If you can get going now, it will make Christmas even nicer when the time comes. The Christmas Spirit – Peace – Goodwill towards All – Love – They’re all buzzwords and shiny decorations that we hang on the wall at Christmas time – lets take the time to focus on what they mean – and then do it.
6. How about making this the season to “Pay It Forward”. These stories have made me cry sappy tears more than once but I’ve never done it. Why not give it a try? They have a fantastic website, if you follow the links you can get some great ideas http://www.payitforwardmovement.org/groups.html
I signed up for the “Be Nice or Else” newsletter – they have a book that is great for gift giving, what a great coffee table that would make – or a great book to donate to a hospital for the waiting room.
NOTE: This page lists some great Christmas gift ideas, one of them being – clean someone’s house. I will have more on that later, but meantime, why not think about it and brainstorm how you could make it happen.
http://www.giveitforwardtoday.org/index.php?page=ideas
I could think of no better gift! And it’s cheap!
7. Make an effort to throw a little something in the Food Bank Bin when you are out grocery shopping for your family, or buy a little extra for the donation box at the department store when you are out shopping for gifts.
8. Or buy some toys to donate to the local women’s shelter, some of the people there don’t have a penny to their names and it’s a sad and stressful time for the kids. Games and things to keep them busy are great, it can be a boring stay.
A FEW GENERAL IDEAS
1. Mystery Gift – My sister’s family does a nice twist on picking names. They all buy something wrap it and then they each exchange a gift, no one knows ahead of time who will be receiving. They set a comfortable price limit.
2. Make a tradition of tree ornament crafts. You can give these for gifts, they are always well received and can be cheap to make, but very nice. Put your name and date on it and give one every year – a great present for the kids to give. Or take a short cut and buy them at a craft sale and personalize them with fabric paint or markers.
3. Give pictures in a unique way. Most relatives and friends will enjoy pictures. Do something creative – make a tree ornament from a picture and a juice lid, they are great. Or make a twig frame – cost is nothing but a few twigs and some yarn plus the picture. If you get school pictures, you’ll have plenty. With digital cameras and software available now, you can do some really nifty stuff for plenty cheapola.
4. Baking/Cooking etc. If you are wanting to do something nice for someone, why not cook them a meal and take it to them? New mother’s are especially fond of this. When I first had my daughters, it was the best present that I received. Seniors will LOVE it if you eat with them.
5. A service. In our hussle and bussle world, don’t be surprised if someone really appreciates an hour of your time – run some errands, give rides (parents can really enjoy this if they have older kids – most of them spend their spare time in their car!), help clean up, declutter, clean something – use your imagination. Another great gift that the kids can give as well.
Make an effort to be creative this year. It’s more fun to give, and more fun to receive – and it can be easier on your pocket book too.
If you haven’t yet, get out your planner or notebook, make a page for Christmas gift ideas and start brainstorming.
Then make a date with yourself to clear some time blocks to get it done.
And enjoy Christmas.

I’d really like to make Christmas count this year. So I’m doing my Christmas shopping a little differently.
ONLINE – For all of the years that I’ve had an online business, I’ve never done my Christmas shopping online.
I picked my father in laws name for Christmas, he is an avid golfer so I went online to find something great for golfing instead of the usual (and useless) golf stuff. I found this set of “Birdie Balls” that are great to practice with at home. I’m sure he’s going to really enjoy it. I thought it was such a great idea that I got one for my son who also likes golf and gets bored around the house (when he’s home!) and also a set for my nephews.
Something useful – entertaining and something to get them out of the house – and it took me about 20 minutes while I was having my morning tea.
CANADA: http://www.albatrossgolfsupply.com
US – Birdie Ball Website with lots of stuff and gold tips: http://www.birdieball.com
MAKE IT YOURSELF – Do something a little different and make some natural skincare items for your family. My work at home business is selling ingredients – it’s easy and fun. A lot of women do it, and sell their items to make some Christmas cash, or bump up their earnings through out the year. Makes a great gift for the “crafty” person you know.http://www.handmadesoap.ca
WHAM PRODUCTS – The first thought that came to my mind was that in supporting other WHAM’s we will help give every body a nice Christmas, and we will, but maybe the best thing is the feeling of accomplishment we will be giving the mom’s who work so hard on their business so that they can be home, and boosting their rate of success.
Here is one website that lists WHAM sites http://www.wahmtalkradio.com/christmas-gifts/
Within a day or two I hope to have some handmade natural skin care sites listed on my blog at
http://time-management-at-home.blogspot.com Meantime pop in anyway!
CRAFT SALES – You can get some amazing bargains and some really unique stuff. It’s fun and a nice chance to see some friends in your local community. Even better than that, you are making a real difference to the ladies and gentlemen who are selling at the craft sales. I know from experience that these people work extremely hard, for some of them, this is their “big thing” for the year and every sale means a lot to them. (I went to one yesterday, got some amazing things at amazing prices, had a great time with my daughter (we made it a date and went out for breakfast first) and felt really good for supporting the local people who work so hard to get it ready)
SCHOOL BAZAAR – Why not support your community schools and get something different? Donations are always welcome as well. I usually donate soap and there is no better feeling than hearing from a mom who got some of my soap for Christmas from her child – and they go like hotcakes. Think tinsel when decorating, the kids love them! Also, consider volunteering to help out, it is a hoot to watch the kids do their Christmas shopping.
GIFT A STRANGER – For years I wanted to do something for people who don’t have much but had no idea what to do. Now there are some great online opportunities to do just that. There is a program called Embrace-a-Family that looks amazing, I will be donating to it and I hope that you can do the same. We also as a family – my inlaws, myself and each of my kids contributed to this one as well – giving to those in need is one of the best feelings that you can give to your kids.
http://www.ccfcanada.ca/managed/Default.aspx
I’ve been contributing to this charity monthly for about 10 years and have really enjoyed it. Right now we have a little girl who is my daughter’s age and even looks a bit like her, so it is really fun.
TIRES – Sounds odd but I have never forgotten a TV special about winter tires and a mother who’s daughter was killed because her car slid backwards off a hill and over a cliff, the consensus was that if she had proper tires it wouldn’t have happened. Do you have kids who drive their own cars? At home or moved out. Driving your grandkids around? Splurge and take their car in for a new set. I know I won’t drive without decent tires anymore. A few close calls with proper tires is bad enough!
ECO SHOPPING
There are countless environmentally friendly choices that you can make this year, the good news is that most of them seem to be healthy choices as well.
But remember when you are shopping to bring a bag or a tote instead of getting overdone with plastic bags this year.
My personal pet peeve is plastic bags. I ask for paper at the grocery store, we are lucky to have the choice. I use the bags to wrap boxes that I ship so they do double duty. If I didn’t, I would either be bringing my own reusable, or I would be getting some of those nifty plastic boxes that many grocery stores sell. Or you can buy some totes especially for that. I love the idea because you can keep them in your van or trunk, they can be useful for a variety of things and to keep your vehicle clean and organized. And you can use the lids to keep your groceries cold and dust free.
A great idea all around! The Green Guide blog has an article on it below.
http://www.thegreenguide.com/blog/tow
You can get a very reasonable subscription at this page
https://ssl.thegreenguide.com/gg_LPs/index-117.html?c1=GreenGuide&source=GG2Go
And here is their Christmas Gift for kids recommendation page (I don’t think this is a permanent link if you don’t have a subscription, so check it out now, or subscribe!)
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc.mhtml?i=117&s=toys
Check out their home page, one of my favourite publications.
http://www.thegreenguide.com
KEEP THEM MOVING
Anything to keep your kids active is great.
We where lucky to get a second hand snowboard in kid’s size for my 9 year old daughter. My 16 year old son is an avid snowboarder and amazingly enough, they like to go out on our hill together. So now she will have her own “real snowboard” and she won’t care one bit that it is used. I am happy that she will be out in the fresh air having fun with her brother, getting some great exercise and getting another skill under her belt.
I haven’t personally seen them, but I think that they have video games out now that you use your whole body to do the moves, I think that would be great fun.
TIME
Take your kids out for a fun activity, maybe something you don’t normally do – bowling, cross country skiing, skating are a few fun things that are relatively inexpensive. Have a Blast and make some Christmas memories and traditions.
MOST OF ALL
Take the time to remember the people you love this Christmas, and who love you. Sometimes a phone call is priceless (not to be a bummer, but the person you are calling won’t always be here to answer the phone, do it while you can and make a memory)
HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A MOST EXCELLENT NEW YEAR!

Cheap Christmas gift
If your Christmas gift budget is anything like mine, you’re thinking about who you can take off of your list without offending anyone. But, after doing some brainstorming and thinking, I found numerous ways to not remove anyone’s name and find a cheap Christmas gift that would be suitable and unique to everyone. There are lots of cheap Christmas gift ideas that are to be found, though some of them might require a bit of time and energy. If you’re willing to put some holiday spirit into those cheap Christmas gift ideas, then you may be receiving lots of hugs and kisses this Christmas.
My favorite of all of the cheap Christmas gift ideas was to make things for the intended recipients. Whether it be some type of food or an item for the house, homemade gifts are not only very appreciated but make a wonderful cheap Christmas gift that contains a great amount of love. If the recipient is a big fan of fudge, cookies or even cake – run with that idea. Fudge and candy can be made with little expense and lots of bowl licking for your family members. Once you have fudge or candy made, you can wrap it in festive cellophane or boxes tied with ribbon. Yummy treats are a wonderful way to win some points in gift giving. Making a cake is a great cheap Christmas gift that can be just as delightful as candy or fudge. Find out your recipient’s favorite flavor and make that. Add some creative decorating flair to it and it will be received with smiles.
If you’re not much for spending time in the kitchen, there are many other cheap Christmas gift ideas that don’t involve cooking. If you visit a craft store, such as A.C. Moore, there are tons of ideas for making a cheap Christmas gift. You can make beautiful candles at a low cost, small wreathes, candle holders, pot holders, and knit lots of different items. Knitting something heartfelt for someone is a wonderful way to show your creativity and love for others and is a cheap Christmas gift that won’t break your wallet. I knitted a few scarves for family members and they all loved them tremendously. Knitting all of them simply cost me the price of the yarns and I made 3 scarves for less than $10.00. I managed to cross 3 names off of my list at for a low cost.
Another cheap Christmas gift idea is to create a coupon book for someone. You can include coupons for babysitting, massages, breakfast in bed, car washes, dish duty, almost anything that the recipient may appreciate. This idea may work best for people who live in the same household and would appreciate you helping with chores or some extra attention.
Using your imagination and putting some extra love into finding a cheap Christmas gift can leave the recipients incredibly pleased and your wallet a bit fuller.

Christmas is fast approaching once again and now is the time to begin planning gifts and activities during the holiday season.  Finding the perfect gift just involves keeping your eyes open, knowing what the recipient likes and finding the best deal.  That’s why planning ahead can help to make the holidays less stressful so all you have to worry about is bringing yourself and of course any family. 

Of course you are usually shopping for many different people, each of whom has their own very unique and distinctive tastes.  Personally, I find that giving personalized gifts, making homemade keepsakes or finding items that allow the recipient to pursue their hobbies and interests are always the most appreciated gifts you can give your loved ones. 

Keepsake items like:  a personalized crystal or marble plaque, single or family style coaster sets, glass ornaments for an individual or the entire family, jewelry and jewelry boxes or valet trays, leather travel bags or luggage, sweatshirts, t-shirts, hats, pajamas, terry robes or slippers, Swiss army knife, leather wallet, women’s tote bags and gift baskets come in a huge variety of colors, styles, sizes and themes sure to please even the most discriminating of tastes.  Plus all of these gift ideas can be personalized with names and dates, initials, a poem, a company’s logo or even a famous quote. 

Other items include but are not limited to:  coffee mugs or a thermos, can Koozies for keeping beverages hot or cold, crystal barware, glasses or decanter sets, vintage or modern looking pub signs for the home bar, sterling silver or leather business card holder, leather passport cover and picture frames or photo albums all make unique and thoughtful keepsake gifts that can be proudly displayed and used for years to come.

Personalized gifts are especially fun and unique as children’s gifts.  Children really love to see items made especially for them, later they become cherished keepsakes they will remember fondly.  Items like:  a letter from Santa, their very own book about them or about an adventure they had, baseball and glove, wooden or aluminum bat, piggy banks, blankets and or throws, room signs for both boys and girls, toys like a yo-yo or harmonica and finally you can have a sketch created of your child from a photograph or a funny caricature is also very memorable. 

Gifts can also be homemade which saves money and becomes a truly unique keepsake gift.  However for those of us who are not so creative, thankfully we can shop for uniquely crafted gifts.  Gifts like:  scented candles, blankets or Afghans, potpourri, photo albums and gift baskets can all be made at home or bought.  Plus they can all be tailored specifically to what the recipients like and their unique styles.

Other ideas are as follows:  banner or garden flags for an individual, pet or the entire family, a gift certificate to the recipients favorite store or stores, tickets to a concert or event and even etched glass plates, serving trays, bowls and candy dishes make fun gifts to both give and receive. 

Also hobby gifts like:  golfing accessories, wine gifts, hiking accessories, camping accessories, any special classes he or she may be interested in or even a hot air balloon ride or an African safari can be the best gift in the world depending on the individual.  Just make sure the African safari goes to your cousin and not to grandma who requires a walker to get around.

Recipients include:  your mother and father, girlfriend or boyfriend, grandmother and grandfather, spouse, the kids, any aunts or uncles and of course any in laws and other extended family like cousins and friends.  This is why Christmas gets so stressful.  With all the plans and a tight budget, sometimes we get a little swept away.  Remember though, the gift doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be well liked and appreciated; it just has to fit into the recipients lifestyle and needs to be something they want or can use. 

By planning ahead you will save yourself a lot of stress, plus time and money during the holiday season.  The holidays are a time of giving, so give to everyone on your list as well as yourself this year.  By taking advantage of sales throughout the year and planning ahead, plus remembering to take some time to unwind during and after all the festivities, you will find the holidays more enjoyable, less stressful and more memorable.  Happy Shopping

Tired of endless mall walking in search of a perfect Christmas gift that is nowhere to be found? Hate giving gift cards or gift certificates and cash just because it seems impossible to come up with anything better? This holiday season, find unique ways to let the people in your life know that you care. Get creative, get personal and get fun; get a gift that will bring joy to her or him you love this Christmas.Projects to Do and MakeInstead of toys that quickly lose their appeal, projects to make and do entertain during the process of creation and then become all the more special because they were made by the recipient. A craft set for making beaded jewelry, a T-shirt or canvas bag and special fabric crayons and pens for decorating, or a small set of wood working tools and pieces of cut wood can provide hours of entertainment. These gifts also often teach useful skills and encourage artistic abilities. Some kits can be purchased with the supplies and tools included. For a more personalized gift or to monitor the quality of the tools included a gift giver might choose the supplies and tools and pick a useful bag or box that could serve as storage later.Homemade Items that Everyone NeedsSometimes a gift item of a usable, consumable product with a personalized touch can be both affordable and appreciated. Children’s artwork can be scanned and made into calendars or greeting cards. Lip balm, bath salts, or bath oil can be made with items from the grocery and craft store. For kids simple recipes abound for play dough, homemade bath crayons, and homemade sidewalk chalk.Since everyone needs to eat, ready-to-make meal mixes such as soup in a jar or muffin and bread mix can be great gifts as well. The gift of something useful need not be boring. It can be a playful twist on the usual or something a bit more extravagant than expected. But the element of usefulness ensures the gift will be appreciated rather than stored away.Gift Tickets to Local Attractions, Museums or Performances Gifts of tickets to local attractions, museums, or performances can encourage the appreciation of the arts. Families might appreciate an annual pass to a zoo or Children’s Museum near their home. Some performing arts centers offer packets of tickets to various events. Concerts or even movie theater tickets can be great gifts especially as families cut back on the entertainment budget and such attractions become a rare treat.Instead of focusing on things to purchase, gifts that focus on activities can bring smiles and avoid both the shopping pitfalls and the return lines.Gifts that interest and give fun to the recipient need not be expensive or even purchased. With some planning and creative ideas, thought, smart gift givers can get through Christmas with some money left in their pocket.