Christmas Shopping: Tips for Getting a Gift for Everyone Without Breaking the Bank

Maybe the best solution for getting gifts for everyone without breaking the bank would be to break into a bank. Just kidding, sort of. This year we're doing one thing to meet part of that challenge, and the cost will be almost nothing for us.

Our local supermarket had an autumn promotion that awarded a free turkey to shoppers who ran up bills of $100 within two months. For those who hit the $200 mark, a much bigger free turkey was the prize. We qualified for a 40-pounder, and for Christmas, our gift to 14 of our closest friends is to invite them to a sit-down dinner with all the trimmings.

We told them to just show up, but every one volunteered to bring an item with them, including salads, veggies, wine, sweet potatoes and pies. Our cost was about $2 for the eggs, onions and bread crumbs for the stuffing. Now, ya gotta admit, that's being real cheap without looking like cheapskates.

Of course, there are many other ways to buy or create gifts economically. We have been amateur bakers for many years, with one family member graduating to chef after attending cooking schools in Italy and Spain. For many years, we've baked enough Christmas cookies to feed a small army. Our kids are especially artistic in shaping and cutting the cookies into Christmas themes and decorating them with sprinkles and candy to turn the shapes into bright Santas, angels, gingerbread men and reindeer.

While we're working on the project, the sweet aroma wafts around the neighborhood. Many local kids come to visit just to smell the fresh-baked cookies. Of course, there are always bits of broken cookies to hand out to them.

We buy three dozen small cardboard cake boxes and during the week before Christmas, we bake and stuff each box with a dozen or so cookies, about a pound each. Our budget is usually about $250 for the entire project. Cookie deliveries go to our closest friends, relatives, fellow workers and to two homeless shelters downtown. Of course, we keep a dozen or so for our own celebration.

There are certainly many more ways to buy or make inexpensive gifts to give out during the holidays, but we feel food is always greatly appreciated, especially if it includes a turkey dinner and fresh cookies.