Christmas: What a Wonderful Time of Year

What a great time of year! I love Christmas --the beautiful twinkling lights, the decorations of bright red and green, and the delicious smells of cookies, cinnamon, and gingerbread baking. Not only is it a beautiful time of year, but also it can be an expensive time of year. There are several ways you can save some green this Holiday season and have great gifts for the ladies of your life.

1. Handmade jewelry.
Handmade jewelry can be found in various styles and colors. You can go to a craft fair and talk to the seller or many times you can contact the seller and special order a piece to make the gift extra special. Jewelry made with glass beads is sometimes a little more expensive, but it is the better value because it tends to be of higher quality and is commonly more beautiful than glass beads. A great online site to find handmade jewelry is etsy.

2. Picture Frames.
If other ladies are like me, they have many pictures laying around that would look great in nice frames. To help corral some of all those loose pictures, unique picture frames would make great gifts. Nice inexpensive picture frames can be found at discount retailers and sometimes dollar stores. If you are looking for a more personal unique frame, a great place to buy frames is etsy or one of the upcoming holiday bazaars in your area.

3. Fancy soaps and lotions.
Most ladies love to smell great and enjoy an occasional spa treatment. You can give them a spa treatment at home buy purchasing some wonderfully scented lotions and soaps. These can be found fairly inexpensive at specialty retail shops or for something more personal, you can check online at sites such as lotion lady or country girl gardens for soaps made with all natural items such as goat's milk or honey. You can add a loofah or nylon poof to make the gift more special.

4. Bottle of Wine.
Whether your budget is great or small, a bottle of wine is a wonderful gift because those come in various styles, flavors, or prices. Your local wine retailer will have resources available or can make suggestions to help you find the best wine gift for every occasion.

5. Candles and holders.
Not only does a lady like to smell great,, but also she loves her house or office to smell great with the many wonderfully scented candles available. Not only can these candles be found fairly inexpensively at fine retailers, but also great quality candles can be found at large discount stores for minimal prices. For a special touch, add a nice candle holder to go with the candles. Many times at the end of the season, clearance items are available for great prices for the following year's gift giving season.