Giving Great Holiday Gifts Without Overspending

The economy is lagging. We're all tightening our gift-giving fanny packs--which means less money to spend on holiday gifts. Still, if you're over age 10, a macaroni necklace won't cut it as a special present.

No need to go into debt to prove your love to loved ones this holiday season. Somewhere in between the big-screen TV and the macaroni necklace or homemade pincushion are a lot of gifts your friends and relatives will be thrilled to receive. And you'll stay within your budget.

Consider giving the following:

--The Year You Were Born. Nostalgia is always in, so compile a list of things dating to the year or even the day your loved one was born. You can cheat and buy a computer program to get this started, but only use that as a start.

Make a scrapbook or some sort of compilation revolving around the year the person was born. Do some Internet research to see what things cost, fashion trends which you can download and print out, as well as major historical items.

Find out other famous people who share this person's birthday, the exact day, not just the year. Don't forget to look at scientific advances as well intellectual discoveries.

--Spruce It Up. Elderly relatives or friends and family with small children often can only do the bare minimum in their homes, so they'd appreciate a helping hand. This one has to be done on the sly and you can make a visual theme card or small, tagalong gift to go with it. Also, it's even better if you can get together with siblings or other friends and do it together.

If you are centering on the kitchen, for example, tighten all of the cabinet handles, caulk the counter, replace any tiles, vacuum behind the fridge, wipe out cabinets, wash and hang curtains, bleach cups and stained items.

--Prepare the Equipment. The adage that you need the right tool for the job needs to be qualified. To own a tool isn't enough. The tool has to actually work to be of any use.

Unfortunately after a long day of working in the yard, most people don't have the energy to fine tune the equipment and tools. Items get put back in the shed with the good intentions of cleaning and fixing things all at once. It just doesn't get done.

Nothing is more disheartening than opening up your shed come spring and finding out your stuff needs to be fixed, even if you know you put it away that way. A great gift would to wash and oil shovels, spades, trowels, hoes, etc., make sure the weed eater has string, wipe down the lawn mower and winterize it so it's ready to go for spring.

--The gift of family. At some point in a person's life, he starts wondering about the people and places that came before him. Genealogy is a favorite pastime, but people often don't take the time to look into the past until they grow older. People like the idea but can't get around to it, so as a holiday gift take the time to unearth the past. You'll have a gift that will benefit many people on your list-and you.

Research relatives from the old country. Dig up and make copies of any photos of relatives from long ago. Get as many details as you can. Where were they born? What were their occupations. What did they do for fun? First cars? First pets?

Find out any quirky details to make your gift as recipient-specific as is possible. One holiday, my aunt presented the grandchildren of the family with a photo album dealing with ancestors, as well as the genealogy and details. It turns out I have a horse thief in my background somewhere. That's the kind of personal detail that sticks in your mind.

From the money-saving side, it's a gift that will apply to many on your list so you can use the same information and ideas without adding more debt. Try to add things that are particular to each person on the list, however.

--Yard Makeover Day. Give the gift of revamping someone's backyard. When the time comes, you'll descend on the relative's property to pull weeds, plant flowers, edge, trim, paint outdoor furniture, power wash the siding on the house, whatever the person wants for a day.

Take a break for lunch, and then plan a barbecue or outside dinner to admire your work at the end. You'll end up tired and happy at your accomplishments.

Since it may be too cold to do any work where you live during the winter, purchase some of the items you'll need such as fertilizer, garden edging, power wash detergent and the like as a tangible reminder of what's to come. As the idea is to save money on gift giving, split the cost with other family members.

--A Heartfelt Letter. This may be the toughest gift for many people to give which makes it the most special gift you can give. Use your computer for a rough draft, but when it comes to the final product, pick out some stationery and write your friend or loved one a letter in long hand.

Recall little stories you share, those secret tales that can make people giggle after 30 years. In your letter, tell the person what you consider his best qualities to be. Let the person know what he has meant to your life.

These ideas should get your creative mind going. When you make your holiday gift-giving list, really think about the person, not just what the person needs in terms of store-bought items. He'll be happier and you won't go into debt.

**An important caveat is that some of these can't be done or given now, but you can't give an empty IOU. Make sure you put together some creative way of presenting a gift that the recipient may not get for a few months.