Holiday Gift Guide for Seniors Under $25.00

1. Magazine Subscriptions are great gifts, since it saves on wrapping and postage. All of the magazines listed below as well as many more are only $5.95 for a years subscription from www.discountmagazines.com. Arthritis Today, (6 issues) Conde Nast Traveler (12 issues), Fly Rod and Reel (6 issues), Golf Digest (12 issues), Readers Digest (12 issues), Wine Enthusiast (14 issues).

2.Restore a Beloved Photo and give it in a new frame. This can be done at many of the photo centers located in most of the discount department stores. Prices for restoring photo range from $6.00 to $10.00. Unique frames can be found in thrift stores, antique stores, and discount stores for $10.00 and under.

3. A Gift Certificate from a Local Garden Center along with paperwhites in bloom is a great gift for a gardener. You can either buy the flowers from the garden center or grow them yourself prior to giving. However, note it takes 4-6 weeks. Fill a shallow bowl, pot, or container part way with decorative stones. Plain stones, gravel, and even soil works too. The decorative stones allows you to display your personal creativity, and is much more fun. Set paperwhite bulbs onto the stones, pushing them down just far enough so the bulbs are supported in an upright position. Put several of them together. Don't worry about crowding, paperwhites like it.

Add water just to the bottom of the bulb. If the water covers too much of the bulb, they can rot. Now put them in a cool, dark place for one to two weeks. When the roots have begin to take hold, and the plant has sprung from the bulb, take the pot out into a brightly lit room. Four to six weeks later, your Paperwhites will be in bloom. Bulbs can be found at your local garden shop.

4. A Christmas Stocking chucked with personal care items. For most seniors it has been years since they enjoyed their own stocking from Santa. Nice inexpensive stockings can be found at craft stores such as Michaels and JoAnns as well as discount stores for under $6.00. Some items you may want to put in the stocking are: The Owl Magnifier, BodiHeat pain relieving heat pads, Hand cream, pot holders, specialty soaps, small flashlight, sample box of chocolate, garden gloves, specialty soaps, key chain, small hammer etc.

5. A Cup of Christmas Tea. If you ever read the book A Cup of Christmas Tea, (ISBN# 0931674980 and available from most bookstores on line) you know how important it is to pay a visit to an older person. While visiting, bring one of these gifts from Stash Tea www.stashtea.com

A. White Tea Gift Basket: White tea is the least processed of all teas, has the highest level of good-for-you polyphenols and antioxidants. This assortment is in a gift basket. Pandan gift basket includes 10-count packages of Honey Ginseng White, Lemon and White Decaf, Raspberry and White Decaf, Fusion Green & White, and Fusion Red & White. Fifty total bags of tea in the basket. Cost is $16.00 plus shipping.

B. Or perhaps a Christmas Teas Gift Basket instead. This gift basket is woven and filled with Christmas teas, two individually wrapped Nikki's white chocolate dipped Gingerbread cookies and five sugar swizzle sticks. Basket contains 10-pack each of White Christmas, Holiday Chai, and two 10-packs each of Christmas Morning and Christmas Eve teas. Basket contains 60 tea bags. Cost is $25.00 plus shipping.

6. Tabletop Trees are great gifts for seniors since many have forgone the task of putting up a tree. Live decorated trees can be found for under $25.00 at the local florist or garden center. Artificial tabletop trees can be found in the discount stores and range in price from $9.95 up. Most come decorated or if you choose, purchase one and decorate it yourself with pictures of the family, favorite pets or vacation photos. If the senior on your list already has a tree, perhaps a wreath or a Christmas centerpiece for their dinning table.