Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas: Cards, Cooking Kits, and More

You don't have to go overboard to have a nice Christmas. Big, expensive packages in fancy paper and ribbons are nice, but so are smaller, hand made gifts that come from the heart.

1. Making Christmas cards is one of the best ways to show someone that you care. With a few craft supplies, many of which you probably already have in your home, you can make a card equal to any Hallmark. You can use any number of things to decorate your cards. Rubber stamps, colored ink, glitter, stickers, construction paper, ribbons, pictures, charms, and scrap booking supplies all make for great starting points. Get the children involved. Try to make each card unique and personal. If a person collects angels, make a paper angel and glue it to the front. The possibilities are limitless.

2. Another great idea for adults and children alike are cooking kits. Fill mason jars with cookie mixes, soup fixins, even hot chocolate with marshmallows. Layer the dry items such as sugar, cocoa, chocolate chips, or beans in the jars. Yo can even find some decoratice jars shaped like Santas and Snowmen at the craft store. Write the recipe out on a note card and attach it tot he jar with a pretty piece of ribbon or cord. You can even include a nice spoon for stirring or a miniature bottle of tobasco sauce (for chilli).

3. A great gift iea for a person with an office is a vase of pens. For this you'll need a clear vase, a box of pens, some decorative rocks, a bunch of fake flowers (try to use the recipients favorite type of flower), and some green ribbon. Cut the bunch of flowers apart but be sure to leave part of a stem attached to each blossom. Take the caps off of four to six pens. Place one flower on each pen. Wrap green ribbon around the pen and the stem of the flower, then glue. Make sure that the blossoms are on the closed end of the pen and not the part you write with. Place the pens in the vase, and you now have a beautiful bouquet of pens. This can also be adapted for men. Use footballs, golf balls, or the emblems from their favorite sports teams.

4. Homemade candies, fudge, and snack mixes always go over well. Place them in pretty holiday tins. Make sure you find out about any allergies such as nuts or any dietary restrictions.