Creative And Inexpensive Gift Ideas
|
I have a friend who works at a loan company. She starts getting busy around August -- because her offices are flooded with people taking out loans for their holiday shopping. And she stays busy well into the new year -- because a huge percentage of those people default on their loans. Why do we feel compelled to go so deeply in DEBT buying gifts? It seems as though every year the bar is raised -- we are expected to spend more and more.
And where does all this spending get us? I can't tell you how many of my organizing clients have literally piles of old Christmas gifts buried in their closets -- items for which they really have no use, but feel guilty about cleaning out. I'm pretty sure that the holidays are not supposed to be about debt, guilt, and clutter! But you can also take steps on the "giving" side to make the holiday less stressful -- for both you and the recipient:
LIMIT THE NUMBER OF GIFTS PER PERSON
Some families feel like they need to have lots of presents under the tree for it to be a happy holiday. We finally had to ask our family to stop loading us down with a lot of "stuff" each year (although in much nicer terms!) We have limited our giving to one gift per person. And it's made such a positive impact (less pressure, stress, and expense) that no one complains about having less to open on Christmas morning!
DRAW A NAME
I learned this technique from a big family (we're talking 12 kids plus grandkids and extended family!) that couldn't afford to buy gifts for everyone. Each year, they all put names in a hat -- everyone pulls a name and buys a gift for that one person. That way, everyone gets a gift, and no one has to feel strapped during the holidays. then they plan a big party on Christmas morning where everyone opens their gifts.
FOOD IS ALWAYS A GREAT GIFT
Food is a great option -- especially when you like to give a little something to everyone you know. Bake a huge batch of cookies or make sausage balls -- or even the dreaded fruitcake (it's actually pretty good when it's homemade!) Then wrap a small bundle in colored cellophane and top with a bow. It's festive, it's inexpensive, it comes from the heart, it will eventually disappear (reducing clutter) -- and everyone loves to eat!
MAKE YOUR OWN GIFT BASKETS
Gift baskets have become the hip and happening gift over the last few years. You can customize the contents to the recipient's interests and hobbies. But paying a gift basket company to put one together for you can cost more than a traditional store-bought gift. I will shop sales throughout the year finding neat little "gizmos" that would go well in a gift basket -- a kitchen tool for my sister who loves to cook or something "cow" themed for my friend -- and stash them away until the holidays. I also look for practical (a colander) or funky (a cow-shaped cookie jar) containers to use in place of the basket. The result is a gift that I had fun putting together, that really means something to the recipient, and that costs less than looks like it should!
GIVE AN EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN A THING
You don't always have to give "stuff" when a gifting occasion comes around. Some of the best presents I have ever received were events rather than "things." And they don't have to be expensive -- one memorable gift for me was a day out with my friends at a state park (hiking, canoeing, and a picnic lunch). You can build some great memories, spend some quality time -- and you don't have to worry about your gift getting dusty or broken!
GIVE A HANDMADE GIFT
Handmade gifts have gotten a bad rap in the past -- as being cheesy or poorly made. But you can put together some pretty cool handmade gifts. At least half of my Christmas decorations are made by someone in my family -- and I get compliments each year on how nice they look. With craft stores springing up in abundance around the country, you can find tons of great high-quality, low-cost gift ideas. Handmade gifts have a "homey" feel that bought presents often lack -- and you get the satisfaction of knowing that you created it yourself. And if you really want to turn on the old heart light, give a gift that one of your kids made!
GIVE A GIFT CERTIFICATE
Gift certificates have also gotten a bad reputation -- you couldn't think of anything else, so you got a gift certificate. I happen to think that gift certificates are an excellent option, because it allows the person to get what they really WANT or NEED. And your gift certificates don't have to be store-bought. You can give gift certificates for chores or events -- babysitting or a night on the town. I recently gave a friend of mine a gift certificate for a day of horseback riding and sushi (?!) -- two things her husband doesn't care for -- and she loved it.
MAKE A CHARITABLE DONATION
This gift shows the real spirit of the season. You can choose from a variety of non-profit organizations -- from adopting a whale to planting a tree to making a contribution to the Kidney Foundation. And hopefully your selflessness and concern for those around you will inspire others to do the same.
GIVE A PIECE OF NOSTALGIA
One year, I made photo albums for my sisters. I gathered up pictures of our parents and grandparents, them as children, family events we had attended together, and important moments in their lives. It was simple and inexpensive and I had a nice trip down memory lane putting it together. And I don't know if I've ever gotten a better response to a Christmas gift. Anything that reminds people of the "good old days" is always well-received.
Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- a web-based one-stop shop offering everything that you need to get organized at home or at work. At OnlineOrganizing.com, you may get a referral to an organizer near you, shop for the latest organizing products, get tons of free tips, and even learn how to become a professional organizer or build your existing organizing business. And if you would like to read more articles about organizing your life or building your business, get a free subscription to the "Get Organized" and "Organized For A Living" newsletters. Please visit http://www.OnlineOrganizing.com or contact Ramona directly at ramona@onlineorganizing.com for more information.
|
|
|
Sonya Rykiel Perfume Shop online for Sonya Rykiel Perfume at low internet prices and fast delivery from perfume | healthboutiques.eu
Dental Insurance | Health Insurance | Home Owner Insurance | Life Insurance QuoteChristmas Mourning
Deecember is a cruel month. Christmas sales, decorations, advertisements -everyone seems so happy and cheerful - it's easy to feel alone.It's precisely at these happy times that the loss of our loved one can be felt the strongest. We remember only too well who is missing.Whether our loss was recent or whether it occurred many years ago, we are constantly surrounded by sights and sounds that trigger memories of holidays past, and wra...(related: Holidays)
Great Games For Your Halloween Party
If you're having a Halloween party you need to play some games! Whether it's to fill the time before the food is ready or to keep the kids occupied before their parents collect them, here are some ghoulish games to pla...(related: Holidays)
Aran... Where The Sweaters Come From
Aran Sweaters.The Aran sweater takes its name from the islands from where it originated, untold generations ago. They...(related: Holidays)
Eggs-travagant Eggs
Wonderfully simple to do and oh so impressive!You don't need a $40 Easter egg decorating kit with pages of instructions to impress your family and guests this Easter ? achieve sophisticated elegance with colors taken directly from nature. Simply decorated from a myriad of plants and flowers, yo...(related: Holidays)
A Valentines Day Story
Valentine's Day...the day of love right? Many years ago, 22 to be exact, I was a senior in high school. Just prior to Valentine's Day our student council representative got on the intercom during morning announcements and told us about an upcoming fundraiser. Student council was going to sell carnations for an entire week...(related: Holidays)
Halloween & Hounds
Halloween is "fright night" for humans not dogs. Screaming, running, spooky children in masks make many dogs uncomfortable, nervous and frightened.Halloween costumes are fun and are meant to disguise our normal appearance. Dogs do not understand this change in appearance and may become frightened. Costumes that change the way a person walks, stands, or their general appearance may cause a dog to react different then usual even with those they know.Keep in mind that children on Halloween night are excited and doing their best to be scary. This is not a fair or safe situation to put even the best of dogs in. Even the normally terrific tolerant...(related: Holidays)
Dear Santa: Christmas Sucks!
Christmas time is finally here, and most people during this holiday are happier than a fat kid eating a Krispy Kreme donut. Christmas brings so many great things to the table; the caroling, the NO SCHOOL, the snowmen and hour long snowball fights that ends with bloody...(related: Holidays)
Mothers Day Gift Ideas
Do you remember the days when your mother used to bring those surprise gifts for you? You just loved the sight of those big packages wrapped in beautiful gift papers, didn't you? What did ...(related: Holidays)
Christmas Holidays: 5 Ways To Make This Holiday Your Best Ever
For many people the end of a year is a time of increased stress.Instead of relaxing and unwinding from a busy year, the pressures of buyinggifts...(related: Holidays)
Bathed In Blue - Love Can Happen For You
Whether you know him by Eros or Cupid, this son of the Goddess Venus aka Aphrodite, has long been associated with Valentines Day. Cupid the cheeky cherub loves to play and delights in aiming his pointed arrows at un...(related: Holidays)
For Thanksgiving ? Be Thankful He?s Not The Cheating Kind
Infidelity is at an all time high. According to the latest statistics, 3 out of 4 husbands cheat on their wives. So if you have a faithful husband, you have much to be thankful for. Faithful husbands are in short supply. While most wives assume their husbands are faithful, only 1 wife in 4 can truthfully make that claim. An estimated 38 to 53 million women are victims of infidelity. Studies further indicate that 2/3 of the wives whose husbands are cheating on them (approximately 26 million wome...(related: Holidays)
Inexpensive Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas For Kids
After all the gifts have been purchased and placed under the tree, that is the time that many remember in a panic that the ...(related: Holidays)
Country Christmas Idea: Milkweek Pod Poinsettia Ornaments
Country Christmas Idea: Milkweed Pod Poinsettia OrnamentsAt first glance, milkweed plants and poinsettias don't seem to have much in common. If you live in an area where milkweed grows wild, however, you can use the dried milkweed pods to make poinsettia ornaments for your Christmas tree. Here's how:1. Collect some dried milkweed pods. In the fall, the milkweed plants have already gone to seed but the dried pods will still be attached to the ...(related: Holidays)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved.
| Holidays