Thrifty Thursday: Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas

Are you looking for some inexpensive Christmas gift ideas? Here's a few fun ones!!

1. Put all the ingredients of a S'more in clear containers with a beautiful bow. Voila the perfect gift for a sweets lover. (S'mores can be safely made in the microwave - 10 seconds and you'll have a succulent dessert!)

2. Make a picture collage. My sisters and I made this collage for my dad on Father's Day and it proudly graces the hallway of my parents home. Each grandchild held a letter in grandpa's name. We made it black and white so we did not have to coordinate outfits or backgrounds or even be together. We each took our photos at home and emailed them to my middle sister who printed them and placed them in the frame.
3. Inexpensive Gift Ideas for Teachers, Pastors, and Sunday School workers.

• “Thanks for giving Sally a hand” tag with hand lotion.
  
• “Thanks a ‘latte’!” tag with a gift card from local coffee shop.
  
• A mug or bowl saying “You are ’souper’! - soup mix, custom decorated soup bowls or homemade soup.
  
• “You are out of this world” tag attached to a Milky Way candy bar.
  
• “You deserve an extra payday!” tag attached to a Payday candy bar.


• “There is no ’sub’stitute for you!” tag attached to a gift card for the local sub shop.
  
• “You are ‘extra’ special” tag with a pack of Extra Gum.
  
• “Thanks for helping Jimmy ‘bloom’” tag with a bouquet of flowers.

4. Make Cookie Jars. My friend Regina gave me these recipes and these are her cookie jars!

Country Oatmeal Cookies in a Jar Ingredients
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:Using a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, layer in the ingredients in the order given. Pack down the jar after each addition to make the ingredients fit. Put the lid on, and cover with an 8 inch circle of fabric. Secure the fabric over the lid using a rubber band, then cover the rubber band by tying a nice piece of ribbon or raffia around the lid.

Attach a tag to the ribbon with the following instructions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, cream together 3/4 cup of softened butter, with 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Add the entire contents of the jar, and mix by hand until combined. Drop dough by heaping spoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven.

Special Butterscotch Chip Cookies in a Jar
1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup high protein crisp rice and wheat cereal
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans


DIRECTIONS:Layer the ingredients in the order given in a one quart wide mouth canning jar. Firmly pack each ingredient in place. It will be a tight fit, but all ingredients will fit in the jar. Use pinking shears to cut an 8 or 9 inch circle from gingham, calico, or a seasonal fabric. Place the fabric over the wide mouth lid and rim and secure with a rubber band. Tie on a raffia or ribbon bow to cover the rubber band.


Attach a card to the ribbon or raffia with the following mixing and baking directions:
Empty jar of cookie mix into a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of butter or margarine, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Use hands to mix the wet and dry ingredients together. When completely blended, roll into large walnut sized balls. Place on unprepared cookie sheets and use the palm of your hand to flatten each cookie ball. Bake at 350 in a preheated oven for 8-10 minute.

Other great links:

• More teacher gift ideas from a previous blog post on Women Living Well
  
• Kristi at Run the Earth, Watch the Sky with handmade gift ideas including a collage similar to mine.
  
• Craftbits shows how to make gifts in a mug! What fun!
  

Feel free to share your crafty ideas in the comments section. Hope these were helpful! Remember it truly is the thought that counts!

Acts 20:35 "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Walk with the King!