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Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/20/2008 12:05:27 PM
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OneOfHisJewels
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Joined: 8/9/2007
From: California
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I don't have much money for Christmas this year, so I'm doing mostly homemade gifts and $1.00 store stuff.
Here is my list..
For my dad and my local brother in law...I know how to do calligraphy, and I have scrapbooking supplies, so I am going to make them paper bookmarks.
My mom likes puzzle books, and they have some at dollar tree, so I'm going to get her a puzzle book there.
My sister that lives locally loves to garden, so I am going to do a simple X-stitch pattern that I have that says, "I love to garden." Then I have several spare embroidery hoops, so I'm going to wrap one in ribbon, and make it the frame.
For my niece, I already have a ballerina needlework I did, and if my sewing machine is fixed in time, I'm going to make it into a decorative pillow..if it is not fixed in time, I'll do a smaller ballerina in an embroidery hoop frame, and do the pillow for Valentine's day.
For my nephew, my other sister and my self are getting him an itunes gift certificate for $20.00, however, she is paying $13.00 (both of my sisters have much more $ than me-well, their husbands do, anyway), and letting me pay just $7.00, so I'm thankful for that.
For my hairdresser, etc., I think I'm going to make gingerbread cookies.
For the sister and brother-in-law that don't live locally, I haven't decided yet what to do.
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/20/2008 4:27:03 PM
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MamaMilty
Posts: 1557
Joined: 10/18/2007
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This financial crunch is turning into such a blessing for my family! Even some of my extended family members that are quite wealthy (monetarily) are simplifying things this Christmas and it has opened up so many opportunities to just be together, enjoy each other and reflect on the true reason for the season. I am so excited! God is so good!
For everyone in town, we will be getting together to make homemade ornaments. All of our children are young, so we are looking forward to starting a new cherished family tradition. Everyone, intown & out, has committed to video conferencing as our big family gift. For us, we just had to buy a mic for $30 and now it just comes down to time to download software and figure it all out. And when we all are up and running, we can be a visual part of each other's day to day lives, isn't that awesome?
As for our children for Christmas morning, we will fill stockings from Santa from the dollar store and they each will get 4 gifts: something to wear, something to read, something they want and something they need. I hope to find most from second hand stores or craigslist. And we will take the kids to the dollar store to pick out gifts for each other and family members and they will make things, too.
So that's our game plan! I love Christmas!
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/20/2008 5:25:52 PM
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garsyt
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We have done the three gift rule for our kids from early on. Since our eldest was about 4. The kids get a want, a need and a book. We ALWAYS look to the used bookstores first too. Just before Christmas is the perfect time to look as it seems lots of people like to clear out the unused right before the holidays!
This year for my side of the extended family we are all doing handmade things. I'm doing mostly homemade Christmas ornaments for the names my family was given. My sister has my eldest dd's name and is making her a couple bookcovers for her school books or binders. My brother and SIL are making my mother some homemade candies in a box decorated with pictures of her kids and grandkids. My other sister is creating an ornament out of guitar picks for my eldest ds, making sure that the picks are all usable as well.
Stocking stuffers here ALWAYS consist of breakfast. This is the only time of year that the kids get those individual sized boxes of cereal! If I can I will buy each of them a new cereal bowl from the dollar store.
In years past I've altered picture frames, made baked goods, or made other creative things.
The kids are given $5 each and they are to buy for one of their siblings. They draw names. The younger ones do their shopping at their school's holiday shop. My eldest might squeeze a time into the holiday shop at the elementary school or he may just make a run to the little mom and pop outlet store up the street or the dollar store in town depending upon who he has. We ask that our kid make our the gifts they create for the adults in their lives. I have enough craft and scrapbooking supplies in the house that they can usually make some pretty neat things.
Blessings,
Garsy
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/20/2008 7:48:39 PM
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lexie
Posts: 2951
Joined: 6/27/2005
From: Toronto
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We don't really do Christmas gifts either. In the past I have bought for my family but this year we're planning on spending Christmas day at our house just the 3 of us.
So I'm thinking that if I do get small gifts for people then I will buy them in the week after Christmas with all the good sales. I will also add some homebaked cookies or banana bread to it.
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/21/2008 3:28:22 AM
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OneOfHisJewels
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From: California
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I think I figured out what to do for my non-local sister and brother in law--gingerbread cookies for her, and some nuts for him (he likes nuts). Or I could make something for her, but it seems sillier to make something for her because she is an amazing artist and can paint or draw any nice picture she wants....I'll think about it a little more, I guess.
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/22/2008 11:19:11 PM
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wfisaac
Posts: 1780
Joined: 3/18/2007
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As far as family goes, we all have an agreement to just do gifts for the kids. I try to do something special for my parents and grandparents & sisters but I usually don't have much to spend so I usually make things.
My friends and I are having a Christmas party and this year we decided since things are tight to not exchange gifts with everyone. What we are going to do is make one gift and bring it to the party and then have an exchange. And the rule is that we can't put much money into it...preferrably be something we can make from what we've already got at home. So it can be anything from baked goods to some kind of craft item. I have a ton of stamp art stuff so I'm going to make a set of note cards for a variety of occasions.
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/27/2008 12:42:03 AM
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karlie
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From: Central California
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I can't imagine not doing gifts, however small or homemade. We really get such pleasure out of giving to each other.
In our leaner years, we did coupon books a few times and customized them to fit each person. My family still talks about those and how much fun they were to receive..and redeem! They were a blast to make too. It costs nothing but time and giving of yourself. That's always a great gift 
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/28/2008 1:00:37 PM
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karlie
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From: Central California
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quote:
My grandmother passed away recently, and when we were all at her home, going through boxes of keepsakes, we found poems and promises that my grandfather had written. So it really is a family tradition, one I hope to pass on to my children
That is so sweet! That would be a wonderful tradition to try to pass down...it's so personal and thoughtful.
One year, I wrote a poem for my husband, printed it on nice paper and framed it. He said it was one of the best gifts he ever received. Mine from him was a song he wrote and sang for me with his guitar on our 20th anniversary. He even recorded it so I'd always have a copy. It's funny...we're exchanged some nice presents over the years as money got more plentiful, but it's always the little personal things we remember the most and treasure.
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/29/2008 9:10:48 AM
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MamaMilty
Posts: 1557
Joined: 10/18/2007
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LOL, Harvie, just curious, did you see my blog?
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/29/2008 6:32:52 PM
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Cloak
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From: Canada
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Most of my Xmas gifts are Books I am giving to some selective folks plus a nice girlfriend I met this year. Apart from that I am not purchasing any gifts for others and I declined to participate in the gift exchange at my church.
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And My God shall meet ALL Your Needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4: 19)
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 11/29/2008 7:58:15 PM
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MrsTracy72
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Joined: 2/28/2007
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My shopping has pretty much been done so I can't really say. I started early knowing that money was going to be tight.
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 12/17/2008 11:58:32 PM
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OneOfHisJewels
Posts: 2959
Joined: 8/9/2007
From: California
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Confession time....
I ran out of time and energy for the homemade gifts I WAS gonna....
but I'll continue working on them and save them for Valentine's, birthdays, etc.
and I DO still plan to bake the gingerbread cookies..
I found GREAT deals tonight and Walgreens and the new 99 cents store...and for one particular family member, Kay jewelers was selling Panda Bears for not too much, and the proceeds go to St. Jude's children's hospital. I tell the other gifts I got AFTER Christmas.
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RE: Anybody else doing Christmas gifts on a dime? - 12/25/2008 8:16:33 PM
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ladioffaith
Posts: 3099
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From: NE Ohio (L.A. . . Lower Akron)
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Not exactly a dime. But on average, at least half of what I spent last year. I regifted a necklace to my niece, regifted a new and expensive skillet to my other niece, and gave music I got at a discount through my record club to many people. The gifts I gave my brother and his wife were $5 each.
My brother told me to take back his gift because he didn't get me anything. I later told his wife that I should have told him to give me some beef (since they had slaughtered a cow and were sick of beef) and we'd call it even. So I at least have some meat in my freezer.
I wish my family did more homemade gifts.
I feel an enormous amount of pressure to step up at Christmas, and I'm not sure where it is coming from ... especially since I get so little in return. I know that's not what it's all about, but as a single, it is frustrating.
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The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with
his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zeph. 3:17
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