Everybody is thinking about Christmas right now. One of the main thoughts though, about Christmas is buying Christmas gifts. Now even though you are being frugal, that doesn't mean you can't buy some sensible presents for your family. It is a rare family that is not struggling with this economy we are living with. If you are reading my blog, you are not one of those people who have no worries about your budget. I hope we can all get through the Christmas holiday season without wrecking our budgets. Here are some ideas for useful gifts that family members will like because they are useful.
1. For coffee drinkers buy a few cans of coffee when it goes on sale at your store. Put them in a box and wrap. As a coffee drinker myself, I'd love that for a present! Or you could buy them a variety of flavored coffees that they can't afford to buy. I always buy one bag of Dunkin' Donuts Gingerbread for myself, but if someone gave me that as a present, I'd really love it.
2. If you have some recipes for making your own mixes, such as cake mix, baking mix, hot cocoa mix, pudding mixes, etc. Make some up and put in one of the larger canning jars or a Christmas tin. Then label it and include the recipes for using it attached to the jar with a ribbon. Here is one example of one that I have used:
Mocha Cocoa Beverage Mix recipe
- 2 2/3 cups nonfat dry milk
- 3/4 cup instant cocoa mix
- 1/2 cup instant coffee
- 1/4 cup powdered nondairy creamer
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Mix thoroughly and put into a blender a couple cups at a time and blend to a fine powder.
To use, add approximately 2 rounded teaspoons per cup of boiling water, or less, to suit your own taste.
3. Gift Cards are another great idea! You can buy a card and include it in a little box or card for whatever amount you want to give them. If they want to spend more they can add to it. But your gift may help them be able to purchase something they wanted or needed. Or a gift card for groceries would be welcome to many.
4. A basket for the bathroom could be filled with bars of soap, disposable razors, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, a body brush or a couple of colorful wash cloths.
5. How about one of those big packages of paper towels or toilet paper? I mean, anyone can use that! Those are items that you can't go wrong on.
6. An inexpensive mixing bowl with a bottle of pure vanilla, a few packages of various seasonings (buy them in bulk at a Mennonite or Amish bulk foods store and split up for a number of gifts), a jar of Pumpkin or Apple butter, a bag of nuts, baking powder, sugar and a wooden spoon.
7. How about a plastic bucket with household cleaning products? You know all those things you always need to buy? Window cleaner, bath tub cleaner, etc. you know what I mean. Add some sponges and put colored plastic wrap on it and tie a big red bow on the handle.
8. Do you have someone to buy for who really loves his truck or car? Buy auto cleaner, auto wax, ice scrapper, auto gadgets, etc. and put them in an auto trash can. Or how about one of those auto organizers and fill it up with auto items.
9. For the person who works on their computer and has a home office, you could get them pens, pencils, sharpener, eraser, stapler, mouse pad, ink cartridges, paper, and a cute basket that could be a trash can.
10. If someone in your family does needlework or some other crafts, buy them some supplies that they need with all projects. Like fill an attractive bag with all the types of things they need along the lines of needles, scissors, tape measure, etc. whatever they need for whatever craft they like to do.
On my post of last year, Christmas Presents That Are Useful, I covered this same subject. I am not talking about buying expensive presents, but useful things. If you can afford to buy the expensive stuff that is fine. But you know what? Even if I could afford the expensive stuff, I still wouldn't buy it for someone. The reason is, that many times, you make the others feel they have to keep up with you, and spend like you did on them, for you. And they just can't. So it gets them into a real bind doing that. There is a lot more to Christmas than buying presents!
Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole unless otherwise stated.
All Photographs Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole unless otherwise stated.
7 comments:
Kat, why I am not surprised to find coffee listed first ;-))))
Because you and I are REALLY getting to know each other!
Great ideas!!
I might shed a tear if someone gave me coffee. I can't seem to go a day without it. And when you taste good, quality coffee, you can't go back to the other stuff.
Wonderful post Katlupe. I love the idea of making the mixes because it is personal and you can decorate the container!
Katlupe, this was a great post and you came up with a lot of good and practically things one can give for Christmas, but I have to disagree with one thing you said, "Even if I could afford the expensive stuff, I still wouldn't buy it for someone. The reason is, that many times, you make the others feel they have to keep up with you, and spend like you did on them, for you. And they just can't. So it gets them into a real bind doing that. There is a lot more to Christmas than buying presents!"
Here are my thoughts about that. Christmas is a time for giving and everyone likes to show their appreciation for someone they care about. For me, I really enjoy giving more than receiving -- but I accept all gifts graciously! LOL
What I am saying is that nobody should feel obligated that they have to keep up with an expensive gift that someone gave them when they cannot afford to do so -- and think that they have to now give something back of equal value. Then it is no longer giving. It becomes totally stressful. What I have found is that most people give what they can afford to give.
Giving should be purely spontaneous and from the heart. When I give a gift I never think about receiving a gift back. I give a gift because I purely wanted to give a gift to that particular person -- and it makes me happy to be able to give it to them!
Having said all that, it's too bad that you feel that way because I was seriously thinking of putting a big smile on Larry's face this Christmas and giving him $95 dollars to fill up your truck with hay for your horses. (You did say it cost $95 dollars to fill up your truck with hay -- didn't you?) Well, now that I know how you feel about giving -- I certainly wouldn't want to have Larry think that he had to reciprocate and send me back a truckload of hay too -- especially since I have no horses!
So I guess I'll just have to say Merry Christmas to you and Larry and leave it at that! :)
I did not mean to make people who buy expensive presents feel bad with this post. I wanted to tell the people who were trying to buy those type of presents that they don't have to.
As I have told many times on this blog, in my previous life, I DID buy those types of gifts and I think I overdid it. I bought for family members, things they could not afford, but thought I was doing them a favor by getting them what I knew they wanted.....but could not buy themselves. I was wrong.
They did NOT appreciate it or like me doing that. They were uncomfortable in that situation. I learned this years later, when I was not as well off.
Katlupe, you wrote, "I did not mean to make people who buy expensive presents feel bad with this post. I wanted to tell the people who were trying to buy those type of presents that they don't have to."
I think that anyone who read your post understood what your intentions were -- and I do not not think you made anyone feel bad with what you wrote. I am sorry if you possibly misunderstood what I had written. All I was doing was sharing my own personal thoughts about gift giving.
However, what I do feel bad about is that in the past, when you were in a position of buying gifts for your family members that you knew they needed but could not afford -- I feel bad for you that they did not appreciate the kind loving gesture, generosity and thought that went into you buying these gifts for them. And not only did they NOT appreciate it or like what you were doing -- they were uncomfortable in the situation. I find it sad that they did not understand the love that was behind your giving.
I hope by now you know my sense of humor -- and know that I was only joking with you about the truckload of hay.
Anyhow, I just wanted you to know that I thought it was a lovely post and I loved all the thoughtful, practical and useful ideas that you came up with for giving as gifts!
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