Thoughtful Yet Inexpensive Gift Ideas for Christmas in a Recession
This year with the recession, I am trying to figure out what to do about gifts … I cannot afford to spend a gazillion dollars cash or credit … yet I want to give thoughtful heartwarming gifts too. So … I have a plan {insert evil grin and laugh here!} I’ve been known for my cheap gift ideas several times in the past! My grandmother would have called them thrifty gift ideas … after all, she was the one who recycled xmas wrapping paper every year of her life … it had to shred into nothing before she quit saving and using it!
1. RECYCLE!
Last year my daughter gave me a set of 4 lovely, heavy, nice glass photo coasters …. not something I would use but … I can use them as the basis for some palm tree oil paint sketches on the thick glass border - the picture can be seen and the glass will also be decorated … using my Epson Photo Stylus 1400 ink jet printer … I can print pictures the right size to put in the coasters and suddenly, I have a unique gift ready to wrap and put under the Christmas tree for someone this year.
2. FOOD!
a) I have a couple plastic plates I bought last year and did nothing with them … they are still in the box … quite pretty … I am thinking that I will make a Wacky Cake and put the slices on one of the plates and wrap it in plastic wrap as a “family” gift for Christmas Day.
b) I bought a deviled egg tray a couple years ago but never got around to giving it to my son-in-law … I am thinking this year would be an excellent time to make deviled eggs for it … my son-in-law cooks a lot and having an extra tray of holiday snacks might be nice.
3. RECIPES! [individual typed or hand-written with magnet glued on the back]
a) I am thinking that I will give my son-in-law a greeting card with a recipe inside it for his December birthday, one for him for Christmas and one for my daughter for Christmas. I plan to hand write the recipes on the inside of the card where normally the greeting would be and I am going to glue a magnet onto the back of the card so it can be kept on the refrigerator. A nice food picture on the front, a magnet on the back and a hand written recipe inside when it is opened up. I have the recipes all picked out already for both of them!





















































