Lean Christmas

[princesss]

So, I know I can''t be the only one who''s in for a lean Christmas/Hanukkah this year so I thought we could share ideas if anybody is interested.

I know my budget is probably way lower than most (BF and I are setting a $15 limit), but "lean" is different for everybody/budget.

What we''re doing is heading out to Marshall''s with $15 in our pocket (well, plus tax) and setting a time limit of about an hour. We''re going to browse around together and pick out presents. The rules are we can''t point out anything we''d like for ourselves, but we can say ''yay'' or ''nay'' to what the other person has picked out. I''m honestly more excited about this Christmas than I have been for the past 2 that we''ve been together because it seems like it''ll be fun instead of stressful.

So what other ideas have other PSers come up with to keep costs down?

 

[Skippy123]

Well, I love to bake and now sew so you could bake goodies. I have made holiday wreaths which are pretty inexpensive to make; you just need a hot glue gun, some inexpensive ornaments, a wreath you can find on sale at Michael's or Hobby Lobby and some ribbon. I also love meaningful heart felt poems which you could frame. HTH's. I agree spending lots of money isn't what makes the holidays meaningful; I think sometimes we get wrapped up in the material aspects (of out doing last year or whatever, I have been guilty of that) and sometimes don't realize that the true enjoyment are the simple pleasures of life.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

My husband and I started a tradition our first Christmas together, and have carried it with us ever since. We do the 12 Days of Christmas. What it is is that we each get a stocking stuffer for each of the 12 Days leading up to Christmas. It started because I''m so impatient and am always asking for hints on gifts, and asking to open things early, etc. It''s a cute thing, and it''s really cheap (we have a 1.50 limit per item, but most the time spend much less). These are some of the most fun memories I have of our 2 Christmases together. We get silly things (silly putty, gum, a fun pen, etc.) and sometimes I''ll make a letter one of his gifts, or he''ll draw me a little map of a special place we''ve been. It''s fun.

I also like to make things and every year I think of something that is a precious memory and make it into a quilt or an ornament, or something like that.

We also talk about going to one of those paint-your-own-pottery stores in town and each painting an ornament for the other. It''s pretty inexpensive (maybe 5 or so dollars for the ornament, and they take less than an hour to paint, so you''re looking at maybe 10 bucks total) to do, and it''s a cute memory to carry for years and years to come. I always like putting on the ornaments that carry the sweet memories with them each year.

Another friend of mine who has three children and is a stay at home mother gets the same special treat from her husband every year on Christmas: her mother-in-law watches the children on the eve of Christmas Eve and she and her husband rent a movie and he makes her dinner, which NEVER happens, but on that one day, each year. It''s the best Christmas present she could ever want, and it''s always his present to her, because so much of their budget goes to being Santa for the little ones. I think it''s precious!!

Treasure hunts to little gifts are always fun, too. It''s more about the time spent together than the gift that way.

A treasure hunt around Marshalls or Ross could be a blast, too! Have fun and I bet you''ll have a sweet memory to carry with you for years and years!!

 

[lyra]

I agree with Skippy! One year all we could manage was to give people homebaked goods, and they all really loved it. We searched out some decadent recipes and some family traditional ones. Perishables are a great idea in that regard since no one has to make permanent space for them. Plus, they can be made ahead of time and frozen, depending on the recipes. A bit of cellowrap from the dollar store and some ribbon, and it looks festive.

 

[monarch64]

This will most certainly be a "leaner" Christmas for us...when I lost my job this past June I didn''t realize not having much income other than unemployment coming in on my end would affect us in the long run. While we''re far from starving, we''ve really had to cut back on spending to make up for the few months I was unemployed this summer. So I am planning to give co-workers gifts of hand-knit scarves using my stash of yarn I''ve had for a few years now, and that will do in the place of the usual $20-30 I normally budget for about 6 people. DH and I will probably give each other only stocking stuffers this year, and wait until Feb. (Valentine''s Day) to do anything special for each other, which will also save a bundle. We won''t skimp on family and close friends, those are the people we really enjoy giving to anyway, but we might have to get a bit more creative in that regard as well. I''m thinking that I will do scrapbooks full of pics we meant to give our parents over the years but never got around to giving to our parents...they will appreciate that and I have plenty of scrapbook-y things on hand to make them with, so cost-cutter there as well.

 

[zoebartlett]

This Christmas will probably be somewhat lean for us, too. My parents are paying a large part of my wedding next summer, and I have said my FI and I don''t need gifts. My mom, however, still wants there to be presents under their tree (we''re going there for Christmas). We''ve talked about putting any money we would have spent on a gift and putting it towards a family trip. We don''t have one planned yet and it could take time to save up, but it would be fun to work together to plan something.

Other than that, as far as tangible gifts go, I''m still working on ideas. I just bought Bruins hockey tickets for my FI (okay, not really a "lean" gift, but he loves the Bruins and it would mean a lot to him, I think).

For co-workers, I''ve bought a big bag of Lindt chocolate truffles and put a handful or two in a Christmas (or other decorative) tin. This always goes over really well. Who doesn''t like a bit of chocolate?

I''ve also made fudge, brownies, cookies, banana or pumpkin bread and given that as gifts too. I''ve put them in nice tins or just wrapped them in clear bags with a ribbon tied around each bag.

I''ve never done this I''ve gotten a glass jar with all the dry ingredients needed to make chocolate chip cookies. I know you can buy the jars already prepared, but if I were doing it, I''d probably just put it together myself.

You could make Kaluha (I think the recipe is really easy) and put it into nice bottles for friends and/or family.

Oohh, I just thought of something else. I love giving Christmas ornaments. You could easily buy a few ornaments and put them in a nice box. My mom used to collect houses and buildings to put together to make a village scene on my parents'' console table behind the sofa. I think the houses were part of the Dickens'' collection or something. They all had the same look to them, and it was very traditional. There are also little trees, benches, etc. that you can get to put into the scene. We had to stop giving these to my mom because she was running out of room on the table. It looked very pretty when it was complete.

 

[monarch64]

I just want to say that I would LOVE to receive any of the gifts mentioned here. To me, Christmas is not about some grand gift I receive, but it''s about the thought behind the gift, no matter how small or tall.... Zoe, I love Christmas ornaments, and I would love to have a special set given to me by a friend who really put some thought into their gift, or I would love to get one of those canisters full of ingredients to make some baked item that I could make post-Christmas...January cookies, anyone? All of these ideas are useful and wonderful, I still have the snowman shaped glass jar from about 10 yrs. ago I received from a co-worker who just filled it with hard candy, it''s so cute and I remember her every Christmas when I pull it out fill it with candy to place by the front door for who ever comes by and looks like they need a sweets fix!

 

[E B]

I made wooly winter hats last year with the Knifty Knitter for family/friends and they were a hit! The looms are like $10, and you're out approx. the cost of a skein of yarn per hat, which is ~$5.

Knifty Knitter

You can get the Knifty Knitter at craft stores, and it's really easy to use! It's great for when you're bored or watching TV, as it doesn't take a ton of attention.

Just an idea! I'm going to make some more hats this year.

 

[zoebartlett]

Ebree, that looks really cool! I''m not a crafty person (I don''t sew or knit), but this is described as perfect for beginners. I may be able to do it. How does it work? I couldn''t really tell from the description.

 

[E B]

Date: 11/24/2007 8:15:36 PM
Author: zoebartlett
Ebree, that looks really cool! I'm not a crafty person (I don't sew or knit), but this is described as perfect for beginners. I may be able to do it. How does it work? I couldn't really tell from the description.

It's hard to explain, but at the ProvoCraft website, they have a video on how to get started. After you secure the yarn onto the loom, all you really do is loop the thread around each peg and then pull the thread below it over the peg/thread you just wrapped with this little tool. The website will show you everything, including how to make a brim and how to finish the hat.

It's very easy and once you get the hang of it, you can do it without even looking (though I usually keep an eye on it to make sure I haven't made any mistakes).

ETA: See if this video works:

Introduction to the Knifty Knitter

If you decide you want to make hats, I prefer using thicker yarn. It doesn't usually have as much give, but it makes for much more "substantial" hats.

 

[princesss]

Ebree, the link isn''t working for me. I love to knit but hats are my downfall. Once I get some money I''m definitely trying this out!

 

[E B]

Oops! Sorry about that.

How about now?

Intro to the Knifty Knitter

 

[E B]

I just did a search on the Knifty Knitter round loom set, and it looks like at most places, it''s around $20 for the set of 4 (but apparently, you can buy each loom separately). It was less when I bought it, but that was last Christmas and I might have caught a sale. It''s still worth every penny if you crank out enough hats, though!

As for yarn, I believe this is what I used:

Lion''s Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Yarn

It''s really thick and so when you loop, you have to make sure you don''t loop too tight because it doesn''t offer the give the thinner more elastic yarn does. But the hats turned out wonderfully!

 

[Sabine]

When I was in high school, my best friend and I used to go to the Dollar Store. We''d set a time limit and spend about 30 minutes each in the store picking out up to 10 items. But the fun part was, we''d have to come up with a story/explination for each item in that time too. After each had had a turn, we would go for coffee and explain to each other the story behind each of the items. It ended up really silly and sentimental at times...like one year she got me a pair of scissors because she knew I had some pain that I needed to "cut out" of my life. The items weren''t the gift, it was spending the time together and sharing what we knew each person needed most at that time.

 

[BigDiamonds]

FI and I had the cutest picture taken at my office Christmas party last year - both of us all dressed up sitting on Santa''s lap. I was trying to angle my body so that the camera wasn''t pointed down my dressed, but somehow it ended up looking like I was getting frisky with Santa, when in fact Santa actually had his arm around FI in a REALLY weird way. It''s a great picture.

We are thinking of buying cute ornaments that you can put a picture in and giving it with the Santa picture to close family and friends. They all understand that we are saving for the wedding and FI is in school, so I think that and some cookies will be good. For each other, we are buying ourselves a ragdoll kitten (not lean AT ALL, but combined anniversary, Xmas, and Valentines), and then each picking out an ornament for each other. I like gifts, especially more affordable ones, to be special more than practical.

 

[door knob solitaire]

Princess...you won''t believe this now...but in years to come this will be your most memorable. I think your shop thing is a fun idea! I love it.

We have guests over and play silly games with silly prizes. I have lots if inexpensive gifts wrapped I pick up at the dollar store or similar. It is fun to see some burly guy get something femine or such. Nothing elaborate...but you would be suprised how coveted a $1.00 flashlight may be.

You are going to have a blast! Embrace your creative idea. §

 

[fansynancy]

When we were young and starting out, my husband (then my fiance) and I made flavored vodkas. We bought a BIG bottle of ordinary vodka and put it in decorative bottles. Then we peeled lemon rinds and orange rinds and infused the vodkas in the different bottles. It looked really pretty and special. I remember that we brought the bottles as hostess gifts to partied and gave one to his boss with some designer crystal shot glasses- the kind that roll. It was a big hit.

Nancy

 

[anchor31]

It''s going to be a lean Christmas for us too, with the wedding coming up that we have to pay half of and the vaccum cleaner we desperately need... We''re thinking about giving our family members 20-30$ gift certificates from places they love, and our friends maybe some candy, or just go out for lunch with them.

 

[february2003bride]

Oooh, I really like that term! Lean Christmas

We''re doing a lean Christmas but not for financial reasons. I''m purposing limiting what we give family, friends and our kids because it''s gotten out of hand. Last year our family room looked like a toy store exploded! Not that the kids didn''t have a great time and we loved watching them open their gives. But it was too much.

I''ve changed my focus on life over the last few months, and a big part of it is purging what we have that we don''t need/want/love. And I decided that Christmas will be the same! A friend of mine does her shopping based on this outlook:

Something they want
Something they need
Something to wear
Something to read

I took that and added in art supplies, something music related, stocking stuffers, and something educational (but fun

). I''m actually completely done shopping for the kids! DH''s shopping I finished up today. And everyone else get''s a limit. Family members are $50, teachers are $20 (we have 7 to buy for!) and close friends get movie tickets

 

[somethingshiny]

Last Christmas was a lean one for us. It was our first Christmas with a child! I have 3 siblings and two of them are married. We decided to draw names since we were starting to get several people to buy for. I knew I didn''t have to buy for everyone, but after so many years, I couldn''t just go cold turkey. We decided to give everyone a book, because we love to read. SIL got a one of a kind cookbook, bro got a collectible Stallone script, etc. We labeled them all from our son, who was the only child at the time. It was fun trying to find a book (or book-like) for each person, especially since my brother and his wife are not what you''d call readers! Everyone loved their little gift.