When we did the recycled gifts, that year you had to find at least one gift for everyone that either someone had given you or that you bought used.  I did a lot of shopping at consignment stores, thrift stores, and even eBay.  I found some great gifts!  I remember I got the kids X-Box games used at Game Stop.  I got my Mother a bread maker on eBay.  Then I bought my husband a TV at the pawn shop.  I know this all sounds kind of strange!  I thought my Mother was crazy when she came up with this idea!!!  I mean can you imagine what I was thinking, used gifts for Christmas?!?!  But you know I saved a ton of cash and got some really great gifts that my family loved!

Then another year she came up with the idea that we had to do homemade gifts.  You either had to bake something or make something!   I was really surprised with the gifts that were made that year.  One thing that my mother has made for years is a homemade room freshener.  I can tell you that this gift is great for Christmas Parties and Housewarming Parties!

The items that you need can be found at your local dollar store.  You will need a nice vase, doily, potpourri, small string of Christmas lights, and some ribbon.  This gift will cost you about $8.00.  Plus, it is really easy to make!  You take the vase and put in a little of the potpourri in the bottom of the jar.  Then you start by adding in some of the Christmas lights.  You then continue to add potpourri and placing the lights throughout the jar.  When you have the jar completely filled, you cover the top of the jar with the doily (make sure to leave the cord with the plug end hanging out over the edge of the jar) and secure the doily in place with the ribbon tied neatly in a bow.

The year that she did homemade gifts was a little bit more difficult for me!  I turned to my trusty computer and started searching for crafty gift ideas.  I found some really cute items that made everyone laugh!  One thing I made that year was a wire whisk filled with Hershey Kisses with a gift tag that read “We Whisk You A Merry Kiss-Mas!”

I would have to say that my favorite one has been the Snowman Poop.  I put this one in my Brother’s stocking.  You should have seen his face.  I had not seen him laugh that hard in years!  The Snowman Poop was nothing but marshmallows placed in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon.  What made it so cute was a poem that I had found.  The poem read ” I hear you’ve been naughty.  So listen, here’s the scoop.  I’m running short on coal this year, so you get Snowman Poop. Love, Santa ”

For our office Christmas Party I found a great homemade gift that everyone loved.  I went to dollar tree and picked up six Christmas decorated coffee mugs, a box of hot chocolate, package of candy canes, package of cellophane bags, package of Hershey Kisses, package of marshmallows and ribbon.  Then I attached the printable gift tag for Snowman Soup.  For six gifts I only paid around $15.00 and everyone at the office loved it!

What you need

• 1 clean milk jug with it’s lid
• 1 bag of cotton balls,
• construction paper (white, pink, and black) , white glue, and 2 googly eyeballs (optional)
• Easter basket grass.
  

What you do

1. Stand your milk jug upright and cut a hole just above the handle. This hole must be large enough for your hand to fit inside of it.
2. Cover your jug with glue and then cover with cotton balls. To avoid rough edges on the opening of the jug, take each cotton ball and glue half of one onto the inside and then wrap it over the cut edge.
3. Glue 2-3 cotton balls on the end of the milk jug lid for it’s tail.
4. Take and cut out two sets of bunny ears one large set out of white construction paper and one slightly smaller set out of pink. Glue the ears to the top of the Basket so they can stand up. Cut out whiskers, nose, & eyes (could use googly eyes or makers) out of construction paper.
5. Add Easter grass to the inside of the basket and have an Easter Egg Hunt

Here are some other great ways that people have found to decorate their Easter Baskets.