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.

When I was younger my Grandmother had this beautiful Victorian Porcelain Doll collection that she stored in a glass cabinet. I can remember going in and staring at her dolls as a child. They where the most beautiful dolls. I wanted to just pick them up and hold them, of course, this was not allowed. When I turned eight I started collecting Porcelain Dolls. I gather a few over the years and proudly displayed these dolls on stands in my bedroom. A few years ago, I decided to give my dolls to my daughter to place in her room. This year she has just turned 10 years old, her double digit! She now has decided that she wants to start her own collection of Porcelain Dolls. It looks like this may just turn into a family tradition, that was started with my Grandma. Porcelain dolls will make a great gift idea for collectors or young girls just starting their collection.

I have noticed that as my kids are getting older it is harder and harder to find special gifts.  It seems like they have everything!  This year her favorite gifts where the following:

1.  Dance Maker, the Wave (this was purchased online Toys R Us)

2.  Collectors Edition Barbie (also purchased online at Toys R Us)

3.  A birthstone heart shaped necklace. (purchased at Walmart)

4.  A large Teddy Bear that said Princess (also purchased at Walmart)

5. A nail art kit (purchased at Target)

6. A jean purse.  (This was a gift from someone else, so I am not sure where it was purchased at.)

We decorated the table with a purple table cloth, purple plates, and plastic ware (her favorite colors) and found some napkins with purple and pink on them that said Happy Birthday with balloons on them.  Her cake was a marble cake with a Cinderella theme, it had a glass slipper on it along with a plastic figure of Cinderella.  We had the cake and we ordered County Line (which is her favorite bar-b-que place).

The items that I purchased at Toys R Us where delivered promptly!  I ordered these items and had them within 3 days!  The were packaged well!  The prices where cheaper online than what they were in the store. 

Walmart, I ordered her cake the day before, both times that I went to the store (the day that I ordered it and the day that I picked it up) I had to stand there and wait to be noticed.  Both times I was told, ” I am sorry I didn’t see you standing there.”   I found the items that I wanted to purchase fairly easy and the lady at the Jewlery counter was very helpful and she rang up all of my purchases.  Everything was at a reasonable price.

Target was an overall pleasant experience.  We were able to go in and find what we were looking for and able to check out quickly. Plus the price was very competitive with Walmart.   I have to admit that we were lured in by the aroma of Starbucks coffee house inside Target.   

I called the order in to County Line (bar-b-que) and went and picked up the food, it was ready shortly after I arrived.  This is kind of an expensive restaurant, but they have excellent food.  I had ordered their brisket, smoked chicken, and garlic mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and whole wheat bread. It was Yummy! 

On the way home I realized, that I had forgotten to pick up drinks and birthday candles.  OOPS!  So, I headed to the local Albertson’s and purchased the candles, some tropical fruit sherbert, strawberry soda, and sprite.  I added the entire container of sherbert to a 2 quart pitcher and added one complete 2 liter bottle of sprite and 1/2 of the 2 liter bottle of strawberry soda.  All of the kids at the party thought this was the best drink! 

Now.. Then as far as I am concerned, I try to get my children what they want for Christmas, Birthdays, etc., but I try to at least find it at a bargain. I don’t like to pay retail prices for something that they are going to out grow in a few months. One thing that I have found that saves me a little bit of money is to buy things that are made by MadCatz. I currently have purchased XBOX 360 controllers, Game Cube controllers, Playstation I and II controllers along with memory cards from them. These work just as well as the name brand items only they cost a fraction of the price. If you get a chance you may want to check out their site and see if you can’t find something that your tween or big kid might enjoy.

As far as the MP3 Players and IPOD’s or even video and computer games go, I check out Overstock.com and Ebay to see what I can find. Overstock.com list several different places that you can buy the items that your looking for and they even list the price of the item. So, before you go and buy something in the stores or online check out Overstock.com or Ebay and see where you can purchase your item for the least amount of money.

One store that my kids have found online that they have made a huge wish list from his Hobbytron.com This site offers all kinds of games for kids, teens, and even the biggest kid in your family. Make sure and go by and check out the Magic Tricks, Remote Control Cars, Robots, Dolls, and Toys.

Do you have someone interested in science, electronics, magic tricks, robots, model cars, or dolls?  Then this is the website for you.  

Shown are a few links to the items you will find at hobbytron.com.  Please check the website for a complete list.

Save 5% at HobbyTron.com on 3 or more items. Coupon code: SAVE5D (Except Lego Mindstorms, Savage 25, T-Maxx, Revo, Jato)

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 large ripe bananas mashed (should equal about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk 

  Cream shortening and vanilla; add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the dry ingredients; add banana and milk to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Fill greased and floured (or paper lined) muffin cups about 1/2 full. Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool and frost as desired. Recipe makes about 25 cupcakes.

  For those of you who would rather not bake… Here are a few gift ideas that you might like and the children will love!

   

   

  TWIST AND GLOW POPS  TWIST AND GLOW POPS

  

  HEART SHAPED BUCKET PINK  HEART SHAPED BUCKET PINK

  

  

  

   

  You can Save 10% on all of the above Party Supplies at ShindigZ

Wiener Delight

• 1 lb wieners, cut in thin slices
• 1 small can (5 1/3 oz evaporated milk
• 1 can (10 1/2 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1 can (10 1/2 oz) cream of celery soup
• 1 large can (5 1/2 oz) chow mein noodles

Mix all ingredieants together.  Pour into a 10-inch ceramic skillet or a 2-qt. casserole.  heat in Microwave for 8 minutes.  Stir twice during this time.  Serve immediately.  Yield: 6 servings

Serve with Pickles, Potato Chips and a relish tray.

Chocolate Graham Cracker Loaf

• 1 pkg. (3 3/4 oz) chocolate pudding
• 2 cups milk 
• 1 pkg. (2 oz) whipped topping mix
• 36 single graham crackers

Turn package of pudding into a 1-quart glass casserole.  stir in enough milk to dissolve pudding.  Add remaining milk.  Cook 2 minutes in Microwave, uncovered.  Stir. Cook 3- 3 1/2 minutes longer, until pudding is thickened, stirring often.  Cool completely.  Prepare whipped topping according to package directions and reserve.  Spread about 1 tablespoon of the cooled pudding between single graham crackers, standing them on edge and placing them together to form a long loaf.  Frost the loaf with the whipped topping.  Chill several hours or overnight.  Slice loaf on an angle into 3/4 in slices.  yield 8 – 10 servings.

When hosting a children’s party you will want to make sure that your theme stands out.  To help with this you might consider some of the following party supplies:

There are plates, hats, napkins, streamers, noise makers and much more for just about every type of theme you might have at your child’s party.  All of these characters are available at All Aboard Toys.  They offer all of the theme items you would like including utinsels, balloons, grab bags, and pinatas. 

   It’s Your Birthday Barbie Doll $13.47 

   Barbie Shapes and Colors Learning Card Game $3.57

  Bob the Builder Jigsaw Puzzle $5.37

  Bob the Builder Learning Cards and Stickers $3.57

  Bob the Builder Bennie’s Dig Lego Duplo Set $12.57

  Bob the Builder Lift and Load Sumsy Duplo Set $12.57

 Growing up with Clifford DVD $11.87

  Leapfrog:  Leappad Library Cars Book $18.87

  Disney Pixar Cars Dvd $19.97

  Toy Story Slinky Dog $16.17

  Toy Story 2 Paperback Book $3.07

  Toy Story 2 Going Buggy Paperback Book $3.07

  Leapfrog:  Leappad Library Disney Princess Story Book $18.87

  Disney Favorite Moments Fashion Set or Glitter Fashion Set $10.77

                                                    (is available in Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Beauty and Snow White)

  Dora the Explorer Coloring and Activity Placemats $4.47

  Dora the Explorer Hobo Handbag $10.77

 Dora the Explorer Rolling Backpack $14.37