xmas gift ideas

[Clarence]

I always have a hard time finding things for xmas gifts. I have a problem buying things for people that I view as a wast, even if it is what I know they want. My mother, for example, who has developed a 3.50 dollar a day fancy coffee habit would like nothing more then a gift card to dunkin donnuts. Me who drinks coffee run threw yesterdays grounds can't understand this. I was married just 2 months ago. I can't think of a thing to get my wife that I don't find trivial. Really I think it stems from me having just about everything I want and can't understand why people need more stuff. but stuff is what xmass is all about these days.
anyone have any inexpensive gift ideas that maybe arn't wastfull.
thanks

[leera]

It's the thought that counts,not the gift.........

Baskets of homemade goodies like cookies and breads.........or home made Christmas decorations.

You can put together fancy dip mixes from recipes on the internet and give them with something to serve them in.

For a coffee drinker,get some sample size packets of assorted fancy coffees,flavored creamers,etc and put them in a basket with a couple of nice coffee mugs.
Or buy a nice coffee maker,perhaps a one cup a shot type.

For cooks you can put together a basket with assorted kitchen gadgets that you know they need,along with a recipe or two and some of the ingredients for the recipes.

It's not nesessary to go out and spend a paycheck on Christmas.Most of the ideas above would cost you less than $10.00 per person.

Give things that have meaning behind them.Like the coffee gift basket,include two mugs,one for them,one for company.

Or a much needed kitchen gadget.....pay attention to what friends or family need but don't ask for.

A lot of time someone will give you an idea,but won't ask for something they need because they think it is too silly an idea.Like spatulas or wire wisks........or a knife set.

[kawalekm]

Hi Clarence
It makes me smile when I hear about someone with a 3.50$ per day "coffee habit". I'm smiling down at my Mocha Latte that I made with my 2$ expresso maker I bought at the flea market. It's the Italian stovetop kind that you put water and grounds inside, then set on the stove. I didn't tell my wife the first time I served it and thought I was giving her Starbucks!

Here are some gift ideas that have worked for me. I make homemade jelly from our pomagranite tree in the back yard. I remember one woman I give this to actually jumped up and down when I gave it to her, she was so excited. Another gift is "magic bars" made with prune or date filling. People love this. I also give used books I buy at the flea market. These have to be tailored to the individual's personality though. One fun gift I got was "soup mix" in a cup, including typed instructions inside the mix for preparation.

Anything handmade that you do is a viable gift. One neighbor gets my handloaded 38special cartridges. Whatever shows your time is something people will value.
Michael

[bookwormom]

Clarence is a guy, right? so the jam and cookies etc won't work.

Our family is a bit nutty when it comes to gifts. we figure we have everything we need and unnecessary stuff just is a burden and dust catcher. Husband once gave me a green broom, (green being my favorite color) and even the handle was wrapped.

for a lark we said lets just give money. and to avoid hurt feelings, lets decide on an amount, say 50 bucks. So you give your mom 50 dollars (merry christmas mom) and she gives you 50 dollars and so on.
For a long time we ceased giving gifts to adults and only the children got presents. Now they are grown and don't get anything either. Actually, that is not quite true, we do give little things, like the broom, (I gave hubby a pair of gumboots from the feedstore), you might get a book, but only the very immediate family, my siblings get nothign and I do not get anything from them either. When we had a gift exchange at church, I packed a years supply of toothbrushes, but sweet hubby said I should not do that, the people here do not appreciate stuff like that.
as for your wife, if she does not need a new iron or skillets or the like, I would get her a piece of jewelry, something that keeps its value. Just my opinion.

[gratitude]

Time. Effort. You could make "coupon books" that the recipient could 'redeem'. For fun time together (game of chess and fondue evening) or chores (rake the leaves; clean the bathrooms). Frugal (no money outlay), thoughtful, doesn't collect dust (not clutter), makes memories, strengthens bonds.

Or, like PP said, something everyday that the person needs. Ex: We've spent a small fortune over the years on cheap kitchen knives. If I were to get one good knife, I would be over the moon. And as a benefit, every time I used it in the future, it would make me smile, thinking of the one that gave it. Although.... isn't it supposed to be bad luck to gift knives ??? if you are wary of that sort of thing ;)

[Clarence]

Thank you all for the great ideas.

I decided to just get smothing small for the people I need to buy for, but added a 1lb jar of my honey to the gift. I have always felt "cheep" doing something like this, but after your posts I relize that there is three years of work behind this years honey crop - my first. So, I guess that isn't cheep all :). As for the wife I broke down and got her things she wanted even if I don't want her to have them. But at lest the xmas shopping is over and with a week to spare.

Marry Christmass everyone.

[LeatherneckPA]

Cindy and I start making a list in January for what we would like to gift to our family members for the next year. The catch is that we hand make all of our gifts. It started out of necessity when we were first married. Didn't have any money, but FIL had a woodworking shop and Cindy had a sewing machine. After about 5 years we had some money so we did the "traditional bought presents thing" that year. One SIL, who always sends thank you notes, sent one that year too. But it had a PS, "What happened to those lovely homemade gifts?" Been doing it ever since.

Getting close to desperate this year. GS was born 12-6-07 and I'm trying to get time in the workshop to repair my lathe and then turn him a rattle for his first present.

[rideaway]

My cousin got my college-attending daughters a really nice large bowl from the goodwill-type store in her area, then tucked in microwave popcorn, some powdered drink mix for water bottles and new skip-bo and uno games. *They will love them, I know. *I love gifts like that, from the dollar tree, etc. *

I love coupons-gonna make some from hubby, like picking up the branches when he prunes the fruit trees, which I hate. *Actually, I have to do it anyway, so maybe the coupon should be for not whining loudly the whole time I do it! ;D

Let us know how the rattle turned out, and Congratulations on the new addition, Leatherneck!