Christmas tips and ideas

Okay, I know I just posted a bunch of Autumn photos, and Thanksgiving is still to come, but Christmas is just around the corner, and I can't help thinking about it. Isn't that the way it is with most crafters? We are already thinking about the next event, the next holiday, the next season, so we can be prepared. Or not.
No, I haven't put up a tree yet, though I've seen two in the neighborhood--decorated already! It takes me a couple of weeks to get all the decorations in from the garage, and placed and the tree decorated, and then a month to get it all sorted, organized, repacked and put away again. Currently I have 13 large plastic bins of decorations

But AfricanKelli has a great post with some budget-saving tips for the season, and she has invited you to share your ideas, too. I've noticed some of you visit her blog, too, but maybe others of you don't know her. She's a terrific gal, just turned 28, works in the health care field, only she sets up health care for our poorer neighbors, like Bolivia, etc. She just finished her first triathlon, is very crafty, loves to bake, and writes a fun blog.

I'm going to re-write here the things we have done in the past to save money, to use what we have, just in case you don't get a chance to visit her blog.


Last year, I bought some very pretty large Santa and snowmen mugs at the dollar store and filled them with snack bags of mug mixes. If you google search, you can find lots to choose from. Attach the directions, and the recipe so more batches can be made, and you have a great gift for co-workers. Some only need water, other recipes need more added. My friends kept the simpler ones at work, so they would have them for quick sugar fixes or quick soups. (I think they also wanted to keep the goodies for themselves, too, since I made one-serving batches!) Peach cobbler in a mug was a big hit.


For some elderly neighbors, I put together soup mixes in pint jars (this one is ours) with the spices in a snack bag, and anything else non-perishable that was needed. In the box was also a little plastic Christmas snack plate, also purchased at the dollar store, filled with homemade cookies and covered with plastic wrap. Then I found these later on, and will fill them with cookies this year to give away.


This year, I'm going to make my co-workers some of those coasters like I made earlier in the year, only in Christmas fabrics. They are quick and easy to make up, and I have LOADS of Christmas fabrics that I'm getting tired of looking at. (Pardon the grammar.)

As for wrappings, well, I haven't bought new wrapping paper in several years. For out-of-family gifts, like the mugs, I will use paper, or the colored netting I found a bunch of at a yard sale a couple of years ago. Tied with a pretty ribbon, it's as nice as any paper. I also recycle gift bags, if they are in good condition, because they are so inexpensive anyway and because, well, you can reuse them.

In the immediate family, we wrap our gifts in fabric from my stash, and not necessarily Christmas fabric. Under the tree, it all looks beautiful and festive.

I provide plenty of safety pins, ribbons, lace, rickrack, buttons, etc. for embellishing.

J-Man has only the use of one hand, so wrapping and unwrapping are difficult for him. See the bag with the Christmas tree on the front? I made that as a gift bag for him, first to wrap his gifts in, and then to receive them in. I try to make a couple more each year, and they are always washable. Either the embellishments are washable, too (inside out) or they are made to be detached. Tags are made from recycled Christmas cards, or paper and rubber stamps from my stash.

Another option: take holiday cookie cutters and trace for a pattern. Then cut a pair of them from felt, whipstitch together, stuff with batting and attach a ribbon for hanging. (You can attach the ribbon while whipstitching the front and back together. They can be used as gift tags, ornaments, whatever. Our quilt group, who is hosting this year's holiday luncheon for the guild, is stuffing snowmen a little fatter and using them as pincushion favors. If you really want to go at it, cut the shapes from Christmas plaid, say, atitch all together on your machine, stuff them and attach the ribbon for hanging, if not already secured.

Now it's your turn. How are you going to stay within your budgets this year? Any suggestions for the rest of us? Add your comments here, or click on over to Africankelli's blog and add them there.
I'm eagerly waiting to read your suggestions and -money-saving ideas.

Edited to add: At J. Hittle's, you can order sewing supplies at wholesale, without having to buy in bulk. Every weekend, they email with the new specials of the week. A place where you can get fabric really inexpensively is Thousands of Bolts. Thought some of you may not have heard of these sites.