Creative Christmas

iamjoesgurl

Our pastor's sermon yesterday was pretty convicting about how we spend a lot of money at Christmas every year on things that people don't need when there are so many people in need around our own towns and in the World in general.  He showed a video that said that $10 billion would pay for the entire population of the World to have clean water and in the U.S. we spend $450 billion on Christmas gifts!  EVERY YEAR!  He said that we should give the gift of time or handmade items and use the money we would have spent by giving it to someone in need. 

So I thought I'd ask, what are your creative Christmas ideas?  (Things that don't cost a lot of money.)

Since a lot of you are saving money for your weddings, I thought these ideas may be helpful.

iamjoesgurl

DH works for a book publisher so we get lots of free books.  Everyone is getting a book for Christmas! 

My dad asked for cookies so I created a "Cookie of the Month" calendar for him and I'm going to make him a small batch of cookies each month in 2011. 





My MIL asked for trading cards for DH's favorite basketball team (weird, I know) so I took pictures of each player and cut them and adhered them to a 3 inch x 4 inch piece of red cardstock to make them for her. 

I bought a Kitchen Aid mixer at Kohl's for my birthday (January - I will probably receive enough cash to pay for it) and am going to use the Kohl's cash to buy some gifts.  By the way, the mixer was $199 - 10% - 15% - $20 rebate - $25 gift card that I had so it will end up to be about $115 plus I got $30 Kohl's cash for the purchase!

With the money we save by trying to be creative about gifts, we are planning to buy chickens through World Hope International in honor of each niece and nephew. 

JoyMatt424

I am crocheting a blanket for my Mom and for FI!

thereisbeauty_22209556

I'm making my dad the OSU scarf that he's been asking for ever since I learned to crochet...which was like, seven years ago.  Yeah, I'm late, but at least now I know that he really won't be expecting it!  I'm also making some mix CDs for a few of my friends.  Then everything else is being bargain shopped for, as per usual.

rachelea

It isn't exactly not spending money, but it is spending money in a more beneficial way. Several years ago I found out World Vision lets you buy gifts for needy people (such as a goat for a family, donate towards building a well in an African village, school supplies for kids, a vaccination round for children, etc.). My brothers and I started doing this for our parents, and you can do it for any gift such as birthdays. Samaritan's Purse, who does Operation Christmas Child, does this as well. I really don't have any money for gifts so I'm going to need to get REALLY creative, so even this isn't an option but I love it still. My mom has started using it was well. Last year, she had soccer balls donated to kids in Africa as a gift for FI since he is a soccer player. FI and I also put together Operation Christmas Child boxes last year.

I LOVE the cookie calendar idea...! That is really fun, like those expensive fruit of the month or wine of the month thing except WAY less money spent!!!

Here are links to World Vision and Samaritan's Purse online gift guide if anyone is interested in spending money wisely!

http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?lpos=csws_sponsor-a-child-today_top_txt_gift-catalog&go=gift&&section=10389

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog/

sessionswedding

I've already bought all of my Christmas presents!  The only things left for me to buy are for FI's family and any parties I may attend that ask for a Secret/Dirty Santa gift.  I think that FI's parents would LOVE it if I donated to Operation Christmas Child or something in their name, so I may just do that.  Thanks for the idea!

rachael027

I am going to *try* to make my FI a scrapbook for Christmas this year. He loves looking a photographs, so I think he'll actually like it.

kellya01

Hmm... Every year through the school job I usually have a school picture done... I decided this year I will use my school portrait, and find a way to get one of my FI, and make the double-side picture frame thing (usually the acrylic thing is like $3 or less) and give that to mine and FI's families.  Cheap cost, and nice since this is our first holiday season (and only) being engaged.  Next holiday we can have a husband/wife portrait!!!! 

I know it's not creative, but I don't typically subscribe to the typical Christmas gifts for men in my family (ties, cuff links, handkerchiefs, shoe shine kit, etc)... I got my dad and I 2 tix to see a UNC basketball game (I'm a UNC grad and dad and I love UNC!!), so not only is it tix to a team he loves, but it's time with me, so a double gift.  

I got my FI body spray and shave cream from Mary Kay men's.... it's a little more practical, but that's just how I am.  Something that they'll use and would keep them from buying it for themselves is always nice.  

I usually get my Little Brother a movie he would enjoy... $10 or less, typically (although one year I bought Pearl Harbor for him and it was closer to $20).  Haven't decided what to get older brother and his wife yet... last year I got them a gift certificate for the movie theater because they go to movies ALL the time and it was something I knew they could use.  I may end up doing that this year with my Discover Card reward points!!! 

Hmm... I need a creative idea for my FI's family gifts.  Last year I bought his cousin (basically sister) a Clemson sweatshirt (she graduates from Clemson this December), and I got his other cousin (basically brother) something super cheezy.  I like to cook for their family and they love having me cook... so I may make a booklet or something where they can have me make something for them... I'm not sure.  I like the cookie of the month club mentioned!! 

jenn.daniel

Rachael, I'm making my FI a scrapbook too!

rachelea

LOL I just got confused for a second with a second Rachel on the boards now...good thing we spell our names different!!!

musicalsunlight

I am making both of my brothers blankets with both of their favorite teams as the material for them. I also usually try to buy a few gifts for Toys for Tots every year too. It makes me feel so happy to think of some less fortunate kids getting what I buy for them, just to give them a smile. I also buy a few cds or dvds for teens too because people often forget to buy for that age.

AshNoel8

Today I went to Ross (if you don't have Ross where you live, it's like a TJ Maxx or Marshalls) and found journals with Bible verses on the front and really cute designs/colors for $2.99 each. I bought one for all of my aunts, my mom and my friend. Quick, easy, cute and cheap gift where they can write thoughts, prayers, blessings, anything. 

Our church does an angel tree every year where we buy things for children or families in our area. We will be doing that and always looking for more opportunities to help. 

iamjoesgurl

Rachel - World Hope is like what you mentioned.  They do animals, small business loans, clean water, abstinence education in developing countries, etc.  I love the thought of helping someone that way.  I also sent $$ to the families of my Compassion girls.  It's amazing what that money can buy where they live.  It's like a couple of hours of work for me but equivalent to several months work for them.  Sort of puts things into perspective.

iamjoesgurl

Here is the link to what our pastor showed in church on Sunday:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj4Zv6_2imY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj4Zv6_2imY

rachelea

I sponsor kids through Compassion too. A girl from Guatemala (have had her for 6 years) and a boy from Nicarague (had him for 3 years). I love getting their letters and pictures!!

Ready2BMrsWade

My family idea isn't exactly CHEAP, but I think MUCH better than regular gifts. My whole family (aunts, uncles cousins, siblings, grandparents) are renting a house in CO to go skiing together. All the "kids" are grown now and we realized we want the memories of being together at the holidays rather than any physical gifts. I can not wait!! 20 days till we leave!  I second the Samaritans Purse/Compassion gifts!. It is pretty amazing. I don't recall which but one of the two has a higher overhead than the other, so I need to do some investigating to make sure the most good can be done.