It's October, and I have been hearing Christmas music at the mall already. It actually started the first week of September.
I thought I would post some ideas on how to have a lovely holiday season, without putting one thing dime on a credit card.
I once heard a woman say... "When you give someone a gift you paid for with a credit card, you are not giving that person a gift, but you are essentially giving them debt."
Gifts don't have to be extravagant to be meaningful.
On the day of my wedding, my Maid of Honor didn't have any money to buy me a gift.
She is a fantastic writer, so she wrote me a letter so beautiful, so meaningful, so utterly special, that I tucked it in my bouquet and carried it down the aisle with me.
Do you know what?
The only wedding gifts I still own are my bone china settings, and my penoir, and...
that letter.
I read it every year on my Wedding Anniversary, so I can remember that special moment
when I felt so much sisterly love and happiness that I was a girl, I couldn't speak.
All those other gifts are long gone... either broken, out of date, or just never used and given to those less fortunate. In a fire, my kids, my pictures, and that letter would be all I take with me.
It means that much to me.
Never underestimate the power of words, preferably written or sung, as gifts.
When someone reads a letter of love you've written, it imprints on your heart forever.
Things like that aren't soon forgotten.
Other heart felt and inexpensive items to give are...
***
1. Your services to babysit, clean, wash their car, or garden for them.
2. A lovely plate of special cookies and the ingredients to make them again.
3.Freshly baked bread, honey butter in a basket.
4. Movie tickets, popcorn, and big bowl.
5. A poem you wrote.
6. A framed wordle.net of their name and their qualities.
7. Dry erase board and markers
8. Itunes card
9. Magazines
10. Crochet or knit anything!
11. Frame a picture of you and them!
12. Invite them over for a lovely dinner and make a special dessert!
13. Sprite, and Grenadine and a card with Shirley Temple on it.
14. A bottle of Stella Rosa Wine
15. a Dream board waiting for all their dreams
16. A lovely Apron, written on by you, some sentiments of family mealtimes
17. Pantry stock up... vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, jello, salt, pepper etc...
18. Kitchen towels... can't have too many of those.
19. Big bottle of Detergent, some Bounce and laundry basket!
20. Tons of diapers for a new Mama. And a gift Certifcate for a pedicure for her.
I hope this helps! Some may sound dumb to you... but you would be surprised how some of the dumb ones are appreciated!
Great ideas. I have actually already starte on the wordle gift. I have been writing down things about certain families. I love all of the ideas. thanks.
ReplyDeleteI've started crocheting coasters but I'm afraid people will think they're dorky!!!I had my mom over a week ago and asked her to teach me how. I realized how many things she does and knows that I haven't asked her to teach me. I plan on asking her for the gift of her knowledge. She doesn't know it yet, but I've already started.
ReplyDeleteI love your list! :) I crochet gifts for x-mas because we have way too many people to buy for! I think we have a combined 20 nieces and nephews. I usually start crocheting in October!
ReplyDeleteI've just started my christmas shopping to...with the way the economy is right now it's better to be ahead of the game right? Great list of idea's!
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