Looking for holiday gift giving ideas

[Guest guest]

Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high school and getting

boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is

getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I

plan to suggest a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea.

Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts?

Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy

(though no one in the family appreciates our diet choices).

 

Kari

[Guest guest]

My husband and I are in similar

circumstances, but for us, it’s finding foods that appeal to a variety of

special diet needs. We do like making gifts, but some of the brand happy family

members aren’t very appreciative. That said, in the past I’ve made

carrot bread using splenda and substituting apple sauce for the fat. It covers

a wide range of diet needs and I left out the salt. I made tons of it ahead of

time and froze them. They can be a bit sticky, but it was gobbled up by the

diabetics, low salt and low cholesterol folks. You can make it with or w/o the

cream cheese frosting. I did it with.

 

I’ve also put together cocoa mixes

and brownie mixings in clear jars, layer it so it looks pretty and include

instructions for the wet ingredients and baking. You can also do this for a New

Year’s Day breakfast sweet.

 

My husband has made cooking oils, bath

salts, bath oils, soap.

 

We like to make sachets with lavender, eye

masks, bread warmers for baskets (very easy), scented pot holders.

 

Peppermint oil for tension headaches.

 

You could do a variety of gift baskets

from soup mixes to sweets to bathroom scents to drawer scents to bedroom scents

to for the baby. It just depends on the family or group. I can give specifics

if you life. Just let me know.

 

Leslie

 

 

 

 

 

RealSimple [RealSimple ] On Behalf Of Kari Carlisle

Saturday, October 06, 2007

11:45 AM

RealSimple

[RealSimple] Looking for

holiday gift giving ideas

 

 

 

 

 

Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high

school and getting

boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is

getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I

plan to suggest a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea.

Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts?

Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy

(though no one in the family appreciates our diet choices).

 

Kari

 

 

 

 

 

 

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.2/1053 - Release 10/6/2007 10:18 AM

 

 

 

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.2/1053 - Release 10/6/2007 10:18 AM

[Guest guest]

I make candles. I use scent too except for the family members that are allergic to scents.

 

I get jars or glasses from Free-cycle to use. I also have gotten wax from Free-cycle.

 

Just a thought.

 

Andrea

 

On 10/6/07, Kari Carlisle <kari wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high school and getting boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I plan to suggest a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea. Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts? Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy (though no one in the family appreciates our diet choices).

Kari -- Remember to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Free-cycle! Go to www.FreeCycle.org to learn more about Free-Cycle.Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.

-Douglas Adams

[Guest guest]

Scarves made from polarfleece is easy and cheap. Buy cloth on a 160cm

width and buy 25cm then just cut tassles on the edges. If you are

worried that I will fray then just zigzag the edges. The nature of the

cloth means that you do not need to hem it. After zig zag just rub it

and the stitching will become invisible

Carle

 

RealSimple , " Kari Carlisle " <kari wrote:

>

> Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high school and

getting

> boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is

> getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I

> plan to suggest a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea.

> Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts?

> Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy

> (though no one in the family appreciates our diet choices).

>

> Kari

>

[Guest guest]

Kari, in the files section, I have added two files on "gifts in a jar." These are food "kits" that you can make up and give as gifts. Most are not what you would call "healthy" but I added them since most of us have friends and family who do not share our views on good nutrition, lol. Here is the link, in case you'd like to check it out:

 

RealSimple

 

Cyndi

 

 

In a message dated 10/6/2007 11:45:05 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, kari writes:

Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high school and getting boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I plan to suggest a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea. Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts? Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy (though no one in the family appreciates our diet choices).Kari

 

See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

[Guest guest]

One of my best gifts was rose petal soaps. I got artificial rose petals at the craft store. I melted soap base and dipped each petal into the soap base with tongs, and then set them to dry on some wax paper. You can scent it or not, as you wish. The rose peals come in many different colors, so it was fun to make single colors or assorted colors.

Then I put them into pretty glass jars and bowls with a piece of paper I printed on my computer. It said something like "Single Use Guest Soaps. Set out next to the sink in your guest bathroom. Your guests can use them, and then dispose them." Something like that, you get the idea.

 

I actually save the used petals and reuse them, but I don't tell anyone that, lol. Everyone I give them to loves them. They are not very common, and just look darn pretty in the bathroom.

 

Cyndi

 

 

 

In a message dated 10/6/2007 2:21:29 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, AndreaGuastadisegni writes:

 

I make candles. I use scent too except for the family members that are allergic to scents.

 

I get jars or glasses from Free-cycle to use. I also have gotten wax from Free-cycle.

 

Just a thought.

 

Andrea

 

On 10/6/07, Kari Carlisle <kari wrote:

 

 

 

 

Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high school and getting boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I plan to suggest a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea. Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts? Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy (though no one in the family appreciates our diet choices). Kari-- Remember to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Free-cycle! Go to www.FreeCycle.org to learn more about Free-Cycle.Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.

 

See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the great ideas! The carrot bread reminds me of a carrot cake my mom used to make with cream cheese frosting, and she would garnish it with "strawberries" made from coconut, jello mix and sweetened condensed milk. Very popular at bake sales and cake walks! My mom used to make all kinds of gifts and decorative things. I'm going to have to look through my mind's eye to remember what she used to make. Also, I just realized I have all the materials I need to make soap and lip balm. They're in a box somewhere from before our move. Gotta find.... Leslie O'Brien <leslie wrote: My husband and I are in similar circumstances, but for us, it’s finding foods that appeal to a variety of special diet needs. We do like making gifts, but some of the brand happy family members aren’t very appreciative. That said, in the past I’ve made carrot bread using splenda and substituting apple sauce for the fat. It covers a wide range of diet needs and I left out the salt. I made tons of it ahead of time and froze them. They can be a bit sticky, but it was gobbled up by the diabetics, low salt and low cholesterol folks. You can make it with or w/o the cream cheese frosting. I did it with. I’ve also put together cocoa mixes and brownie mixings in clear jars, layer it so it looks pretty and include instructions for the wet ingredients and baking. You can also do this for a New Year’s Day breakfast sweet. My husband has made cooking oils, bath salts, bath oils, soap. We like to make sachets with lavender, eye masks, bread warmers for baskets (very easy), scented pot holders. Peppermint oil for tension headaches. You could do a variety of gift baskets from soup mixes to sweets to bathroom scents to drawer scents to bedroom scents to for the baby. It just depends on the family or group. I can give

specifics if you life. Just let me know. Leslie

RealSimple [RealSimple ] On Behalf Of Kari CarlisleSaturday, October 06, 2007 11:45 AMRealSimple Subject: [RealSimple] Looking for holiday gift giving ideas Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high school and getting boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I plan to suggest

a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea. Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts? Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy (though no one in the family appreciates our diet choices).Kari Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.2/1053 - Release 10/6/2007 10:18 AM Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.2/1053 - Release 10/6/2007 10:18 AM

[Guest guest]

Ooh, I like this idea for a couple of friends! Most of my family is in Phoenix and San Antoniio though!Carle Fay Dehning <dehningc wrote: Scarves made from polarfleece is easy and cheap. Buy cloth on a 160cm width and buy 25cm then just cut tassles on the edges. If you are worried that I will fray then just zigzag the edges. The nature of the cloth means that you do not need to hem it. After zig zag just rub it and the stitching will become invisibleCarleRealSimple , "Kari Carlisle" <kari wrote:>> Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high school and getting > boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is > getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I > plan to suggest a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea. > Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts? > Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy > (though no one in the family appreciates our diet choices).> > Kari>

[Guest guest]

Very cool! I saw a few ideas I can use. cyndikrall wrote: Kari, in the files section, I have added two files on "gifts in a jar." These are food "kits" that you can make up and give as gifts. Most are not what you would call "healthy" but I added them since most of us have friends and family who do not share our views on good nutrition, lol. Here is the link, in case you'd like to check it out: RealSimple Cyndi In a message dated 10/6/2007 11:45:05 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, kari (AT) houndgroup (DOT) com writes: Now that the nieces and nephews are all out of high school and getting boyfriends/girlfriends, married, having babies, etc., gift-giving is getting a little out of hand, not to mention impossible to afford. I plan to suggest a name draw but expect some resistance to the idea. Does anyone have any good ideas for inexpensive, homemade gifts? Anything from the kitchen I would want to be relatively healthy (though no one in the family

appreciates our diet choices).Kari See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

[Guest guest]

When making candles, another thing I used

to do is collect sea shells, beach glass and other goodies to place in the

bottom of the candle. If you’re careful, you can also do this with silk

flowers, potpourri, and my favorite, coffee beans. It makes the candles look

really nifty and gives that special extra touch. Leslie

 

 

 

 

 

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.2/1053 - Release 10/6/2007 10:18 AM

 

 

 

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.2/1053 - Release 10/6/2007 10:18 AM

[Guest guest]

how do you make bread warmers for baskets?

 

RealSimple , " Leslie O'Brien " <leslie wrote:

>

> My husband and I are in similar circumstances, but for us, it's finding

> foods that appeal to a variety of special diet needs. We do like making

> gifts, but some of the brand happy family members aren't very appreciative.

> That said, in the past I've made carrot bread using splenda and substituting

> apple sauce for the fat. It covers a wide range of diet needs and I left out

> the salt. I made tons of it ahead of time and froze them. They can be a bit

> sticky, but it was gobbled up by the diabetics, low salt and low cholesterol

> folks. You can make it with or w/o the cream cheese frosting. I did it with.

>

>

>

> I've also put together cocoa mixes and brownie mixings in clear jars, layer

> it so it looks pretty and include instructions for the wet ingredients and

> baking. You can also do this for a New Year's Day breakfast sweet.

>

>

>

> My husband has made cooking oils, bath salts, bath oils, soap.

>

>

>

> We like to make sachets with lavender, eye masks, bread warmers for baskets

> (very easy), scented pot holders.

>

>

>

> Peppermint oil for tension headaches.

>

>

>

> You could do a variety of gift baskets from soup mixes to sweets to bathroom

> scents to drawer scents to bedroom scents to for the baby. It just depends

> on the family or group. I can give specifics if you life. Just let me know.