Homemade Ornaments

From Aliisa:

So I finally got one of my ornaments completely finished. I am posting a picture for everyone. These were really easy and very inexpensive.

Im pretty pleased with how they are turning out. I spent about $10 for all the materials to make 20 of them. And of course I wont use every bit of the materials but it ends up costing about $.50 each. Cant beat that!!

Another frugal Christmas idea

From Sundy:
One year, I was down to about $20 in my Christmas budget, but I felt that I wanted to make a little something for the kids' aunts, uncles, etc. on their father's side of their family (about 12 people or so).

So I bought some scrapbooking cardstock ($1 per 8 sheets at the dollar store), and I made origami star boxes. Then I put several home-baked snickerdoodles in storage bags, which I then wrapped with leftover coordinating tissue that I happened to have and put them in the boxes.

Now, unfortunately, I did not realize that about half of the recipients had, in the last few years, been diagnosed diabetic. Otherwise, I would have adjusted that in the recipe.

Anyhooooo...this was was a very, very inexpensive (both time-wise and money-wise) way for me to still give a little something to those relatives...and I was happy to do it.

Links for Frugal Christmas presents under $10

From Sundy:

Here are three links that have many frugal Christmas ideas for under $10.

63 ideas at Better Budgeting

100 ideas at Associated Content

Bunches and bunches at No Brain

Happy hunting! :)

Frugal Christmas present idea

From Sundy:

One idea that I've used many times in the last 20 years is extremely frugal (at least for me). I cut out words, phrases, and pictures from various magazines that describe the person for whom I'm making the gift. Then I decoupage them on the inside of a wooden box (the smallest ones at Walmart cost 97 cents). Then I will either paint the outside in the person's favorite color or leave it unfinished with a layer of decoupage over the outside. I suppose one could also put the person's name on the outside.

Voila! The receiver can open the box anytime to see all the love and care and thought inside. Mostly I've made this gift for guys (the majority of men that I know love boxes to put stuff in), but it would work for girls, too.

The decoupage medium is sold at Walmart. I believe it was about $5 the last time I bought some, and I have enough still in the bottle for several more boxes. I've heard you can also use white glue, but I've never tried it.

I cut up an old clean dish sponge to apply the medium, and although I have bought boxes before, I've also used old ring and watch boxes, as well as an old child's jewelry box before.

It is one of the most frugal gifts I've given. My husband still has the one that I made for him while we were dating.

My Frugal Christmas Presents

From Aliisa:

My husband, Jarred and I have a gift account. I set a budget of what we could spend per person for birthdays and holidays. We do pretty well with it. I shop after Christmas alot and pick up marked down gifts that I give all year. (We have a gift closet we keep them in.) I even buy marked down things for birthday parties that my daughter will probably go to. I also do some homemade gifts. I have given afgans for wedding presents and every year I make a crochetted ornament for everyone on both sides of our family.

This year I decided for my ladies group, Im going to print out a small book with all my cleaning recipes and some other frugal recipes. Im going to bind it with yarn and give it to each one for Christmas. Also, since I have a lot of nieces and nephews in Texas...I have spent the year picking up inexpensive books here and there and now Im going to read them outloud to the computer and burn them on CD. This way they will have books on CD, read by their aunt. I am very excited about this one. I think it will be great!!

I would love to hear about your homemade gifts!!