Please consider this a companion piece to the blog submitted two weeks ago. That blog railed against the madness of all of the gift-buying and purchasing in general in this season.
Pretend You Can’t Afford Holiday Spending
This website – a gem – holds great philosophy and several really good ideas. You can search the web for many ideas, or go to a bookstore. Books. Books are great gifts, but you can also find books that have great ideas for homemade gifts. Anyway, proceeding with the philosophy from this website, here I go!
“Your friend holds a pretty, shiny gift, all wrapped in red paper with a glittery silver bow. From across the room, you watch. It’s finally the moment that she’s going to open it-something that you’ve been working on and anticipating giving for weeks. When she opens it and loves it your heart feels warm and happy. Any gift is fun to give, but isn’t it even more fun to give a handmade gift? Something you’ve put your own heart into? Something you hope she will love for a long time?”
The site (referenced above) has photographs to go with the ideas, and additional information. I am going to list just a few here.
- Skillet handle covers
- Chap Stick key chains (or key chains with many helpful items)
- Watermelon-shaped soap (or soaps of many varieties)
- Marble-dipped coffee mugs
- Oven mitts
- Macrame wall hangings or plant hangers
- Kitchen utensil sets
- Planters
- No sew flannel scarves and blankets
- Candles
- Coasters
- Bookmarks
No, Really. Pretend You Can’t Afford Holiday Spending
This site has ideas as well, and they are billed as “inexpensive.”
- Body scrub – you can make many “flavors” and use several cute bottles.
- Personalized wooden hangers
- Rice bag warmers
- Monogrammed soap bottles
- Kindle / iPad covers
- Pillows / pillow covers
- Lap desks
- Cup cozies
- Monogram weaths (a wreath that is actually a letter, a W or K or P or …. well, a monogram)
- Everything / anything in a jar
- “Hand print” apron
- Monogram towels
- Personalized coupon book (20 minute back rub, 1 prepared meal, evening of babysitting, afternoon of doing whatever you want, trip to favorite coffee shop, night off from doing dishes, offer to mow the lawn, etc.)
- Homemade bath salts
Because You Really Can’t Afford Holiday Spending
We’re in a pandemic. This could last for a while. Save your money.
In Closing
Last thought, if you absolutely have to purchase gifts, and you are like me with truly no skills for making crafty things, consider looking at the community calendars in your region. Shop craft and vendor festivals and support small business owners. Great gifts, a variety, and you will support someone other than a major shopping center. Those may be more difficult to find this year, because, well, 2020.