It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The time of the year that your heart is warm with thanks as you focus on the blessings you’ve been given as the year has passed by. One of the blessings I am counting is that our military journey has afforded us an extended family that spans the globe. We have all been given the gift of friendship and I want to celebrate by saying thank you for all the wonderful memories. But I can’t help but think of how my savings account will quickly deplete if I add all of those “family members” to my gift list.
I’ll be honest. I’m good at thinking outside the box. I knew that in order to save money and add meaning to the holidays I just needed to make the gifts myself. I’m semi-crafty. I can bake. But when it comes time for Christmas it’s like someone sucked the life out of my creative brain. So I turned to the experts, military spouses just like me. Thankfully for me, the ideas were bountiful! Those of you who are super creative are bound to have a list that stretches longer than Santa’s, but for those of us that need a little “elf magic” I’m passing on the Top Ten. Now, off to the workshop’
1. Printable Coupons
Coupons make a great thoughtful gift especially if you know someone who shows their love by giving acts of service to others. They will truly appreciate this gift. Give the gift of services (lawn mowing, baby sitting, or dog sitting) or give the gift of time (watching movie together, baking cookies, or your expert advice on a subject/project).
2. Holiday Music Mix CD
Who doesn’t love Christmas music? Gather your holiday CDs together, pick your favorite songs, or go visit ITunes for some new additions. Pull them together and make your favorite mixed holiday CD.
3. Family Recipe Collection
This one is one of the most loved gifts I have given my friends. Gather all of your favorite recipes or recipes that all of your friends and family normally make at get-togethers and put them in a book. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Add some graphics and print them tied with a ribbon. A great gift!
4. Ornaments
Visit your local hobby store for a multitude of ideas. My favorite is a simple clear glass ornament. Fill it with different colors of craft paint. Swirl the paint all around the inside. Turn the ornament upside down into a Styrofoam cup to drain and dry. They’re beautiful.
5. Flavor Infused Butters & Oils
Many recipes can be found online with a simple search. Here is my favorite and the simplest one I came across:
Cinnamon Butter
1/2 cup butter — softened
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix ingredients in bowl until light and fluffy
6. Soup in A Jar
Layered soup in a jar makes a super stand-alone gift any time. Try this one in a Mason jar and add a decorated bag of oyster crackers for flair.
Chicken Noodle Soup in a Jar
In a two-cup jar, layer from bottom in the order listed above, then seal the jar.
¼ cup of red lentils
2 tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 ½ tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
½ tsp. dried dill weed or dill seed
1/8 tsp each celery seed and garlic powder
approximately 1 cup medium egg noodles
1 bay leaf
Write these instructions on your gift tag:
Bring 8 cups of water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in jar of soup mix. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in 1½ cups of frozen corn or mixed vegetables and 2 cups of cooked, diced chicken or turkey. Simmer for five minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken is heated through.
7. Bath Salts
For most bath salt recipes you can use your choice of Epsom salts or sea salt, with baking soda, if desired, or a combination of all three. One good mix is one cup of Epsom salts, with 1/4 cup of sea salt, and two or three tablespoons of baking soda. You can also add a tablespoon or two of finely ground regular oatmeal (not quick cooking) for silky, skin-softening water.
Empty the salts into a mixing jar and add a drop or two of glycerin. Add your choice of essential oil. If desired, add a few drops of liquid food coloring. Stir the salts vigorously until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Place in a beautifully decorated jar.
8. Cookies & Candies
You can always do the tried and true standbys like chocolate chips, snicker doodles, or peanut butter cookies. You can get fancy and try homemade truffles (my favorite are Oreo truffles — yum). Better yet, you can try a new suggestion and go with rock candy. (Note: The spouse that submitted this paired it with the 3rd Infantry Division “Rock of the Marne” patch — too cute!)
Rock Candy
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 3/4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 teaspoons cinnamon oil
1 teaspoon red food coloring
Roll the edges of two 16 inch square pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle the foil very generously with confectioners’ sugar.
In a large heavy saucepan, combine the white sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, and boil until a candy thermometer reads 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C). Remove from heat.
Stir in the cinnamon oil and food coloring. Pour onto the prepared foil, and allow cooling and hardening. Crack into pieces, and store in an airtight container.
9. Fido’s Treats
Soft Doggie Cookies
(2 1/2 oz. each) jars of baby food; either beef or chicken
1/4 cup Dry milk powder
1/4 cup Wheat germ or cream of wheat
Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Roll into small balls and place on well-greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes until brown. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate to keep fresh or freeze. Great for older dogs with teeth problems.
10. Pine Cone Fire Starters
If you are lucky enough to live in an area coated in pine cones (trust me the post maintenance people love it if we help them by picking them up), grab a bundle and make this easy craft. This is an easy, inexpensive, environment friendly craft project that works great as a gift for anyone with a fireplace. The best part? The pine cones ended up looking like miniature Christmas trees.
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