What kind of holiday shopper are
you? Do you shop
ahead, finding bargains or “perfect gifts” throughout the year? Or, do you wait until the twelfth hour,
joining the pressing crowds, revelling in last minute deals or the challenges of
competitive shopping. I used to be a
member of the latter camp but found, after stressing our December finances beyond
tolerance, that the former method was more easily managed…both by our budget and
my nerves. As years went by, I also realized
that some gift-giving options wouldn’t have been available when shopping last
minute. By shopping ahead, I could make points redemption from certain online merchants to
ensure gifts, shipped directly to recipients, arrived in time and wrapped. In leaner years, to spare our budget, early
preparation enabled us to gift in more creative ways, yet still impart our love
and care.
Gifts
from the kitchen proved popular. Soup mixes – varying mixtures of beans, grains and spice blends with ingredient list and instruction labels – are a great way to bring
warmth to someone’s winter day. You’ll
save even more money on each jar
if you’ve been bulking up. Hot-buttered
rum mix is another popular gift from the kitchen
though, requiring refrigeration, it either needs specialized shipping or personal
delivery. Hot drink
mixes hold up better if your shipping gifts. A batch of home-made noodles, dried and
packaged in an air-tight container, makes a fabulous gift for the pasta
(and soup) lovers on your list. This might
not ship well, either, as the home-made noodles tend to break easier than
store-bought varieties. Some home-made truffles
ship well and are delicious at any time of year. Candies and brittles are another sweet yet
thrifty treat most people enjoy. In
years past, I’ve also prepared traditional holiday foods – old-world recipes
mostly producing copious quantities – and distributed these familiar treats to
family members who also love those recipes but don’t make them because
of the volume results. It was a great way of sharing traditional meals when we
couldn’t actually get together.
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| PJ's for the Grandkids |
Well-crafted,
home-made items are not only a thoughtful way of gifting,
you can make for high-quality items for
much less cost, particularly if you buy on sale or from “remnant” bunks. When I was a child, my mother made new pajamas for my sister and I, each Christmas -- that “soft
gift” under the tree always confirmed the eagerly anticipated plush flannel
nighties. A few years ago, I did the
same thing for my grand-children and those gifts were apparently worn thin, too. Home-made personal products (creams,
body scrubs, lip balms, etc.,) make nice gifts, particularly if prettily packaged. It’s a good idea to include an ingredient label
for recipients so allergic reactions can be avoided. Home decor objects like curtains,
pillow covers, calendar hangers, or a set of matching napkins and placemats are quick and easy projects with a sewing machine,
some rudimentary skill, and careful fabric choices. The sense of smell is most commonly linked to
memory, so to be long-remembered, craft some closet
or drawer freshener sachets. It can
be hard to find something unique and special for unique gifts for the elderly or infirm. Sometimes being of service
means the most to them; they may need something
heavy moved or a difficult household chore done. Or, plan a special
meal as treat for a shut-in.
Don’t forget cards and packaging. If gifting cash
or retail gift cards a home-made card with heartfelt sentiment can personalize the
gift and reduce shipping costs to a minimum. Attractive packaging and containers add a
long-lasting element to gifts of all sorts. You can embellish common containers for reinforcement or to provide a dark environment for
light-sensitive foods or creams.
Whether or
not the budget is tight, or time is a crunch, there’s distinct joy in cooking,
baking or crafting gifts; a greater sense of connection to the people for whom I’m
tailoring the gift. It needn’t be costly
to share one’s love: a box of goodies
from the kitchen, a simple pomander tied with ribbon, or some time spent cleaning
Great-grandmother’s ceiling fan. Personalized
care is always gladly received.
