Gifts - part 2

BASKETS, BAGS, TOTES, ETC.
You all know that I love giving and getting food products for Christmas.  We all have to eat!  I love making up what I call goody bags (re-usable grocery bags).  I used to give baskets, but figured everyone had enough of them!
These kind of gifts don't have to be just food and they don't have to be just for adults.  I will list some ideas today to get you started.  It is just limitless on what you can do.  You can give a mish mash of items or you can go with a theme, your choice.

Re-usable grocery bags give basically 2 gifts in one, as do baskets.  I used to get baskets at thrift stores.  Dollar stores have many plastic containers that can be used.  I have kept the fruit baskets I get at orchards to use for gift baskets (I added a checkered napkin in the bottom to cute it up).  I have re-used gallon ice cream buckets that I have covered with paper.  Anything that you an come up with will work for holding the gift.
REMEMBER - it is not how much you spend - it is just the thought of giving a gift.  It doesn't need to be huge or expensive - it needs to be from the heart.

• Italian theme - colander w/spaghetti, sauce and maybe a small container of cheese
• Breakfast - homemade instant oatmeal or granola (will list recipes tomorrow), hot chocolate mix, OR pancake mix, syrup, homemade jelly, etc.
• Bath - homemade body scrub (recipe to come), scrubby, lotion or bubble bath
• Movie night - popcorn, $1 packs of movie candy and maybe an OLD holiday video
• Fisherman - bait bucket or cheap cooler with a few artificial baits, extra line, a knife, etc.
• Girly  - dollar store nail polish, make-up, hair accessories, lotions, etc.
• Boy - little cars, army men, Legos, etc.
• Reader - a nice candle, a couple 2nd hand books (or Dollar Tree books), hot chocolate mix or a small container of homemade candy

Other ideas:

• Homemade cookies and/or candies
• Homemade trail mix
• A couple pretty kitchen towels (dollar stores)
• Homemade sweet bread or regular bread - wrapped in a pretty towel
• Homemade bread and homemade jelly
• A batch of cinnamon rolls
• Sparkling fruit juice or cider and a couple dollar store goblets
• Homemade dish towels OR apron OR bedding
• ANY homemade gift - scarves, gloves, hats, woodwork projects, etc.
• A clay pot with a pair of garden gloves, seeds, or maybe a hand tool
• A fire extinguisher or smoke detector (it could save a life)

Ok, I could go on and on.  There are so many things that can be given as gifts, that are not traditional and a little outside the box.  These are the things I like to do.
Another thing to remember in this age of electronics and gadgets - sometimes we all like something that ISN'T!!!!  I have found that even kids who are electronically connected, totally enjoy some of the simplest gifts.

I hope this gives you a few ideas.  We have ONLY 6 more Fridays before Christmas!  YIKES!
Happy gifting.