Homemade Christmas Gifts for Everyone on Your List

Is your Christmas list starting to look like a telephone book? It’s
time to consider making your own gifts.  Here are several easy ideas
for wonderful homemade Christmas gifts.

* Homemade Picture Frame

Buy an inexpensive plastic picture frame from your local craft
store.  Gather or buy plastic Barbie doll accessories, beads, jigsaw
puzzle pieces, scrapbooking embellishments and other doo-dads that
represent the interests of the recipient.

For example, for the gourmet cook, you could use plastic doll cookie
sheets and rolling pins. And get some cookbook and baking-themed
scrapbooking or card-making accessories from the craft store.

Using hot glue or glue dots, glue the items around the border of the
frame.

Then put a special poem or message in the frame. Now you’ve got a
show-stopping homemade Christmas gift without the extravagant price
tag.

* Winter Warm-Up Baskets with Homemade Marshmallows and Hot Chocolate

You can purchase hand-crafted marshmallows in a gourmet store like
Williams Sonoma, for $15-$18 or simply make your own. The recipe can
be found at http://www.gifts-babies-love.com/homemade-christmas-
gifts.html

Place 4-6 marshmallows into a clear plastic bag and tie with a
decorative ribbon. Put the marshmallows in decorative fortune cookie
boxes (found at your local craft store) or put them in a decorative
basket with gourmet hot chocolate and holiday mugs.

Voila!  You have gorgeous homemade Christmas gifts that look like
they came from an expensive gourmet shop.

* Soup in a Jar

Get several clear mason jars and fill them with this layered soup
recipe:

Minestrone Soup in a Jar

1/4 cup red lentils 1/4 cup green split peas 1/4 cup barley 1/3 cup
boullion powder 2 TBSP parsley flakes 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. basil 1/4 cup small pasta (macaroni, alphabet
pasta or orzo)

Layer the ingredients in the order given (lentils on the bottom). 
Put a decorative ribbon around the jar.

Attach this card with directions for making the soup:

Combine soup mix and 8-10 cups of water plus 1 28 oz can crushed
tomatoes in a large pot. Add 1 cup diced carrots and 1/2 cup
celery.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for an
hour or until vegetables are tender.

About the Author: Stephanie Gallagher is the author of 4 books,
including “The Gallagher Guide to the Baby Years,” “Money Secrets
the Pros Don’t Want You to Know,” “Fabulous Bargains” and “The
Everything Baby Resource Guide.”  She is also the creative force
behind The Shopping Mom’s Guide to Baby Gifts at http://www.gifts-
babies-love.com