With more folks than usual facing serious financial challenges this year, the holidays present an even greater burden to struggling parents. Having to face children who depend on the family traditions established over the years, many of us have wondered how we were going to maintain some sort of normality to many of our seasonal activities.
This month, as feared, I was not able to make my mortgage payment and now face the threat of losing my home of twenty plus years, despite having done “everything right” according to the experts. Anyway last week, I posted in someone’s diary that I was probably going to skip the whole Christmas thing this year and not even put up a tree because I was so down in the dumps over my situation. But folks here convinced me that I would be even more depressed and sad if my daughter came home from college to a house with no tree, no lights and truly no holiday cheer.
So thanks to some very caring and thoughtful Kossacks who offered their encouragement, I found the gumption to put up my tree and decorate the house. But still, there was the issue of not having the means to buy presents to put under said tree for my little family, bluebluedaughter and one tiny woozle.
The woozle’s easy, as the act of opening a present for her is more fun than what’s in the package anyway. For a tiny Yorkie, she can rip open even the biggest of containers. So a few old boxes, with maybe a treat or two inside, wrapped with cheap paper will keep her as happy as a clam Christmas morning. However, a tech-savy, college junior isn’t quite as easily satisfied. Not that my little progressive is materialistic by any means, but being financially hamstrung, I found my usual creativity blocked in coming up with something for her that I could afford this year. Well, now that I had a tree up and decorated, I’d better figure out something to put under it. So not to be deterred, I reached out to folks here in this community last week for ideas for gifts that cost very little but would make an impact.
And guess what? I now I have presents galore that may make this Christmas, “the best ever!” So I thought, along with updating everyone who contributed, on my progress, someone else might find an idea or two to use in their own Christmas giving. Hopefully an idea here might help to transform a family’s Christmas morning from bleak to blissful as I know it will mine. Anyway, here’s what I’ve settled on for bluebluedaughter, along with my “to do” list for the week, because if I don’t write things down these days, they don’t get done.
- A PowerPoint presentation of bluebluedaughter’s early years. Who wouldn’t like being the star of their very own production? (Idea courtesy NonnyO) Childhood photos found, sorted and scanned. PowerPoint up and running. Task for the week is to title, edit and set slide show to music. Still searching for public domain MP3 track for background music. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Total cost: $4.39 for disc & photo scanning at Fedex-Kinkos.
- A green plant to signify the first day of our family’s path back to prosperity. (Idea "and sentiment" courtesy of Logsol) I decided on a small herb plant, a kitchen rosemary bush shaped in the form of a Christmas tree, as bluebluedaughter likes to cook, and small because daughter lives on campus and shares a room with little space to spare. But get this, I found a lovely 12” tall plant for $9.95 at the grocery store, but the lady at the plant stand, gave me a 50% discount because it wasn’t “perfectly shaped.” Pays to ask!!! Task for the week: rewrap and package in special gift-wrap and make big bow with tag explaining the significance of said gift. Even if she manages to kill the poor thing, (she’s got other priorities I’m sure) it won’t be a huge loss. Total cost $5.49
- Gifts from the kitchen (Ideas courtesy Texas Blue Dot, Freelance Historian & NonnyO) After finding two beautiful, clear decorative glass containers with lids (one shaped like a Santa Claus) at my local thrift store and a stop at Whole Foods, (the only place I could find red and yellow lentils in small amounts) I assembled the ingredients to make a gift of homemade soup in one of the jars. Recipe for soup courtesy The Foodnetwork. http://www.foodnetwork.com/... (I have my own preference though for seasonings, so this particular recipe will be just a starting point.) Task for the week: Make recipe card and attach. Total cost $7.75
And for the Santa jar, I pulled the ingredients to make several mugs of hot cocoa/with mini marshmallows from my pantry. Task for the week, package with red candy cane, prepare instructions and tie with bow. Total cost $3.49
Found a huge (2 gallon) container of holiday pretzels on sale at World Market which will make a useful item for bluebluedaughter to have on hand at college when the munchies strike, it’s raining outside, said daughter needs to stay in and study, or visitors stop by just to hang out. Task for the week: Find big box and wrap. Total cost $8.59.
- A letter to bluebluedaughter explaining just why and what I love about her, printed on parchment paper and tied with red satin ribbon. (Idea courtesy of Wonderful World, Audri, & NonnyO) Task for the week: compose letter, print and tie with ribbon. Total cost: $1.09 (for fancy parchment paper)
- And finally two movie passes – no cost (received as a gratuity for pet sitting) packaged with a bag of Skittles in a plastic tub of popcorn. (Idea courtesy Tonga 23 & DrMomSquared) Container purchased a year ago for a dollar at Target, never used. Had popcorn on hand. Task for the week: pop popcorn, assemble and package. Total cost: $2.50 for large bag of Skittles.
Hope to have some pics of the final decorated gifts before Christmas. But if you find any of these ideas viable for your gift giving, you'll need a little time and thought to pull them together, so I figured it might be best to post this diary now rather than later. (Gone are the days, when this holiday shopper can just throw a little more cash at the situation at the last minute!)
TOTAL COST FOR SANTA'S SACK FULL OF PRESENTS: $29.81 (with tax) versus the $200.00 spent last year for her Christmas. Well, keep your fingers crossed! I keep telling myself, as several of you have reminded me, “You don’t have to spend a thing to make a gift special. Time with your family is more important than anything material.” That's very good advice no matter how much money you have to spend on your loved ones. (That is of course assuming you can rip them away from all the high tech gear they're constantly plugged into!)
Other ideas you might want to consider that folks shared were: Handmade greeting cards or artwork (McMom), Socks (Buckeye BattleCry), a kaleidoscope from Vermont Country Store for $10 (Abra Crabcakeya), homemade cookies or jam (Texas Blue Dot), books, decorative items, or glasses from local thrift store (Texas Blue Dot & Buckeye BattleCry), and gifts that “do good” from http://www.literacysite.com/... (Wonderful World)
Well, please feel free to add any ideas of your own. The more the merrier and everyone take a bow! Thank you! Sometimes, all we need is a big nudge and a little encouragement to see the way. You rescued my family's Christmas, and brought back the spirit of the holiday to someone who wasn't sure it was possible this year. Seasons Best Wishes to All!