TDKers Creative Christmas Gift Ideas

I do beadwork keychains some years with christmas theme’s like snowflakes, santa, snowmen, candt canes!

I love all these ideas and this thread KK. I was in the same boat as Owlwatcher one year and what I did was make up a bunch of gifts and put them all in one box but they had to be opened in a certain sequence so each package had a rhyme that gave a hint as to which package they should open next. First a bottle of cheap red wine, then a package of bread sticks, then a package of spaghetti and the final one was a jar of home made spaghetti sauce.

Another time I went to a craft store and bought the makings for a picture frame. I chose the favorite color of the recipient for each frame (they were covered in fabric) and then I found a baby picture of them and put it in the frame. Everyone really enjoyed that one.

Skirty I think that is ingenious.

Well I think those are just adorable. Thanks for sharing the idea and the pictures.

I would love to do something like this for Wayne but I am so not creative…I love these ideas though. 🙂

Skirty, I grew up with advent calendars, too. My mom would pack up 24 presents for my brother and I and each morning we’d unpack something. It was never anything major – a new eraser, a lolipop, a pretty pencil, a toy car for my brother, that kind of thing. We loved it. It’s nice that you’re carrying on your family’s traditions 🙂

This is something that is easy to do for friends with wood burning fireplaces – I make “fire starters” with dried roses and pine cones that we find during the year. Melt whatever you have left of scented candles and dip the roses and pine cones in the wax – how ever many times you want to dip them – I usually dip about 5 to 10 times, letting them cool in between so the wax sticks better. It smells so good when you use the fireplace. The roses do better if they are still in “bud” shape, but work well even if not. Then just put them in an inexpensive basket or decorative tin and give your gift.

CAPPUCCINO MIX

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1 cup powdered creamer

1 cup instant chocolate drink mix

1/2 cup instant espresso granules (or 2/3 c. instant

coffee crystals)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all

make a serving, add 4 tablespoons of mix to

hot waater and stir well. (Makes about 3

cups dry mix, about 12 servings.)

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Cappuccino Mocha Mix

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Makes 2 1/2 cups of mix (enough to 10 servings)

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6 tablespoons plus 2 tespoons instant expresso

coffee powder

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 cups powdered nondairy creamer, plain or

Irish cream

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tespoons ground cinnamon

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In a medium bowl, stir together espresso coffee

powder, cocoa, nondairy creamer, sugar and cinnamon.

Store tightly covered.

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For a 1- cup serving:

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2 tespons instant expresso coffee powder

1tespoon unsweetened cocoa

2 tablespoons powdered nondairy creamer

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Dash cinnamon

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In a cup or plastic bag, stir together espresso

coffee powder, cocoa, nondairy creamer, sugar and

cinnamon. Store tightly covered.

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For the gift label: “For each cup of cappuccino,

measure 4 tablespoons mix into a coffee mug and stir

in 6 oz. of boiling water.”

HOT COCOA MIX – by Heloise (Janet’s favorite mix)

(makes exactly the amount to fill 16 oz. Coffee

Mate jar, if Equal is used)

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2 c. dry milk powder

1/4 c. cocoa

1 c. powdered sugar (I use 7 1/4 t. Equal .. more is

too sweet)dash salt

2/3 c. (FatFree) Coffee Mate (recipe says 1/3 c.)

2-3 T. malted milk powder, optional

1 1/2 t. espresso powder, optional

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blend until smooth in blender or food processor

(optional, but makes it easier to dissolve quickly)

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Measure 3-4 T. mix into a mug and stir in 6-8 oz.

boiling water.