Thursday, December 18, 2008

Little Gifts

Hugs and Kisses Santas

...then dash away, dash away, DASH AWAY ALL!  Yep, it's gonna be that kind of day today. Busy. But it's a good busy. We're into the last few days before Christmas! School is winding down, Christmas lists are being checked off, and my thoughts are turning to little gifts to do for neighbors and friends.

Here's what we did earlier in the month for some families we go and visit -- super cheap Santa mugs with Hershey's hugs and kisses and a candy cane inside. Add some cellophane and curling ribbon from the house and there you have it! I don't know that we'll be able to do all the little gifts we want to do for our "can't be beat" neighbors this year, but here are some great ideas I've seen out there:

 

Christmas pillows made from clearance Christmas placemats at Pretty Organized Palace

Gifts in a jar from Organized Christmas

Cookie Stack from No Fuss, Fabulous

Mandarin Oranges and book from No Fuss, Fabulous

Wrapping Paper Gift  from No Fuss, Fabulous

M&M Christmas Story

 
Do you do neighbor gifts? What are you doing this year? I would love to hear your ideas.

Oh, by the way, in all the hustle and bustle of this week, don't forget to notice the other "little gifts" each day brings.

Blue Sunset

Have you ever seen a *blue* sunset?

3 comments:

Elena said...

Those are all great ideas. I'll be pulling this post back up next year. Neighbor gifts are difficult for me. First I hate the politics (who to give, better than the Jones, etc.) and then I'm so uncreative it's just hard. This year I did a homemade goodies tin. Snowball kiss cookies, peanut clusters, and almond bark crunch (cereal mix coated in almond bark). Then I got sick of making so much stuff so I bought some smaller tins and filled them full of Sweet Bobs mints. Love those things. Last year I gave a can of sweetened condensed milk and a giant Symphony w/toffee bar. You melt the two together and it's the best hot fudge ever.

Mama Williams said...

Neighbor gifts stress me out! I do an assortment. I type up each year a cute Christmas poem on pretty paper and scroll/roll it and tie it with ribbon along with a candy cane. That's the card along with a bottle of sparkling cider or goodie plates or candles or ornaments or whatever else I can think of.

Debbie said...

Something that a friend of mine did was to shop for Christmas ornaments when they have gone on sale and pass them out. She did a snowflake and on the string that she tied to hold it on the tree she attached "The Legend of the Snowflake" which talks about how snowflakes are part of the star that lit the night Jesus was born. She saves the ornaments and hands them out the next year.

For me, this year I am making Lemon Bread.
1 Lemon cake mix
1 3oz pkg lemon pudding (instant)
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs

Mix on low until combined, then on speed 2 for a minute or two. Pour into well greased loaf pans. We are doing the mini-loaf aluminun pans (the disposable ones). Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until toothpick is clean when insterted. Cool then top with a lemon glaze. Powdered sugar and lemon juice (if you want to spice things up, you can do half lemon juice, half orange juice with some lemon and orange zest for color) The glaze should be thin enough to spread.
Merry Christmas!