Let's get started on Christmas...

[The Zoo]

We buy gifts for people all throughout the year - especially if we have travelled someplace overseas.
I only buy things for people that aren't 'tchotchke' but that are meaningful things they will keep and love. For example my husband picked my dad up an Australian cricket jersey when he was in Australia this year - my dad will adore it. I am willing to wait and look for things that are important. I'd rather do that just give them another 'thing' that they won't remember in a week.
As we collect gifts throughout the year, I keep a spreadsheet so I never forget what we have gotten and for who. I also keep the list with me on my blackberry so that when we're travelling I can remember what we've gotten people. Plus if I come up with any ideas I can write them down before I forget.
I've been busy canning and preserving this summer - we will make gift bags of our homemade goodies for work friends and neighbors - they'll appreciate them since few people home preserve where I live.

[Mary Webber]

I love your organization! I hope you also carry on your blackberry the sizes and preferences of everyone on your gift list so you have it handy when you see the perfect...something! I don't use a blackberry, but I do keep these kinds of notes in a little address book in my pocketbook.

I, too, am gleaning the garden for gift makings. New this year, I'm making pesto with hot and spicy Thai basil, and I've made both raspberry and blueberry pancake syrup already. You're right...people really do seem to appreciate the home-made touch!

[Beignet]

Mary,

The Thai basil pesto. . .do you can it? How do you preserve it?

Are you selling your blueberry pancake syrup or could you share the recipe?

[indieretailer]

I'm just starting on Christmas gifts, but one thing popped into my head.

Board games can be expensive to buy, but this year I thought I might give copies of
a book such as [u]Hoyles Rules of Games[u] and some playing cards. Maybe sew up a nice drawstring bag or get a nice box.

[genieb]

Our families both decided years ago not to exchange gifts and not to try to get everyone together at the holidays. But I do usually send a nice handmade card. This is not always cheaper than buying cards, especially since you can now buy boxed cards at the dollar store, but I am an artist and the cards are usually things people keep. I'm also not buying gifts so I figure I still save money in the long run. They are also much cheaper to send than a package. The cards are always different every year. Last year they were done on the computer with a photo of our cat on the outside and a photo of a "snow kitty" we built a couple of years ago inside. The year before they were fabric postcards -- each one different. I've also done watercolors as well as cross-stitch ornaments. Not sure what I will do this year.

I never liked feeling obligated to give gifts but family members and friends do sometimes receive "no special occasion" gifts from me. I think it's much more fun to give something because I want to than because I feel I have to. Most gifts from me now are quilts or special projects using vintage family photos made just for the person receiving the gift.

I never seem to start making the cards as early as I would like, but I still usually manage to get them made without a lot of stress or a big rush. That reminds me, I need to start thinking about this year.

[purplefdu]

Originally Posted by kav122

8. Another good gift idea would be to buy a cheap (doesn't have to be big, either) bottle of vodka and a vanilla bean, and drop the bean in the vodka. Wait a year, and you have pure vanilla extract. You could separate it into little jars and give them to your favorite bakers (maybe with the cookie dough)!

The little "nip" bottles from the liquor store are perfect for these. We buy these anyway and since many are nice glass and fun shapes we take the labels off and mix and match vodka or rum.

I normally put 1-2 in the small bottles and 3-5 in larger bottles. I buy my beans off Ebay from the Arizona vanilla company. Much cheaper then their regular website and amazing flavor.

[khorrell]

Does that really work? for the vanilla, I mean? I bake a lot, and I am always frustrated by the price of vanilla.

What a great idea!

[kav122]

Originally Posted by khorrell

Does that really work? for the vanilla, I mean? I bake a lot, and I am always frustrated by the price of vanilla.

What a great idea!

Yes, it does. I suppose that everyone has their own recipe, but I slice one vanilla bean down the center (save seeds and everything) and then throw it into a bottle of vodka. I buy the medium size bottle. Then I put the lid on tight and save it for a year. I noticed that purplefdu said that she puts in more, so I guess you can do how many ever you prefer. Also, it will never go bad, it will just keep aging like wine, so I'm sure you could try it after a few months, but I was told a year, so that's what I do. Maybe you could even print up some labels with (your name)'s vanilla

Oh yeah, and one more thing, I get my spices here: http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html
They have a store here in Minneapolis, and I like the Mexican vanilla beans better than the Madagascar ones. http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penze...illabeans.html
Not cheap, but if you are making a bunch, then the cost evens out.

[starshard0]

No Christmas for me this year. This is my second year being out of my parent's house for X-mas, and my family were the only people I ever bought presents for. I'll be asking everyone to not send me presents, and that if they insist on getting me something anyways I'll ask them to buy stocks/bonds in my name.

[gt0163c]

Originally Posted by indieretailer

Board games can be expensive to buy, but this year I thought I might give copies of a book such as [u]Hoyles Rules of Games[u] and some playing cards. Maybe sew up a nice drawstring bag or get a nice box.

That's a neat idea and for anyone who likes card and other games and for poor college students, it would be great. I would recommend putting in two decks of cards (a lot of games either require or are better with multiple decks) and adding a small pad of paper/notebook and a mechanical pencil or pen. Since many games require score keeping, it's nice to have everything all together.
Maybe you could mark some of your favorite games that are appropriate to the recipient using bookmarks, book darts or post-it flags. Another option would be to create your own book of rules for card games that you enjoy and that would be appropriate for the recipient. There are a lot of games like Nerts, Speed, Mao, Hi-Lo (also known as Oh H--- or sometimes Ohio), Spoons, Mafia, etc that are great games but often aren't in the standard rule books.

Another, similar option would be to create a bag/box that includes a rule book and the simple items needed for various fun games for a group. This could include card games, group games like "one up, one down" or charades, modified drinking games like I've never (don't mention that they're drinking games. Instead use rules that give everyone five or ten tokens and you have to toss one in the middle as a forfeit rather than take a drink), dice games like yatzee, word games like balderdash and similar. Many of these games don't require a lot of special equipment and reuse a lot of things. So you might include two decks of cards, pad of paper, some pens or pencils, set of dice, timer or inexpensive stopwatch, box of washers or paperclips (for counters/tokens which are needed for some games). There are books and web sites that collect these type of games. Some can be found on scouting or youth ministry web sites.