Christmas Decorating and Gift Ideas

The ‘Everybody’ Gift List 

Christmas Gifts for Everyone

It’s true that this is the season of giving but it’s also true that, if you shop at a dollar store, you won’t have to spend a lot to show you care. You might not think that a dollar store could supply great gift ideas but it’s true. Here are a few
easy Christmas gifts to get you started.

This writer is living proof of the dangers of conceiving in March. For the new baby who arrives in December how about a gift including two pairs of baby socks, two baby bottles, a teether, a rattle, a pacifier, a pacifier case, a set of eight pastel-colored baby hangers and a chunky foam baby book. This makes a substantial-looking gift that only costs $10.00.

Men can be particularly hard to buy for. We copied this gift idea from one we saw in a major department store one Christmas. Purchase a six-inch aluminum pail to stand in as an ice bucket, add two beer glasses, a set of ceramic coasters in an appropriate pattern like playing cards and a bag of Planter’s peanuts. At a dollar for each of these items, this gift costs all of $5.00 or half of that department store gift that contained plastic beer glasses.

If you’re gifting a household, how about something yummy for them to share? For example, package your homemade pancake mix in an attractive glass canister and put it in a mixing bowl lined with a crisp new tea towel and a small bottle of store-bought syrup. Add a wooden spoon and a wide spatula and, barring the ingredients for your recipe and the syrup, this gift costs $5.00. Don’t forget to include written instructions for making the pancakes.

For your child’s teacher, try a goodie bag containing a clip-on book light, a two-pack of DVD-R discs, a calendar mouse pad and a small desk clock. Five dollars is all you pay and that includes the gift bag.

For the hard-working mom on your list, the tried and true bath supplies gift basket is always a good bet. We put ours together to include lavender bath soak, bath beads, a pumice scrubber, a nailbrush set and a soap-shaped candle. Add some chocolate for $.65 and you’ve still spent under $6.00, including the basket.

A tea candle set, including candle, candleholder and candle ring, packed with two angel figurines in a reusable storage box makes a pretty gift for a hostess, a hairdresser or perhaps from a child to a favorite aunt for only $4.00.

With a touch of imagination and a do-it-yourself resolve, you can
give these easy Christmas gifts to friends and family without paying retail prices.