| Christmas is a special time of year and | | | | yard strip of elastic. Place the fiber fill material in |
| homemade Christmas gift ideas can add to the | | | | the bottom of the basket. Sew the strip of |
| excitement of the holiday season. Christmas | | | | elastic around the edge of the fabric. Place the |
| shopping and gift decisions can make the season | | | | fabric in the basket so that the edge with the |
| a lot less jolly, but making the gifts yourself give | | | | elastic sewn in it is covering the outer edge of |
| can make Christmas more personal and | | | | the basket. |
| memorable. It can also help you save money too! | | | | Christmas tray: purchase a plain wooden tray |
| Getting the children involved with making the gifts | | | | from a craft supplies store. Decorate it with |
| can start a cherished yearly tradition. | | | | paints and premade Christmas designs. (You can |
| Here is some money saving homemade | | | | find all of these items at the craft supplies store.) |
| Christmas gift ideas to help you show the special | | | | Another idea is to paint the tray a solid color, then |
| people in your life how much you care: | | | | place a photograph in the center of the tray. |
| Christmas Candles: purchase plain pillar candles (at | | | | Cover the photograph and the bottom of the |
| least 3" wide) at a discount store and dress them | | | | tray with a thin sheet of glass. (This will make it |
| up with ribbon, plastic berries, or gift tags. You | | | | waterproof.) |
| can also use fabric or Christmas pushpins. Another | | | | Christmas ornaments: you have many different |
| idea is to purchase a small votive candle, a small | | | | options for homemade Christmas ornaments. One |
| votive holder and a wide glass vase. Partially fill | | | | of the easiest ways to make homemade |
| the vase with Christmas decorations - plastic holly, | | | | ornaments is to buy the plain wooden, ceramic, or |
| fake poinsettias, red/green/gold glass beads, etc. | | | | glass ornaments from a craft supplies store and |
| - and then place the votive in the small holder in | | | | then decorate them yourself. You can also make |
| the bottom. You can find all kinds of decorations | | | | ornaments from paper. Another idea is to get |
| that will work - just use your imagination. You can | | | | plain glass ornaments and cover them with swirled |
| spend less than $20 at a local dollar store and | | | | paint or use decoupage techniques to cover them |
| make up to 10 candle gifts, now that's how to | | | | with decorative paper. |
| keep more money in your pocket. | | | | Photo ornaments: purchase scrap booking supplies |
| Christmas baskets: purchase a large, plain, wicker | | | | and several sheets of card stock. You can use |
| basket and any type of Christmas fabric with a | | | | premade scrapbooking picture frames and use |
| small print. You will need to purchase 2 to 3 yards | | | | the card stock as the backing for the ornaments. |
| of fabric. You will need fiber fill material and a 2 | | | | |