My $1.99 Christmas

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

OK, so maybe I spent a LITTLE more than that, but not much.  I think it was under $5 for my older girls.  I did spend slightly more on the baby because we can't find the big girls' old fleece footie pjs, and this house is so hard to keep warm, so I got her a pair of them in addition to the homemade stuff.

For our big girls (4 and 6 next week), I made sewing boxes.  I bought the plain cardboard boxes at Hobby Lobby for $1.99.  They look like miniature picnic baskets.  An old seed catalogue, some elmer's glue, a scrap of courderoy, and a little clear spray paint later, we have really cute, shiny little boxes, lined with soft floral courderoy.  The outside of one is covered in daisies and zinnias and marigolds, and the other is covered in fruits, veggies, and petunias.  Inside, I stuck some bobbins of thread, needles, large straight pins with the pearly tops, tiny scissors, thimbles, a homemade pin cushion, a little button jar (baby food jar with buttons and a frilly decorated lid.)  Then I threw in scraps of lace and fabric for each one to make doll clothes or whatever out of...)  My oldest daughter is determined to have the four-patch quilt she is working on done in time for the county fair next year, and she's well on her way, so I thought the sewing box would be a good way for her to keep up with her stuff.  The other night while I was reading to them, she dropped a straight pin and stepped on it and it went all the way through her foot, so hopefully that'll encourage her to remember to put her pins in a pin cushion.  The little one is always making clothes for her rag doll, so maybe that'll keep her busy for a while.  Almost everything I put inside the boxes was stuff I already had on hand, and all the fabric, etc. was stuff I had on hand.

I also made all three girls new winter hats with yarn  I already had on hand.  For the big girls, I also made colorful shawls, mostly with scrap yarn.  For the little one, I made a sweater to match the hat. 

I also spent something like $1.50 for a package of three egg beaters.  Then I made the girls aprons out of one pair of jeans the second one had outgrown (they had a big hole in the knee and were wearing out in general, so it was better use of them than saving them for the baby to grow into.)  I just used bright calico to make the tops and a ruffle and a couple of ties, one to go around the neck and one around the waist.  On the little one's apron, I just used part of the pant leg and added a pocket.  Stuck a size appropriate egg beater in each pocket and wrapped them in recycled grocery bags. 

We did buy each of the big girls their own Bible since they are reading so well now, so I forgot to include that cost. 

I made my grandma and mom each a shawl, and a sweater for our nephew in Korea.  All the yarn was leftovers from other projects or stuff I'd bought or been given and hadn't yet used. 

The kids are always losing their gloves, so I bought a couple of pair to stick in their stockings (they were 2/$1) and I figure I can crochet a chain to hold them together later if need be.  We also got them a tin each of Altoids when the grocery store had them for 2/$1. 

I'm not saying to be cheap, but you can have a nice Christmas really cheaply with a bit of planning.  And, they will probably remember handmade gifts much longer than whatever the newest Made-in-China craze is.  It helps if you don't let your kids watch TV so they're not being told constantly what they want for Christmas.  My kids are pretty easy to please.  If it looks like everything is still on track for the house to close on the 29th, we are also sticking pictures of a cat and chickens in their stockings with a note that they are "coming soon."     Just thought I'd share for anyone who may need last minute ideas.

[Ernest T. Bass]

Wow, what creative and resourceful gifts! They mean so much more than all that plastic junk with a 3 day lifespan.

We started a little "Chris-Cringle" tradition a few years ago where we draw each others names out of a hat and become their secret Chris Cringle. You go out of your way to be nice and helpful to your special person and make them gifts. We just set up a wood lathe that's been sitting in the garage for 3 years, so I turned a few yo-yo's out of a couple chunks of black ash firewood...

The system works pretty good in a family of (now) 11! (Just thought I'd drop the happy news of our latest addition: http://www.homesteadblogger.com/AHomesteadDaughter)

[Redoverfarm]

Congulations.  Donna Marie looks real content.     She will get all the attention for awhile now.  But you have a cabin to finish anyway. 

[sparks]

Homegrown....thanks for this post and the other kind words this year

Ernest T. & family......congratulations ...



sparks

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Ernest T., congratulations to you and your family on little Donna Marie. She is a cutie, and I really enjoyed your sister's blog about attending the birth.  She is a gifted writer and I always enjoy checking in on you all from time to time.  Won't be any time at all before Donna is scooting around like Sylvia is already.  (Six months old, two teeth, crawls backwards like a crawdad and fast as a gunslinger.) 

I was going to try to  take pictures and post them of the gifts, but hard to do as the girls are always around!  Maybe after Christmas.

[Sassy]

great ideas, HG...

congratulations Earnest!  enjoyed your sister's blog and pix of the family...

[Ernest T. Bass]

Thanks, everyone! Donna's doing great. She hasn't kept us up at night too much, either.. We're all relieved that the birth is over and we can get back on track for Christmas!

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Ernest T. , that is a real blessing if she sleeps well at night from early on... our third one started sleeping through the night at about three days old, and it was wonderful.  I couldn't believe how energetic I felt and how quickly I was back in a normal routine.  All three slept through the night fairly early, but she was a record setter... definitely something to be thankful for.  Maybe it is just a sign that she is contented and the family is relaxed, too....

Merry Christmas to you all!

[Jens]

If you were closer, I would hug you.  That makes me so happy.  Merry Christmas.

[Ernest T. Bass]

Merry Christmas!

[Jens]

Just did all of our shopping today.  Wife's grandma sends $100 for us to spend buying her gifts to the kids every year.  We bought gifts for all four, from her, us, and Santa, and stuffers, put gas in the car, and spent money on food for Christmas eve supper, and still have change.  Don't have actual amount handy, but somewhere around $40, including new books for all.  I am so blessed with simple kids, who have simple tastes and desires!  Didn't even see the part about your new addition!  That even makes me happier than the beginning of the thread...sorry HT.  What an amazing way to celebrate the Christmas season!