My Mother's Day gift to myself!

This post is brought to you by Coupons220.com, offering coupon codes for thousands of online stores.

What do you want for Mother’s Day? One popular Mother’s Day gift  is an iPad, according to a recent TechBargains survey.

• Of 1,500 respondents, 91% said they would prefer an iPad over flowers this Mother’s Day
• 13% of moms want flowers
• 26% of respondents will buy mom flowers
• 31% of moms want a tech gadget
• 11% will get their mom a tech gadget

Seems there is a sizeable gap between what moms want and what they will receive. I suppose that is true of any gift exchange.

For Mother’s Day I bought myself a sterling silver necklace, above, that says “I love Lucy.” I told me husband that I wanted to get a card from him and Lucy. I’m easy to please – partly because I know exactly what I want!

What do you want for Mother’s Day?

We have all been there. A friend or a loved one has a special occasion and you want to send a gift, but you don’t have the mailing address. Now, there’s a new Facebook-based service to spare you the embarrassment of having to call or ask around for an address. (That’s especially true if you don’t have a family members’ address.) GiftAccept.com, a unique gift giving website, recently launched a new Facebook application that allows you to sync up your Facebook friends, address books, calendars and
contacts to easily shop, send and track gift giving with just a few clicks.

Gift Accept’s new service works great if you want to impress someone you just met, but don’t want to ask for their address since it may be too soon.

A simple one-step process downloads your Facebook friends to this secure site. Once your Facebook friends are imported, all you need to do is select who you would like to send a gift to, pick out the perfect present and Gift Accept will take it from there.

Gift Accept will notify the recipient that a gift is on its way through Facebook, and email them to get their mailing address safely and securely. They’ll ensure total privacy and there’s no risk of their information being shared or sold. The address will not even be shared between the gift giver and the receiver.

Gift Accept saves Facebook friends, successful first dates, or even longtime contacts the hassle and embarrassment of having to ask for an address – whether you should already have the address and you lost it or maybe it’s just too soon to ask but you’d really like to send that special someone flowers.

The best part: Gift Accept does all the work for you while you sit back after simply choosing the perfect gift for that special someone. If you happen not to have a mailing address, that’s no problem at all.

This is dedicated content. Want to reach tens of thousands of savvy spenders? Read our blog marketing page.

creative1the / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Do you know what you’re giving your mom, yet? Below I share frugal ways to celebrate Mother’s Day without breaking the bank.

1. Make a memory book – If you’re into scrapbooking, put a photo book together. This low cost gift will be filled with memories that mom will appreciate. If you’re not good with scissors and glue, you can also make one using your computer.

2. Go to free concerts or events – Several parks and museums in my area have free concerts around this time. Take the whole family to enjoy the music and each others company. You can also bring along food to have a picnic.

3. Give mom the day off – Don’t give mom any work to do on this day. It’s so cliche, but make her breakfast and help around the home. Do the dishes, take out the trash so she can relax.

4. Give her a call or drop by – She may just need your company to make her happy. Video-chatting will make you feel closer, if you don’t live with your mom. Plus, there’s so many ways to do it for free!

5. Forget the expensive flowers – Flowers are nice, but the prices will balloon around this time. Instead, head to a garden center make a succulent terrarium. These are so easy to take care of and inexpensive.

6. Make a donation – If your mom has a favorite charity, make a donation in her name or volunteer your time.

7. Bake something sweet – Check out my post about sweet treat recipes and get baking! Cookies and bars look especially nice in a tin box. It’s all about the presentation when it comes to food gifts.

8. Make new memories – Get your mom to do something she’s been wanting to try. Cooking class? Sure. Just head to a daily deal site to score a deal!

9. Pamper your mom – Treat your mom to a manicure and pedicure. You don’t have to head to the salon or spa. You can do this at home and you’ll have enough money left over to get her something else.

10. Magazine Subscription – A subscription to her favorite magazine will sure be appreciated. Just make sure to find out which one she likes.

Need more Mother’s Day gift ideas? Julia shares 12 Mother’s Day gifts from the heart that won’t shrink your wallet.

I wonder what this person received. jessamyn / flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Okay, so you didn’t get exactly what you wanted for Christmas or Hanukkah. So what’s a cheapskate supposed to do? Below I share five options to deal with unwanted Christmas gifts and gift card.

Re-gifting

I’m not a fan of re-gifting because I’ve received really bad gifts. But, I confess I’ve done it – the right way. The trick is to make sure you pass the gift to the appropriate person that will appreciate it. When done properly, it

shouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. Note that not everything can be re-gifted. Don’t pass along one-of-a-kind items or anything that is monogrammed, unless you know someone with your initials. If you’re going to find another home for a gift, make sure to read my five rules for re-gifting.

Returning / Exchanging

Heading to the mall after the holidays can be a hassle, but if you feel up to the challenge make sure to take your gift receipt with you (if you got one). Otherwise, before you head to the mall, go online to familiarize yourself with the store’s return and exchange policy. Some stores are lenient with their return policies after the holidays, but others won’t budge. Doing some research will help you avoid the crowds. Head to the mall pronto! I’ve stood in the checkout line for about 45 minutes to get the right size of a gift I loved, but was too snug. If all that waiting is not worth it for you, how about you make some dough from that gift?

Selling

Try putting the gift up for sale on Craigslist, eBay, or Amazon. There’s someone bound to like it and want it. Don’t expect to make back the full price, but, hey, a few bucks is more than what you had. Someone give you a gift card to a shop you’ll never patronize? You can also sell gift cards online. There are several sites where you can put the cards up for sale, if there’s no one you know who can use them.

Trading / Swaping

Today is gift card exchange day, scheduled for Dec. 26 because “cardholders will receive the best rates from resellers,” according to GiftCardGranny, which arranged the event. Christmas yields one or more gift cards for most Americans, and recipients are eager to part with unwanted cards in exchange for cash. You can also trade your gift cards for ones you’ll actually use online. Sites to try are GiftCardRescue.com and PlasticJungle.com. We’ve mentioned these before as you can buy discounted gift cards from them. If you have clothes or electronics, you can also swap or trade them. Check out Swap.com as you’ll find local swap enthusiasts looking to exchange goods. I’ve also hear that Best Buy has a trade-in center online and in-store where you can get gift cards for your electronics.

Donating

Gag gifts that include cleaning supplies can be donated to local homeless or animal shelters. A good website to check is TheGivingEffect.com, which lists about 1,450 charities that are in need of a wide range of items like blankets, books, and even art. To boot, you may qualify for a tax deduction.

Trashing

Any homemade goodies that look past their prime should be trashed. Don’t even think of donating them! Giving volunteers at soup kitchens or other donation centers more work by going through useless donations is a big no-no.

I’m dying to know… What’s the worst present you received and what do you plan to do with it?

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Happy holidays!!! Credit: cassie_bedfordgolf/Flickr

This weekend I’m looking forward to making gingerbread men, whipping up a batch of my Mother’s chocolate crinkle cookies, and opening presents.

My adorable husband has been asking everyday if he can open his presents and I’m not sure how much longer he can wait!

With warmest holiday wishes,
Julia
Aka Bargain Babe

Are you ready for Christmas? Credit: boneandjay/Flickr

I’ve divided all our Christmas and holiday-related posts into five categories: presents; stocking stuffers + gift tags; things to do; extras; and post-holiday.

If you are still finishing your shopping, good luck! Got a last-minute holiday dilemma? Let the Bargain Babe help!

Presents

Best holiday gifts: gift cards + more

Unique and quirky gifts

Electronics gifts

White elephant gifts under $10

Frugal and homemade gifts and more frugal gift ideas

Value gifts at Sears

Toys for kids

Mens’ shavers

Gifts for teens

Restaurant gift certificates

Men’s and women’s gifts

Stocking stuffers, gift tags, and more

Three creative ways to wrap gift cards (video)

Frugal and festival gift tags

Unique wrapping paper with a twist

Inexpensive DIY stocking stuffers and best stocking stuffers (video)

Things to do

Free and fun holiday crafts

Elf + Diwali Yourself

Easy Christmas dessert recipes

Three interactive family games to play

Crafty Christmas decorations for your home

Extras

Secrets of holiday stain removal

Most shoplifted items of Christmas

Holiday tipping in a weak economy

Layaway plans a hit?

Post-holiday 

How to make the most of year end sales

Five rules to re-gifting

BaconThenEggs / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Want to save even more money on Christmas? Here are eight homemade stocking stuffer ideas you can make if you are on a tight budget. The best part is that you don’t have to be super crafty to make them.

Monogrammed handkerchief – With the cold and flu going around how about you make and give a gift that is sure to be used. You can buy handkerchiefs and then follow the easy instructions to monogram the person’s name or initials. If you are good with a sewing machine, you can buy the fabric and sew the handkerchiefs yourself.

Crochet hat and scarf – I’m amazed at how expensive crochet hats and scarfs are in stores. If you can crochet, put your skills to work! You can find all sorts of free crochet patterns online. All you have to do is buy the yarn. Make sure to find out what color the person likes before you start.

Candles – I love candles, especially the ones that make the room smell nice or have a beautiful design. I was in elementary school when I made a candle using a small milk carton so it’s not that hard to make. Candle making instructions can easy be found online. All you need is a free weekend and some materials you can find at craft stores. To make the candles pretty try adding a dried leaf or flower. You can also add a couple drops of essential oil.

Soap – Don’t you just love the colorful soap at fancy shops? You can easily make your own by following easy soap making instructions. The process is not that difficult and you can easily find soap making kits at craft stores if it’s you’re first time. You can wrap the soap in wax paper and tie it with a small ribbon.

DIY chocolate truffles – You just can’t go wrong with a chocolate truffle recipe. There are so many possibilities with truffles or any other kind of homemade candy. You can add them to baggies and include the recipe for an extra sweet surprise.

Bath salts – Another inexpensive Christmas gift are homemade scrubs. You’ll most likely have all the ingredients on hand so give it a try. This is a perfect gift for beauty junkies.

T-shirt ring – In the past I shared easy instructions to make a T-shirt necklace and ruffled T-shirt. Now you can add a T-shirt ring to the mix. All of these would make a cute present for a fashionable girlfriend. You can buy T-shirts at the dollar store. All you need is a little bit of time.

Have more ideas? Don’t forget to share them with us!

Leo Reynolds / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

If you’re still on the look out for the perfect gift, I’ve found some awesome gift card with perks you might want to consider. I share those below. Want to save even more money? You can also purchase discounted gift cards.

AMC Theatres – Free $5 concession bonus card when you spend $30 on gift cards. Offer is available in theaters, while supplies last.

Applebee’s – Get a $10 gift card when you purchase $50 in gift cards. Not valid for digital purchases. The bonus card is good through Feb. 29, 2011.

Ben & Jerry’s – Get a free scoop with every $10 of gift cards you purchase. You can also get a $10 gift card for $5 for joining Saveology for a VERY limited time.

Benihana – Get a free $10 promotional card with every $50 you spend on gift cards. Offer valid Nov. 14, 2011 through Dec. 31, 2011 on Gift Card purchases that are placed within the same order. Promotional Cards are valid from Jan. 2, 2012 through March 31, 2012.

Black Angus – Get $5 bonus bucks for every $50 in gift cards you purchase through Dec. 31, 2011. Get Free shipping and Bonus Bucks if you spend $75 or more. Bonus Bucks are good Jan. 1, 2012 to Feb. 13, 2012.

Boston Market – Get a $5 bonus card for every $25 you spend on gift cards while supplies last. This deal was advertised in the Nov. 13 Smart Source coupon insert.

California Pizza Kitchen – Get a free $20 bonus card when you spend $100 on gift cards. The bonus card is good Jan. 3, 2012 through March 6, 2012.

Carrow’s – Get a free $5 gift card when you purchase a $25 Carrow’s gift card by Dec. 31, 2011. You must use the $5 gift card by Jan. 1 through Mar. 31, 2012.

Chuck E. Cheese – Get 20 free tokens with every $25 gift card purchase. This deal can’t be found on their website, but it was advertised in the Dec. 4 Smart Source insert.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf – Buy a $25 gift card and get a free drink. I’ve only seen this deal in store.

DSW – Get a free $5 bonus card when you purchase a $50 gift card through Dec. 24. The bonus card is good Jan. 14, 2011 through Jan. 29, 2011.

Fleming’s Steakhouse – Get a free $20 bonus card when you spend $100 on gift cards through Dec. 31, 2011. The bonus card is good Jan. 1, 2012 through Feb. 10, 2012.

IHOP -  Get $5 off your next purchase when you spend $25 on gift cards through Jan. 31, 2012. I couldn’t find an expiration date for the $5 discount. You might want to ask if there’s one.

Jamba Juice – Get a free 16 oz. smoothie with the purchase of a $25 gift card through Jan. 3, 2012. Get the freebie on the same visit or get a coupon to use before Jan. 10, 2012.

Macaroni Grill – Get a free $5 bonus card when you purchase a $25 gift card. The bonus is good Jan. 2, 2011 through Feb. 29, 2011.

Maggiano’s – Purchase $100 in e-cards and receive a $20 e-bonus card plus a one-year subscription to Food & Wine Magazine. Available online till Dec. 31.

Orange Julius – Get a free 12 oz. smoothie when you spend $15 gift card through Dec. 31.

Outback Steakhouse – Get a $20 bonus card when you purchase $100 on gift cards through Dec. 31. The bonus card is good Jan. 1, 2011 through Feb. 10, 2011.

Red Robin – Get a $5 bonus buck reward when you spend $25 on gift cards. The reward card must be used Jan. 1, 2012 through Feb. 29, 2012.

Rubios – Get a $5 bonus coupon with $50 gift card purchase. Not sure if the $5 bonus coupon expires.

Ruby Tuesday – Get a $15 bonus coupon for every $50 you spend on gift cards through Dec. 31. The bonus coupon is good Jan. 2, 2011 through Feb. 28, 2011.

Taco Bell – Get a free Chicken Flatbread Sandwich combo with a $20 gift card purchase. Not sure when this deal ends.

TGI Friday’s -  Get a $5 Bonus Bites card for every $25 you spend on gift cards. Nothing specific is stated as to when $5 off can be used or when it expires.

Uno Chicago Grill – Get a $5 bonus voucher for every $25 you spend on gift cards. The voucher is good Jan. 2, 2012 through April 1, 2012.

Free shipping day is Dec. 16!

There is scant time to finish your Christmas shopping online! Most retailers require online purchases to be completed by Dec. 16, 2011 to guarantee Christmas Eve delivery.

If you do not finish your online shopping by tomorrow, you have two options.

1. Pay a ton for expedited shipping.

2. Fight the crowds at the mall, then package your gifts, wait in line at the post office, and pay for Priority or Express shipping.

If you shop tomorrow, thousands of online merchants – 2,339 to be exact – are participating in Free Shipping Day. What that means is that these 2,339 merchants all offer free standard shipping AND guarantee your gifts will arrive by Christmas. Some have minimum spend requirements, others don’t. Most allow dollar off or percentage off coupons on top of free shipping, which is hot.

If you need gift ideas, check out the 10-day Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide for unique gifts, electronics, gift card deals, and a lot more.

If you are having a hard time coming up with a gift or finding a good deal, let the Bargain Babe solve your holiday dilemma.

When you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase by shopping through Ebates. Don’t leave money on the table!

Check out Best Buy's current holiday sale!

There are 37 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!

HOT! Last minute flight deals - Southwest has a bunch of last minute holiday travel deals when you book by Dec. 19 and travel Dec 14-21, 2011. The best flights and prices will go quickly.

Tomorrow! Free ice cream cupcake - Grab a free ice cream cupcake at Marble Slab Creamery and MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream & Treatery on Dec. 15, 2011 from 4-7 p.m. to celebrate National Cupcake Day.

Free Christmas music download - Get a free Christmas song from Tim McGraw to the tune of “Christmas All Over the World.” Unclear how long this will last.

Free movie rental - Get $1 off any rental (that means a free movie for most rentals!) with Blockbuster Express coupon code DOLLARDAYS. Expires Dec. 15, 2011.

Free MAC shipping + gift wrap - Get free standard shipping with no minimum order through Dec. 18 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Excludes gift cards and Pro members. Select holiday gift wrap at check out to get a free holiday gift box or bag.

Free Alaska planner - Get a free Alaska Vacation Planner. Expect promotional emails to follow.

HOT! Williams Sonoma coupon - Save 25% off all potware with this rare Williams Sonoma coupon code COOKWARE25. Expires Dec. 19, 2011. Some exclusions. FREE shipping included! Excludes online orders of Le Creuset. Thanks, Su May!

Gap $25 jeans - Today only, a bunch of Gap jeans are on sale for just $25. Online only. Select denim for Men and Women. Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Bloomingdale’s coupon - Use Bloomingdale’s coupon code SNOWFLAKE to save 10% off purchases of $50-$99.99, 15% off purchases of $100-$149.99, and 20% off purchases of $150 or more. Offer valid online only Dec. 14-15, 2011.

Ends today! Avenue coupon - Save 40% off your entire order AND get free shipping on $75 or more with Avenue promo code AV111346. Expires Dec. 14, 2011.

Cardstore coupon - Get 50% off your entire order of holiday cards with Cardstore.com coupon code CSSAVE510. Expires Dec. 15.

Piperlime coupon - Save 20% off men’s boots with Piperlime coupon code BOOTS at checkout. Ends Dec. 15, 2011. Get an extra 2% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Shoemall coupon - Save 20% off $25 or more sitewide plus get free shipping with ShoeMall.com coupon code HOLIDAY. Valid today through Dec. 24, 2011.

PetCo sale - Many items are 20-50% off during Petco’s holiday sale. Shipping is free when you hit $49, or a flat $6, though some exclusions apply.

Best Buy - The late-week holiday sale at Best Buy runs Dec. 14-16. Shop through Ebates to get an extra 1-3.6% back.

Rockport shoes - Get 20% off your next pair of Rockport shoes with this click through coupon.

Pottery Barn Kids toy sale - Select toys are up to 40% off at the Pottery Barn Kids Holiday sale. Plus, shipping is free on some 800 items.

HOT! Land’s End sale - Everything is 30% off plus shipping is free with NO MINIMUM. Nice! Use Land’s End promo code SANTA and PIN 1212. Expires Dec. 19, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Get an extra 6% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

Reebok deal - Get 30% off your entire order with Reebok promo code RBKTHANKS. The big coupon is part of a customer appreciate sale that ends Dec. 18, 2011.

H&M sale - Mega holiday sale, with lingerie from $1, tops from $5, cozy knits from $7, kids jackets from $10 and adults’ jackets from $15.

Track holiday spending - Track your holiday spending with free budgeting software from Mint.com.

The Walking Company coupon - Spend $100 and get a free upgrade to second day shipping with The Walking Company coupon code FREE2DAY. Expires Jan. 13, 2012.

J.Jill coupon - Save 25% off your entire purchase online with this click through J.Jill coupon.

Picaboo coupon - Get 20% off your order of holiday cards of $50 or more with coupon code SPREADJOY. Expires Dec. 15, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Bev Mo discount - Buy 6 or more bottles of wine in store or online and get an extra 10% off, no coupon code needed. Your discount will show up automatically in your cart. More than 300 bottles are eligible for the extra discount. Ends Jan. 2, 2012.

MyPublisher - Save 25% off $50 or more, or bigger discounts if you spend even more with MyPublisher coupon code FINALSALE. Expires Dec. 19.

Ends today! Restaurant.com coupon - Pay $2 for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate with coupon code STOCKING. Expires Dec. 14, 2011. Gift cards are $4 with this promo code. Not valid with egift cards and dinner of the month. Here’s how Restaurant.com works. Get an extra 20-30% back in cash when you shop through Ebates.

GoDaddy.com coupon - Save 15% off $30 or more with Go Daddy promo code gdz1241d. Expires Dec. 25, 2011.

Whole Living mag deal - DiscountMags.com has a $4 daily deal for a yearlong A-list mag subscription! Here is this week’s lineup of mag deals: Dec. 14 Whole Living magazine with promo code 5918; Dec. 15 Car and Driver with promo code 7567. Plus, get 10% off most mags with DiscountMags promo code HOLIDAY10. No expiration date given.

Family Fun mag deal - Get an extra 20% off with Family Fun magazine code WKLYSPEC through Dec. 18, 2011. You pay $3.76 for the year!

Taste of home deal - Get an extra 40% off with Taste of home magazine code TASTEOFHOME through Dec. 18, 2011. You pay $5.40 for the year!

Rider mag deals - Best Deal Magazines has a bunch of super cheap magazine deals – $4.39 for a year subscription unless otherwise noted – this week. Each deal is valid for one day only. Dec. 14 Rider ($5.29); Dec. 15 Yoga Journal; Dec. 16 Whole Living; Dec. 17 Oxygen ($5.29); Dec. 18 Car & Driver. Save an extra 15% off most titles with promo code PXCJ1218. Expires Dec. 18, 2011.

Grocery coupons - My Coupon Database searches dozens of coupon sites for all grocery and drugstore coupons available, including Coupons.com, mobile coupons from Cellfire, Redplum, CouponNetwork, SmartSource, and lots more. Totally free!

Coupon lessons - Grocery University is a comprehensive, 19-lesson set that will take your coupon skills (if any) to the next savings level. Sign up for these coupon lessons now and see your grocery bill drop!

Free Target events - In 34 cities across the country, Target sponsors free museum days and cultural events. Search by city to see what’s happening near you.

Groupon travel deals - Find hot travel deals leaving from your city.

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Make a gift through Kidworth this Christmas.

As a kid, I loved discovering a mound of presents choking the tree on Christmas  morning. But I can’t help but wonder, now that I’m familiar with the website Kidworth, if some of those gifts could have been given as investments.

Did you know that the average child, according to Kidworth founder Rudy DeFelice, comes across $25,000-$30,000 in gifts by the time they are 18? And yet, how many 18-year-olds do you know that have more than a few bucks to their name?

So if you’re still looking for a Christmas or Hanukkah gift for a special child in your life, check out Kidworth.

Kidworth is about channeling gifts, allowance, earnings into an account (that parents create for their child) that encourages them to set up save goals, spend goals, and share goals. So it’s got two purposes. Kidworth helps kids save money (instead of receiving a bunch of plastic toys on every occasion) and it teaches them what to do with money. Earlier I wrote about Kidworth in the context of using the site to help my soon-to-be-born daughter save and manage money.

You can start an account no matter how young your kid is, and the older they get, the more you can involve them.

There are all sorts of privacy controls so your kid’s personal information never gets out there. On a practical level, parents can use Kidworth to send out birthday invitations and holiday cards, a big opportunity to share their kid’s goals. Wink, wink. For Christmas, little Bobby would really love a contribution to his 529 college savings account. When you kid is old enough, they can chime in and ask for ice cream (or whatever their heart desires).

If you would like to temper the onslaught of gifts this holiday season, sign up for Kidworth and put the generosity of your friends and family to good use!

This is dedicated content. Want to reach tens of thousands of savvy spenders? Read our blog marketing page.

My eye! Credit: Nieve44/La Luz

Are you having a hard time finding a great deal on a particular present?

Can’t think of what to buy for your _____?

Not sure where is the best place to buy a particular gift?

Struggling with how much to spend on a friend?

Unsure how to cross everyone off your list without going over budget?

Need help setting a Christmas and holiday shopping budget?

Let the Bargain Babe figure it out! Ask your question by leaving a comment and we will respond within 24 hours, if not sooner.

Romantic Crafts/flickr

I love homemade holiday gifts the best. Anyone can go to the store and buy something, but it takes time and thought to give someone a gift that you made.

Here are 7 unusual frugal and homemade holiday gifts. For more gift ideas, check out the Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide.

1. Firewood. With all the recent storms, it is possible that you are now in possession of lots more wood than you need. Bundle it up and give it as gifts to those you know with fireplaces. Include a couple of mugs, hot chocolate mix and marshmallows.
2. Truffles. I received a small box of two gold paper-wrapped homemade truffles once. They were given and received like the best gift ever. Delicious. Here is a truffle recipe.
3. Lessons. If you are an expert at something, offer a set of lessons to someone as a gift. Perhaps you are a good cook, photographer, artist, or handy man.
4. Personalized stationary. Create a hand drawn or digital graphic that represents the recipient. Find wonderful paper at a yard sale. Transfer the graphic onto the paper. You can even make handmade envelopes for a real personalized touch.
5. Fabric covered boxes. My sister-in-law gave me one of these the first time I met her and I still have it.
6. Make a secret family recipe book. Get each family member to write up the recipe of the dish they make that is loved the most. It can be as simple as getting recipe cards and taping them into a note book or you can get carried away in photoshop with pictures. Make a copy for each family member. Believe me, years from now this will be a cherished book.
7. Chunky yarn bracelets. This is a super easy craft that can be done with any kind of yarn, but looks best with the new Martha Stewart Mambo Yarn. You can make this craft out of any old cheap bangle covered by any kind of fabric.

Do you have favorite handmade gifts?

Check out these related posts:

How to make homemade gift tags

Homemade gift envelopes

Recipe for homemade sugar scrub gifts

Homemade gift ideas (picture frame earring holder, memory jar, candles)

Gifts that keep on giving

This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.