Be Crafty This Christmas

According to the Daily Mail, Recession will be 'back by Christmas'. It may be difficult to think beyond our money worries but Christmas is a wonderful celebratory time of year, however difficult it may be. The joy of giving is not about monetary value but shows our friends and family how much we love them.

We hardly ever make things from scratch. Human hands, capable of making objects of great utility and beauty, are now used to text or press computer keys. You may not see yourself as a 'handy' person but have a go at making some Christmas gifts for your family and friends. You will find dozens of great easy-to-make Christmas gift ideas for everyone on your list... family, friends, kids, teachers, even pets! Roll up your sleeves and make a beautiful Christmas present for someone special.

Last year I crocheted everyone a hat or a tie. The hats lacked in taste and fashion awareness but they were very funny. Find some interestingly shaped rocks or shells and make desk 'pets' to suit every member of the family. Make book marks for the readers in your circle. Put together a recipe book of family favourites...

Celebrate tradition and traditional ways of doing things and you can keep the cost down. Make your own advent calendar. It is personal and you can mark each day with a wide range of tokens: chocolate, fruit, beads, badges, jokes. Get creative with Christmas meals. Christmas dinner isn't complete without the crackers, novelties, paper hats, mottos and jokes.

Then consider some presents you might give. Some examples might include homegrown favorite herbs, flowers, Spring bulbs in an attractive pot. You could make hand sewn, knitted or crocheted items from aprons to bags, using recycled fabric. I like to make a hamper with homemade items like baked goods - homemade sweets, cakes, chocolates, biscuits, jams and pickles, etc. Not only are they tasty but family members can get really creative making these!

Use photos to create a montage of family and friends; don't forget the pets! Or, take the time to arrange photos in an album for a family member who has never taken the time to do this. How about coupons - for personal service? Offer to wash a car monthly for a year, to take the dogs for regular walks, to give a regular massage, to make a special meal once a month. The possibilities for creative ideas are numerous.

Ask the children to make the wrapping paper and the most creative in your family to help out. Anything that can be made from paper should be made at home. It's more fun.

If the idea of making something doesn't appeal then visit one of the many craft fairs in your area through November. You are bound to find something unique there.

Christmas should be a social time. Get in touch with your family and friends. For economical Christmas activities have a family film or games night. Invite friends and ask them to each bring a sweet or savoury snack. We used to have a fantastic horse racing night using my children's toys as the 'horses' and a hand drawn, cardboard track complete with jumps. We 'backed' our favorites using pennies and it was the greatest fun.

If money is a problem then be honest and don't try to be over generous. Explain to family members that expectations in the gift department must be lowered for a recession Christmas but that this doesn't mean the tree will be bare. Instead, ask your family to come up with creative alternatives to spending a lot of money on gifts.

Plan your pre-Christmas arrangements and decorate as much as you can. Try to involve as many people as possible in the planning process. Make sure everything is clean and tidy so that you can concentrate on Christmas. Be generous with your time and/or money. There is always someone less fortunate. Try to make those who are suffering better.

Finally, only buy what you need; reduce the quantity of meat and expensive food items. Make better use of homemade food such as speciality bread, biscuits, cake, etc. Use fruit and veg that are in season - these will be far cheaper than food shipped or flown in for the occasion.

Remember the message of Christmas. If you are Christian this is easy. Otherwise, just think about Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN' 'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'><html><head><title>Articles Back Link | Be Crafty This Christmas</title></head><body><h3>Be Crafty This Christmas</h3><br><br> By: Marcella Campbell<br><br><p><p>According to the Daily Mail, Recession will be 'back by Christmas'. It may be difficult to think beyond our money worries but Christmas is a wonderful celebratory time of year, however difficult it may be. The joy of giving is not about monetary value but shows our friends and family how much we love them.</P><p>We hardly ever make things from scratch. Human hands, capable of making objects of great utility and beauty, are now used to text or press computer keys. You may not see yourself as a 'handy' person but have a go at making some Christmas gifts for your family and friends. You will find dozens of great easy-to-make Christmas gift ideas for everyone on your list... family, friends, kids, teachers, even pets! Roll up your sleeves and make a beautiful Christmas present for someone special.</P><p>Last year I crocheted everyone a hat or a tie. The hats lacked in taste and fashion awareness but they were very funny. Find some interestingly shaped rocks or shells and make desk 'pets' to suit every member of the family. Make book marks for the readers in your circle. Put together a recipe book of family favourites...</P><p>Celebrate tradition and traditional ways of doing things and you can keep the cost down. Make your own advent calendar. It is personal and you can mark each day with a wide range of tokens: chocolate, fruit, beads, badges, jokes. Get creative with Christmas meals. Christmas dinner isn't complete without the crackers, novelties, paper hats, mottos and jokes.</P><p>Then consider some presents you might give. Some examples might include homegrown favorite herbs, flowers, Spring bulbs in an attractive pot. You could make hand sewn, knitted or crocheted items from aprons to bags, using recycled fabric. I like to make a hamper with homemade items like baked goods - homemade sweets, cakes, chocolates, biscuits, jams and pickles, etc. Not only are they tasty but family members can get really creative making these!</P><p>Use photos to create a montage of family and friends; don't forget the pets! Or, take the time to arrange photos in an album for a family member who has never taken the time to do this. How about coupons - for personal service? Offer to wash a car monthly for a year, to take the dogs for regular walks, to give a regular massage, to make a special meal once a month. The possibilities for creative ideas are numerous.</P><p>Ask the children to make the wrapping paper and the most creative in your family to help out. Anything that can be made from paper should be made at home. It's more fun.</P><p>If the idea of making something doesn't appeal then visit one of the many craft fairs in your area through November. You are bound to find something unique there.</P><p>Christmas should be a social time. Get in touch with your family and friends. For economical Christmas activities have a family film or games night. Invite friends and ask them to each bring a sweet or savoury snack. We used to have a fantastic horse racing night using my children's toys as the 'horses' and a hand drawn, cardboard track complete with jumps. We 'backed' our favorites using pennies and it was the greatest fun.</P><p>If money is a problem then be honest and don't try to be over generous. Explain to family members that expectations in the gift department must be lowered for a recession Christmas but that this doesn't mean the tree will be bare. Instead, ask your family to come up with creative alternatives to spending a lot of money on gifts.</P><p>Plan your pre-Christmas arrangements and decorate as much as you can. Try to involve as many people as possible in the planning process. Make sure everything is clean and tidy so that you can concentrate on Christmas. Be generous with your time and/or money. There is always someone less fortunate. Try to make those who are suffering better.</P><p>Finally, only buy what you need; reduce the quantity of meat and expensive food items. Make better use of homemade food such as speciality bread, biscuits, cake, etc. Use fruit and veg that are in season - these will be far cheaper than food shipped or flown in for the occasion.</P><p>Remember the message of Christmas. If you are Christian this is easy. Otherwise, just think about Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol.<br></P></p> <br><br> <b>Author Resource:-></b>  <br><br><b>Article From</b> <a href='http://www.articlesbacklink.com/'>Articles Back Link</a><br></body></html>