Search This Blog

Monday, December 12, 2016

DECEMBER 13TH: QUICK AND THRIFTY LAST MINUTE GIFTS

If you're like I am, there's always people you'd like to give a little token of friendship to at Christmas, but money is tight, so here's some little gifts that are quick to make and don't break the budget.

Sugar Scrub

Combine 2 cups of sugar with 1/4 C. of coconut oil and if you want, 1/2 tsp. of your favorite essence oil.  Put into a pretty jar that you have either saved throughout the year or one like this little apothecary one  that I purchased at the dollar store.  Tie it with a ribbon and a label telling what it is. These cute little chalkboard labels are from Dollar General. (I couldn't find any chalk to write with).  This is used for hands and body, but  for a  nice foot scrub use oil of peppermint, it's invigorating.

Sugared-Cinnamon Nuts

1 egg white
1 tsp. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. nuts of your choice
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease it.

Beat the egg white until stiff peaks form, then add the water and vanilla and beat again.  Add the nuts and coat them with the egg whites.

In another bowl combine the remaining ingredients and mix into the nuts. Spread the nuts onto your jelly roll pan and bake at 250 degrees, turning every 15 minutes  for an hour or until the nuts feel dry.  You can experiment by using different extracts in place of the vanilla and by omitting the cinnamon.  Maple extract would be good with pecans and so would butter and  rum extract. 

I put mine in those little goodie bags that you can find at dollar stores and  tie them with a piece of jute or raffia and tuck a piece of greenery in.  Another idea would  be to put some in a cute Christmas mug.

Just a Small Box of Cookies

You don't have to bake dozens upon dozens of cookies, just a small amount, say half a dozen, makes a sweet gift if they are presented in a cute little box or tin.  Use those adorable mini cupcake papers to hold each cookie and fill the box with plain white tissue paper.  I like to keep these on hands for unexpected guests.   Here's my new go-to Christmas cookie recipe, it's so versatile:

Simple Butter Cookies

1 C. butter
1/2 C. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. butter extract
1 1/4 C. flour
1/2 C. cornstarch

Cream butter and sugar together.  Stir in extract.  Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape dough into  1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool. Frost with:

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. milk or cream
1 1/2 C. confectioners' sugar.
Beat together until smooth

By changing the extract and the flavor of the frosting you can make several different types of cookies from this recipe.  I made eggnog cookies by using rum extract and adding a pinch of nutmeg.  I rolled these in confectioners' sugar  while they were warm rather than frosting them.  Peppermint extract and peppermint frosting is dandy too.  Or maybe maple and brown sugar frosting.

Old-fashioned fudge  is another perennial favorite,  a little goes a long way, presented in the same way as the cookies. BTW, if any of you are unmarried this is fantastic boy bait! Ha!

Homemade Milled Soap

I packaged the coffee cake soaps that I wrote about in November in little cellophane bags and tied them with some Alpine-type ribbon trim.  Make sure you label them as soap! There's still time to make some and have them cured if you start today.
I also placed some in a vintage individual jelly molds that can be found at many thrift stores.  Another use for those little molds is to make candles.
You can purchase wicks pre-made from the craft stores inexpensively and I melt down the remnants from larger jar-type candles for the wax.  I confess that I buy these type of candles used from garage sales throughout Summer for this very purpose.  These make cute little tuck-in hostess presents. And are really cute lined up on a wooden trencher, if you are into rustic type decor.  And I guess it's a better use of a jello mold than lime gelatin and cottage cheese!










22 comments:

  1. Great ideas Jane. I think I should give myself the gift of a sugar body scrub ;-)
    My niece is at the age where she prefers money to gifts which really reduces my shopping time and I guess in the long run is a lot more frugal as in past years I have been a pretty indulgent Aunty. This year in addition to her gift money I am passing on a lovely necklace that my mother (her grandmother) gave to me forty years ago.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The scrub works great Sherri! My grandson made me some last year and I loved it. It makes your hands really soft.

      My granddaughter is at that age where money is the best gift option, also. I can never keep up with what she likes from week to week. And as you said, in the long run, it's the thriftiest option. That's very nice that you are passing doen your mother's necklace. I'm a big believer in giving things to others while they can enjoy them.

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  2. Thank you for all the lovely gift ideas.
    Happy Holidays to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome Sheila! Hope you have the merriest of Christmases!

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  3. Love these ideas. Being a soap maker myself I especially love those little coffee cakes. I'm glad you posted the link as I'd forgotten about them but do want to make some. I used to hand-mill all my soaps and made a lot of different ones that resembled brownies and fudge, but as far as I know only one person ever actually took a bite of them. o.O
    That'll teach 'em. LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My son almost took a bite of the coffeecake soap, Toni. He never reads the labels. They sure were a quick little craft to do up and I love how they look in the little individual jello molds. I hit the jackpot at our local St. Vincents the other day, and now have enough to furnish half the village with them.

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  4. So true on the boy bait. Or relatives who don't like each other bait. Everyone gets along over fudge! Thank you for the sugar scrub recipe. That might be the hostess gift for myself :)
    Hugs!Jen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I gave a lot of fudge to boys over the years so I know from whence I talk, Jen! It's amazing what that simple scrub does for my hands I can only imagine what it does for the rest of me, but I don't dare look into a full length mirror. Old age is not for the faint of heart! Ha!

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  5. hi jane,
    thanks for this wonderful inspirationen.
    wish you a wonderful day,
    hugs regina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello dear Regina! I hope this day finds you well and content. We're having a real Winter here. How's it over there in Germany?

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  6. Adorable and creative! Who wouldn't like these!??

    as ever.. m

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apparently, my sisters, Matty. Ha! They only like things made by slave labor in third world countries. That's why I stopped giving them gifts. But thank you for appreciating them. Did you get your snow?

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  7. I love seeing your gift ideas!! Hugs, Andrea

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love your gift ideas and wrapping tips! I see several things that I am going to make for myself this week. I love sugared cinnamon nuts, but there may not be any left to gift :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They smell so good when you're roasting them, Kathy, I'd make them just for the scent. They were my mom's favorite. I'd bake her a bunch of fancy cookies and all she'd talk about was the nuts! They are kind of addictive.

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  9. Good ideas! We give bundles of fudge to everyone our lives touch...even the mailman. Also a ranch flavored snack mix is a hit with family (who also get fudge). Love the snowy photos from your last post.
    I love a real winter with snow and cold...not to keen on wind though.
    Blessings,
    Leslie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When you start tallying up all the people,it amounts to a lot of gifts, doesn't it, Leslie? The ranch snack mix is a wonderful idea too. My MIL used to make the best Chex mix, I've never quite been able to duplicate it. I hear you, on the wind. I can tolerate the cold, but the wind goes right through you.

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  10. Dear Jane,

    I had forgotten about sugar scrub; thanks for the reminder to make some! I made some once, and really loved it. And soap-making has been on my to-do list forever; perhaps after the holiday!

    Keep up the wonderful posts,

    Marqueta

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Only takes a few minutes, Marqueta. Yeah, soap making isn't for the holiday season. It's a nice thing to do when the Winter gets too long.

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete
  11. great ideas Jane. I especially love the idea of the candles. You are very talented! I made fudge yesterday and wrapped it in tins for the neighbors. Still didn't get them all but I will! Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're a good neighbor, Vickie! Bet they were pleased with your fudge.

      Hugs
      Jane

      Delete