Inexpensive Gifts From The Heart

We have thirteen grandchildren. We also have four other small children that we are very close to. Birthdays get really expensive! We can't afford them anymore. However, children don't really understand why they don't get a gift from us. So I found a way they get something from the heart and doesn't cost much.

I make their favorite cookies, make their card and one or two scrapbook pages of their previous years activities. This way you are adding to their childhood history and it makes it easy to add these pages to a collage when they graduate. It costs nearly nothing.

If you scrapbook or make cards, you can also give a "tea" party for the girls. Get out your scraps to help them make cards or other things. Make tea, give finger sandwiches made from eggsalad, tuna, chicken and cupcakes. They love it! If their birthday is near a holiday, use that theme. Like make ornaments or Valentines or something for 4th of July. You get the idea.

For your daughter or daughter-in-law, make an entire meal and deliver it for her and her family. That way, she doesn't have to cook after working or needing time just to relax.

You can also make care baskets, like you would do for Christmas stockings. Any small personal items. Add dried teas and flowers that you make. Add their favorite jelly or jam or in a man's case hot peppers, etc.

For wedding gifts, make pot holders, soup gift jar that they can make (include recipe), cookie recipe in a jar, make a recipe book of your own and put them in a small inexpensive photo album for the new bride. Wrap your basket in a small homemade table cloth and add napkins you make to the package. Get the basket at a garage sale. Or add a "saving money" tip book of your own and get them started in the right way - don't forget to add a "saving money" recommended reading list and your favorite websites.

By Tightwade from West Middlesex, PA