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Give Gifts That Come From The Heart

Many households may be short on money but long on holiday wish lists. Rather than be stressed out because you can't afford to buy what you'd like to for everyone, why not make (or bake) gifts this year? When you spend time creating a gift, the recipient will see and appreciate the time and care you put into it.

Here is a short list of ideas:

  • Bake low-fat cookies, high-fiber breads or sugarless brownies
  • Cook and freeze a week's worth of healthy meals for a friend or relative who might need help.
  • Make spice mixes (like cinnamon sugar or spice rubs) with ingredients you have on hand. Pour them into jars or pretty bags.
  • Create homemade greeting cards with photos, pictures clipped from magazines or your own drawings.
  • Offer a "gift certificate" of your time that is valid for an evening of babysitting, or running errands, or shoveling snow, or other tasks.
  • Sew a rag doll made from older clothes or from remnants of other projects.
  • Build a bird house from scraps of lumber.
  • Sow herb seeds in pots to give a home chef a source of fresh seasonings.
  • Assemble all the old family photos into an album. After dinner, ask older family members to identify the people and to share stories about the event.
  • Another strategy is to "re-gift," that is, give away something you once received but never used. You could also shop yard sales and re-sale shops to find low-cost items.

Rather than obsess about the commercial aspects of the holidays, try focusing on the emotional, feel-good rewards, like being with family and friends. And give thanks for your good health.