- Gift Ideas To Keep You From Becoming
A Basket Case!
By Tawra Kellam
Need Gift Ideas for Christmas
but don’t want to spend a lot? Here are some tips from Tawra
Kellam, author of Not Just Beans: Fifty Years of Frugal Family
Favorites.
- Buy items in sets and divide
among the baskets. Buy a four pack of nail polish for four ladies
baskets or buy packs of whistles or other party favors for the
kids. Take individual popcorn, coffee or cocoa packets out of
their boxes. They will fill the basket better.
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- Shop garage sales and thrift
stores for baskets and other containers
-Dollar stores have lots of great
inexpensive gift ideas. Browse!
- Use cellophane bags to package
your mixes. They are inexpensive when purchased at party stores
or florists.
- A gift can be as simple as
tea bags in a tea cup tied with a pretty ribbon. A large soup
mug and saucer with soup mix or a small glass bowl with some
potpourri might also make a simple but nice gift.
Try making these specialty gift
baskets:
Football Fan - (teenage boys,
brothers, fathers and brothers-in-law!) Fill a large bowl purchased
at the dollar store with candy bars, bags of microwave popcorn,
sodas, chips, dips, a favorite football flag or hat, and a calendar
of game days. |
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Fisherman - In a tackle box or
fish bowl put hooks, bait, line, hot chocolate or sodas, trail
mix, gloves, fishing magazines and a fish pillow.
Dog - In a dog bowl, place a
ball, old sock with a knot tied in it, dog bones, rawhides, a
leash, a name tag and a brush. You might include a picture of
a mailman with "the enemy" written on it.
Cat - In a cat litter box, place
a catnip toy, cat food, a poop scoop, a leash, a name tag and
a little rubber mouse.
Car - In a large bucket, place
fuzzy dice, air freshener, wax, car wash, chamois ("Shammy"),
tire cleaner, a car trash can, a key ring, ice melter for cars
and an ice scraper.
Baby Basket - Spray paint a basket
white and line it with a baby blanket or use a diaper bag. Fill
with bibs, baby oil, baby lotion, baby powder, diaper ointment,
a teething ring, burp cloths, wipes and a rattle.
Relaxing Basket - Line a basket
with a hand towel. Add a lavender candle, bath oil or bubble
bath, bath salts, a favorite magazine or book, a poof and scented
soap, and a do not disturb sign (Make one out of a piece of cardboard.).
Coffee Lover - In a basket, include
flavored coffee packets, cinnamon sticks dipped in chocolate,
wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon, cookie mix or cookies,
flavored powdered creamer and a coffee cup.
Baker’s Delight - Line a
large mixing bowl with a dish towel. Add cookie mixes, hot chocolate
mixes, brownie mix, muffin mix, a package of walnuts, measuring
cups and pot holders.
Ice Cream Lover - Place tissue
paper on the bottom of a basket. Add sundae dishes, an ice cream
scoop, nuts, hot fudge sauce, butterscotch sauce, chocolate syrup,
Maraschino cherries and a gift certificate for 2 ½ gallons
of ice cream.
Soup Basket - In a basket, stock
pot or bean crock, add large soup mugs, 7 bean soup, cornbread
mix, cookie mix and oyster crackers wrapped in cellophane bags
and tied with a ribbon.
Nail Polish Basket - In a pretty
bucket or basket, add a variety of nail polish, emery boards,
nail clippers, polish remover, cotton balls, hand cream, cuticle
cream and a nail buffer.
Family Night - In a large bowl,
add a puzzle or game, popcorn, candy bars, soda, hot chocolate
mix and mugs.
Fruit Basket - Line a basket
with tissue paper. Add apples, oranges, hot chocolate mix, various
teas and dried fruits (like figs or raisins). Sprinkle nuts on
top of everything.
Cookie Delight -In a basket lined
with tissue paper, add two cookie mixes in cellophane bags or
jars tied with ribbons, Russian Tea (also in a cellophane bag
or small jar tied with ribbon), cookie cutters, a teacup and
two pot holders.
Chocolate Lover - In a basket,
add Hot Chocolate Mix, Brownie Mix , Chocolate Peanut Butter
Cookie Mix, Party Mints, Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix and a small
package of marshmallows.
Hot Chocolate Mix
8 cups dry milk
4 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 3/4 cups cocoa 1 1/2 cup non-dairy creamer
1 sm. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
Sift the ingredients into a large
bowl. Place the mix into an airtight containers.
Attach this to the jar:
Hot Chocolate
5 Tbsp. (1/3 cup) Hot Chocolate
Mix
1 cup hot water (not boiling)
marshmallows or whipped cream
Place the Hot Chocolate Mix into
a mug. Add boiling water. Stir until Hot Chocolate mix is dissolved.
Garnish as desired with marshmallows or whipped cream. Serves
1.
Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins and/or nuts
In a bowl, mix together first
5 ingredients. Place in an air tight container. Package raisins
and nuts separately.
Topping
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Mix topping ingredients in a
bowl. Package in a small cellophane bag.
Attach this to the jar:
Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
To prepare, preheat oven to 350<.
Mix together:
Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
raisins and/or nuts
1 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup applesauce
margarine, melted
Stir just until combined. Spoon
into lightly greased muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or
until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. While still
warm, dip in melted margarine and then topping. Makes 12-15 muffins.
© Copyright Tawra Kellam |
