Frugal Christmas Ideas

[Gardenlady3]

I did make a pumpkin butter yesterday. My dd made a pumpkin dessert & used 1/2 can of pumpkin so I made 1/2 of the receipe to use it up.

Pumpkin Butter(full receipe)

1-15oz can of pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp gr ginger
1/4 tsp gr cloves
1 c sugar or brown sugar( I used regular)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice

Mix all ingredients in a medium pan & cook until heated but not boiling.Cook slowly for 15 mins. to dissolve sugar.Stir often. Cool & put into container(s). This can be frozen or kept in the fridge for a week.

Yummy on toast.

Gloria

[boggsZ]

Gloria im going to try this on my hubby this weekend thanks for posting it do you give it as gift and if so how do you package it

[Gardenlady3]

Karen this is the first time I have made it but I have wanted to try it for some time. I made this for us since we love pumpkin cream cheese & apple butter. This was easy & quick. I just put it in a small tupperware container. I don't think there will be any that will need to be frozen,lol. If I was going to give it as a gift, I would put it in a nice jar with a cute label & tell them it needs to be eaten up in a week or to freeze it( no preservatives).

Gloria

[Bilby]

The time is once again approaching .....

[RobertaD]

So Cathy do tell are you getting a new neice or nephew for Christmas this year? LOL just wondered if last years gift or an ovulation kit worked or not.

I've been picking up things when I find them on a great deal for the kids to give all the aunts & uncles.

Roberta

[crochet2]

I have 25 co-workers so this is what I did this year.

Frrst, I made a plan - for the guys (6 of them) a T-shirt from either Michaels or AC Moore when they have them on sale of $2 each. Add a pair of sox (buy them in 6 packs at WM and divide), and a piece of candy.

For the women - I went to Big Lots, and bought a tube of hand cream ($1 from the HBA section, good stuff, name brands), then on to WM. I saw they had reduced the price of their sox with the lotion in them down to $3 pair. Each time I stopped in, I picked up a pair or two depending on my budget. And then they will also get a piece of candy.

The candy is Reses' Peanut Butter cups. I got them for free at the grocery after the coupons were doubled.

I bought an afghan kit on sale to make for my sister. It is exactly the same pattern and color as one for an afghan in wool my mother made, I don't know, maybe 50 years ago. She will cry when she opens it, the memories will come flooding back.

The teens and tweens are getting little gift bags again with a lot of stuff from the dollar store (gloves and hats, lip protectants) and the ever popular big Hersehy Kiss.

Since I am expecting to be diagnosed (the dr. looked at me and said "diabetes for sure"), as diabetic (he will have the test results to tell me for sure in a couple of weeks), if I go to friends' or family's houses for meals, I will take a diabetic desert. I am also on a very low carb diet (South Beach), and will make sure to take a dish that falls within those parameters also. It will be appreciated by those who worry what to serve within your dietary constrictions.

Take care all!!

Norma

[Minny]

I get WM gift cards for my grandkids. It's so much easier to send those than to wrap gifts & worry about whether the packages get broken or ruined in the mail. I have 10 grandkids + 1 great grandson & they all get the same amount of gift card. They all understand that Grammy don't have alot of money & with so many to buy for, it costs. They can use the gift card towards something they really want.. no guessing on Grammy's part. LOL.

[apricot]

Crochet, If you discover that you like any particlar kind of diabetic candy or have a simple recipe for some please post it or send me a PM. I have a friend who is diabetic and loves chocolate but doesn't like the sugarless Hershey candy.

Minny, That is a lot of grands to buy for. Some people don't like gift cards but I think they are great and easy to mail.

I don't have a lot of family to buy for but do exchange with some close friends that we have known for a long time. One of the ladies also has her birthday on New Year's, so I pick up small things during the year and then add a gift card to that.

My dh will probably get mostly clothes this year and maybe a few small things. We've had a lot of unexpected car repairs this year and I had my pay cut, so hopefully I can convince him to keep it simple this year too. He always spends too much.

[LaurieS]

Norma, you are way ahead of the game, girl!

I'm still just thinking about it! LOL