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Here Comes Santa Claus
Holiday Shopping for the Budget Conscious
By Neilia Sherman
Theme Gifts
Making up a theme basket is a great idea that can save you money and give you a chance to be creative. Plus, they are very popular. Items can be bought at the dollar store or on sale.
For instance, let's say you have friends who love Italian food. You pick up an inexpensive colander and fill it with things like garlic bulbs, fancy pasta, gourmet spaghetti sauce and a cheese grater.
Another example would be a Hot Drink Lovers basket, which could include gourmet coffee, hot cocoa, specialty teas and shortbread biscuits along with a decorative mug. All of this can be placed in a basket that you can pick up at the dollar store or in a craft store for a reasonable price.
Another wonderful idea is to make gift jars. These can be quite expensive when found in retail stores. Let's say you want to give out cake or brownies in a jar. You neatly layer all the dry ingredients into a canning jar and then place the perishable items and instructions on a tag and tie them around the top. Various kinds of soups can be given this way, and the jar looks decorative, like sand art, when you're done.
Holt suggests that we keep in mind that the dollar value of a gift has no correlation with the amount of sentiment which it expresses. "You don't have to spend a lot of money to let someone know that you care," he says.
And don't forget the true meaning of the season. "Think seriously about what the holiday seasons means to you," says Campbell. Perhaps feeling better about your finances will also enable you to be less stressed and more able to enjoy the wonders of the holidays.
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