~A Season of Giving~

This Christmas season will not be about traditional gifts for my family. Instead it will be about the gift of time. Time is something that we haven't had this fall. My husband is a football coach and has worked more this fall than any other year of his 10 year coaching career. With that being said, we have missed him dearly!

Time is something that is FREE, yet can be the most precious and memorable gift to give or receive. So many times I would love to get together with a friend to catch up, but I simply don't have time. Can you relate? My solution is to wrap up a certificate of time for your friend as a Christmas gift. That way you don't spend any money, but give the best gift!

I love the idea of customizing your own gift certificates. This is something that can be really fun to do for your spouse. Plus, you can make it very inexpensive. Give experiences, rather than expensive gifts.

There is no reason to not give your spouse, family or friends a gift this season. Make them feel special and loved without breaking the bank.

Have fun creating those certificates!

Blessed~
SHO

~Christmas Cards Recycled!~

After looking at my door with a portion of the Christmas cards from this year, I was trying to figure out what to do with them.


Then I got excited as I looked closer and realized that I could make something!



These will make such cute package labels for next year!

A couple of them would even look cute glued on a candle.

This is a fun way to recycle what you already have and doesn't cost anything!

Happy Monday!
SHO

~How to make FREE items into CHRISTmas gifts!~

This is the time of year that most of us start to feel the effects of Christmas shopping in our finances. I'm here to tell you today that there is hope! You can take everyday items you have picked up while couponing and make them into gifts. These types of items make great teacher or Sunday school worker gifts. It is so nice to be able to bless the people who make a difference during the holidays.

Items that make great Christmas gifts when in a cute package:
Coffee (with a cute mug from the dollar store)

Candles (take off the label & add ribbon)

*Another thing I do is add a monogram sticker to the glass portion and it instantly looks great! This will be a cute teacher gift once I add some red candy!

*I filled the glass container (purchased at a garage sale 2/.25) with FREE cough drops & the FREE Bath & Body Works lotion. This teacher and I recently talked about cough drops & her needing some, so that is not totally random :)

Air freshener plug-in
*I have been giving this gift to a friend who LOVES lavender. She would not purchase this type of item due to the cost, but LOVES when she gets it as a gift! Remember it is the value of the gift, not the price you pay for it.

Stationary items
*Back in August when all of the stores had their back to school sale, I got several stationary items for FREE. I've been saving them and plan to put together a bag full of writing/craft items for my daughter. She LOVES crafts, so these FREE items will be perfect!

I gave this to one of my daughter's teacher with a note that said "I hope that I bring you a Touch of Happiness today!" (Touch of Happiness is the scent...hard to see)

*Don't forget to ask for the plastic bag & ribbon at Bath & Body Works. It's FREE with purchase! It is not the most beautiful display, but it gets the job done. After all, I've never heard anyone say "I'm so glad they spent more on the wrapping than the actual gift!"

So, you may NOT want to give the FREE toothpaste or deodorant that you have gotten while couponing to just anyone! Ha! Totally understand that one :) However, if you are giving a relative or child a stocking why not fill it full of "favorite things". Everyone I know has a "favorite" deodorant, toothpaste, shower gel, hair product, etc. This is more for those of you with teens. I don't know a teen out there that isn't into hygiene products to some degree, this would be a perfect opportunity to introduce a few new items. Great for stockings!

Last year I gave my MIL a bag full of her "favorite things" which included several of my FREE items (shampoo, deodorant, dish soap, air freshener, etc). She loved it because I took time to pick her favorite brands and put them along with some other items (non-coupon items). It ended up being a really great gift. It had a much higher value than what I actually paid. Those are my favorite types of gifts to give!

I hope this post inspires you to think outside of the "normal gift package" and to realize that you can make the most of FREE items you have gotten while couponing.

Monday Blessings~
SHO