Your own gift baskets

I find gift baskets and hampers very exciting! Once you unwrap your gift, you find many more surprises awaiting. Pre-made gift baskets are generally quite expensive when you consider the contents, a much better idea, of course, is to make them yourself. This not only saves money, but makes sure that all the contents are useful to or wanted by the receiver. While everyone's tastes are unique, I would like to provide some theme ideas to get you started, you can customise them with your own ideas too.

Firstly, even though I have referred to these as gift 'baskets' you don't necessarily have to use a basket to contain all the gifts. You can use a variety of cardboard or metal boxes, bowls or plastic storage containers to hold all the gifts. It is even better, in my opinion, to use a container that the recipient can reuse, so it forms part of your gift too.

Gift Basket themes:

Stationery - could consist of small notebooks, funky coloured paper-clips, highlighters, a refillable pen or stickers.

Bath & body - could consist of bath bombs, bath salts or crystals, a face mask, aromatherapy candles, massage oil, a pumice stone (for scrubbing feet), talcum powder or a deep conditioner for hair.

Food basket - could consist of canned nuts, pretzels or potato chips, chocolate in a block or box, beef jerky, marshmallows, nuts still in the shell with a nut-cracker, a can of soda or caramel popcorn.

more to come...

How to make rum balls

Rum balls are a Christmas treat that just about everyone loves. They are quick and easy to make, and, of course cheap. Here is a very simple recipe to use:

Ingredients

• 1 packet crushed sweet biscuits
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 tin condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons rum (can be omitted if you have children)
• extra coconut for rolling

Directions

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and mix.
2. Take large teaspoons of mixture and roll into balls using your hands
3. Roll balls in coconut and store in an airtight container.

To present as a gift, place 6 in clear cellophane and tie up with a ribbon.
These can also be kept in a container in the freezer for 2-3 weeks.

Welcome

We all know that Christmas can end up costing a fortune, I have decided to make a blog that will provide ideas on how to cut the cost of Christmas without taking away the fun. You don't have to spend a heap of money on Christmas presents, in fact, a well thought out thrifty gift can mean a lot more than an expensive one that has been picked up off the rack. Making your own gifts can take a little more time, but the end results will be worthwhile. For those of you who struggle with crafting your own gifts, I will provide ideas that can be bought cheaply too.

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