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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Dec 03 2009 at 7:07am | IP Logged
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The year we had nothing, my mom typed up and printed out all of her favorite recipes and put them in a binder, including her secret brownie recipe. My mom was an avid cook, so this made sense, but I went through and helped her format the cookbook a bit better, and she would make pretty fabric covers for binders and give them as wedding gifts for years to come.
I also got this ridiculous gorilla that played music. I think my mom thought it was cute and wanted to put *something* else under the tree, but I'll tell you, I was so disappointed by that gorilla that I don't think my mom realized how much I liked the cookbook.
Anyway, I would have rather had one paperback book I wanted than the silly gorilla (which, who knows, maybe she got it for free).
So all that to say, A) maybe putting together something like a scrapbook (not necessarily fancy, just family pictures) or a collection of family recipes or, as Jodie suggested, a family heirloom, would be appropriate for the older children. Something they can stick in their "hope chest" (even if its a figurative one).
Another thing might be something towards doing something as a family that you don't usually do. For instance, we are members of the local gardens and go there for "free" now anyway, but we rarely ever buy any of the snacks from vendors or anything from the gift shop. Maybe there is some local place that is decorated for the holidays you could go the day after Christmas, and the big treat is getting $5 a piece to take with them to spend there.
I just had another idea, but I had to sneeze, and now I forgot it 
Ah! Yes. My husband was an uncle for years and years before he was a dad, and as the fun young uncle, for birthdays of young nieces and nephews, he would go to the grocery store and buy them all the fun stuff they didn't usually get on a regular basis, like juice boxes with cartoon characters, fruit gummies, maybe even a box of cereal with a big cartoon character on it like Elmo. Something like juice boxes might be fun to put in stockings.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Erin
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Joann
My dear friend Gae is doing a total handmade Christmas with only materials on hand. Check out their Poor Box Toys Inc workshop wonderful memories, beautiful children.
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Erin
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Dec 03 2009 at 7:58am | IP Logged
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Everyone this year will be receiving gifts that are "vintage"  to borrow Jen's excellent term.
Some gifts that I think will be popular include audiocds for elementary aged girls, and clothes for an older teen. I found some great heavy duty flannels for my teen boy. Trendy t shirts that are too expensive when new are a dime a dozen at thrift stores, as well as purses for preteen girls. And the biggest find were some great vinyl records (do you have a 1/2 Price Books in the area?) for my musical teen. Actually, 1/2 price books is also a great place to look for used books for readers as well. Little kids are easy...there are tons of big tonka trucks out there used that just need some soap and water.
I'd do these sorts of things along with some coupons and some Christmas candy. Vintage gifts can be very cool.
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~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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crusermom
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| Posted: Dec 03 2009 at 8:35am | IP Logged
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I am hoping to find a ping pong table on craigslist and then token gifts for each kid. Grandma buys them each something nice though - so I can always count on her.
My family was so poor growing up - I know we didn't get much for Christmas , but I have the most warm and wonderful memories from my childhood.
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Mary
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crusermom
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| Posted: Dec 03 2009 at 8:36am | IP Logged
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Oh yes, my twelve year old only wants her own tube of toothpaste for Christmas. I think that one I can handle.....
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Mary
Army wife and Crusermom to 8 wonderful children!
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KC in TX
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| Posted: Dec 03 2009 at 9:06am | IP Logged
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crusermom wrote:
| Oh yes, my twelve year old only wants her own tube of toothpaste for Christmas. I think that one I can handle..... |
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That's awesome! 
What great ideas! Donna Marie, you should write a book! You always have such great ideas.
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wife to Ben (10/94),
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wifemommy
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My 4 year old asked for a book to color in without pictures and a button....she doesn't care what kind she'll let me know what I need to sew it on to  Also I am making the little ones a indoor tee-pee from the boy scout web site I am just using fabric from my stash. For the older ones I am putting together kits for the kids rather then trying to make everything ie the little girls 4,6,8 all want play earrings. I can by a bag of clip on post and some beads and they can design all their own jewelry.
The best thing I did this year was not let any cataloges or ads in the house The little ones put their own bag of marshmellows on their list. Also go make friends with a Sears salesman ...we got a $300 air hockey table for $50. The kids love it lots of use by them and their friends.... Have fun!!! Annie
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Christine
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| Posted: Dec 03 2009 at 9:25am | IP Logged
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crusermom wrote:
| Oh yes, my twelve year old only wants her own tube of toothpaste for Christmas. I think that one I can handle..... |
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My children still talk about how they used your children's Christmas toothbrushes on New Year's Day.
When we first moved to the U.S., my family had very little money. Our first Christmas here, I received a Holly Hobbie Nursery Rhyme book. I was seven and I loved it. I still have the book. It is even more special now because it is one of the few things in which my mom wrote.
My husband always says that less is more. The less a child receives, the more he appreciates what he has.
I know that Catholic schools have a Giving Tree at Christmas time. Is there some way for us to have something similar?
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Christine
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stacykay
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| Posted: Dec 03 2009 at 10:00am | IP Logged
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CrunchyMom wrote:
...
The year we had nothing, my mom typed up and printed out all of her favorite recipes and put them in a binder, including her secret brownie recipe. My mom was an avid cook, so this made sense, but I went through and helped her format the cookbook a bit better, and she would make pretty fabric covers for binders and give them as wedding gifts for years to come.
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I ***love*** this idea!!! I am giving 21yods a crockpot for Christmas, and this is will be great with it. He is always calling to ask how to make something (hope this doesn't cut down on the calls! ) I have my mum's handwritten recipes and my grandmother's cookbook with her little adds and comments, and they are both so special to me.
Christine wrote:
...
When we first moved to the U.S., my family had very little money. Our first Christmas here, I received a Holly Hobbie Nursery Rhyme book. I was seven and I loved it. I still have the book. It is even more special now because it is one of the few things in which my mom wrote.... |
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Yes!  
Christine wrote:
| ....My husband always says that less is more. The less a child receives, the more he appreciates what he has... |
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Amen! 
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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hylabrook1
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As I went about my errands today, this thread was constantly in the back of my mind. One stop was the library, where there is continuous book sale to benefit the Friends of the Library. Hardbacks are $1, paperbacks 50 cents. Many of the books are brand new, many gently used, and they cover an enormous range of topics. Maybe your library does something similar?
Another thought was that you could make a poster for each child (or for some of them) by finding a poem or Bible verse that suits that child and printing it out in a fancy font, then mounting the paper on a pretty background (either scrapbooking paper, wrapping paper, or something you draw). Maybe a Dollar Store picture frame would hold it nicely?
It also occurred to me that, even though you will give gifts, you might want to shift the focus of the day away from the gift opening and plan a full day of playing cards and other games, putting together a jigsaw puzzle, reading aloud. Make a memorable day centered on the gift of family.
Just a few thoughts. There are some really lovely ideas being shared by everyone!
Peace,
Nancy
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julia s.
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I came across Ben Makes Ten it has some good no or low cost Christmas ideas.
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ekbell
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CrunchyMom wrote:
So all that to say, A) maybe putting together something like a scrapbook (not necessarily fancy, just family pictures) or a collection of family recipes or, as Jodie suggested, a family heirloom, would be appropriate for the older children. Something they can stick in their "hope chest" (even if its a figurative one).
A |
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Two items I've received from my mom which I still use have been the binder full of Advent and Christmas songs (I've copied my pages so that all of the family can have their own binder) and the Baptism scrapbook she gave me (along with the Baptism gown my great Aunt made for her birth) which I bring out everytime we discuss the sacrament of Baptism.
My wedding shower was a kitchen and recipe shower. Everyone brought an item for a kitchen and a recipe that used that item. It was a lot of fun, and while I've worn out some of the gifts I still have all the recipes.
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Waverley
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Mackfam wrote:
** create some baby doll quilts from fabric scraps around the house - you could make a doll pillow, doll sling, doll diaper bag. Sometimes you can find a pretty flat sheet that would serve well for all these projects and then they coordinate! |
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I second this suggestion. One year for Christmas my sister gave one of my girls 3 sets of baby doll bedding. Each set consisted of a pillow and a blanket. My sister sewed them out of left over material. Those blankets and pillow are on child #5 and are one of the most played with items we have.
2. A restaurant kit. Sew a waiters apron, purchase a guest check book ($1), and type up a menu on a piece of paper and laminate it. Have fun with the menu - name the restaurant after the child, list her favorite foods and put the prices in easy to add denominations. My kids love to play restaurant!
3. Make tablecloths/picnic cloths out of a yard of fabric. Each of my girls has their own square cloth which is used (like a playsilk) for lots of activities. They put them on their little table for a tea party or restaurant table, take it outside for real and pretend picnics, use them as blankets in the car, etc.
I hope this helps. I love, love the other ideas on this thread.
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Waverley
wife to Dh for 19 years, dd (16), dd (11), dd (8), ds (6), dd (4), dd (9-13-1996)
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MaryMary
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I love this thread...it has been on my mind all day (and all night as I struggle with pregnancy-induced insomnia )
If I had $150 to spend on ten kids, I would give each of them a coupon (which someone mentioned above) for some special one-on-one time with mom and dad along with a "love letter" written from the parents to each particular child. It can descibe how proud you are of them, the qualities you love the most about them, what your prayers are for them..I might wrap all these up in small boxes and put them under the tree.
With the $150 I would either invest in a few larger items such as games that the family can play together or i would use it to fill their stockings with little things: small games, puzzles, toys, paperback books for the olders, craft kits (from the dollar section at Michaels)items pertaining to their hobbies (eg. knitting/crochet needles and yarn) and of course treats like chocolate, candy, gum etc.
I just love all the ideas on this thread!
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Mary
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Angie Mc
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Joann, I thought of you at Mass yesterday . The homily included a sweet story about a family who couldn't afford gifts so instead, cut out pictures from magazines/drew pictures/wrote descriptions/wrapped them... of the gifts they would have liked to have given each other for Christmas! I thought this was such a lovely idea that our family is looking to integrate it in some way this year.
Another idea which may have already been mentioned...split the money between family members, draw grab bag names, then go to the mall on a treasure hunt together for gift purchasing.
Love,
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Angie Mc
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Topic: If you could scrape together $150.00
