Merry Christmas!  It's that time of the year again!  Gifts for teachers, gifts for co-workers, gifts for friends, neighbors, family and the list goes on.  Here are some hopefully new ideas and a few that have been around for a while.

• Make homemade bread; wrap it up in colored cellophane with a big bow.  Also give homemade or pretty store bought jam tied with a bow.

• Give a loaf of homemade bread in a new bread pan, tie with a bow and attach recipe and a package of yeast.

• Give an assortment of homemade jams or jellies; small jars are the perfect size for gift giving.  "Jelly is like love--you can't spread it around without getting some on yourself!  Merry Christmas!"

• "We whisk you a Merry Kiss-mas!" Fill the bulb part of a wire whisk with Hershey's kisses.  Wrap in transparent gift wrap, tie a pretty bow on the end and add a  note.

• Give a bag of Hershey's Kisses with a note attached, "Merry Kiss-mas"

• Give a bag of Jolly Rancher candy or bag of Jolly Time popcorn with a note attached, "have a Jolly Christmas".

• Give a carton of Whoppers candy with a  note attached, "Friends like you are worth a mint".

• Fill a measuring cup with candy or other Christmas treat, decorate with a bow and attached  note, "We wish you a full measure of Christmas Cheer".

• Fill several size of canning jars with Christmas candy.

• Layer different candies in a quart jar, tie on a candy cane, add a bow and take to a "Sweet Neighbor".

• Make your favorite sugar cookie dough.  Wrap tightly in cellophane (of course, add a pretty bow).  Also include cookie cutters, frosting and sprinkles.  Put in a nice basket or gift bag. For an extra nice gift, include a cookie sheet and cookie spatula.

• Make a cookie cutter garland with new cookie cutters and strips of fabric.

• Make your favorite homemade soup.  Put soup in a quart size canning jar.  Place jar in an inexpensive pot with ladle and Christmas hot pad.

• Wrap items for candy glass (see recipes) in colored transparent gift wrap.  Include instructions for making ornaments.

• Make Peppermint Stick Sauce ice cream topping (see recipes). Put in a pint jar and tie with a bow.

• Make homemade Hot Fudge Sauce (see recipes). Put in a pint jar and decorate with a fabric top and bow.

• Make an ice cream sundae basket, fill with an assortment of toppings and an ice cream scoop.

• Make a batch of your favorite fudge or brownies.  Cut them out with Christmas Cookie cutters.

• Make fudge and pour it into a metal cookie cutter (on wax paper of course), let it set up in the cookie cutter.  Wrap in transparent gift wrap and tie with a bow.

• Make a Chocolate Pizza (see recipes), wrap in plastic wrap.  Bring the edges of the plastic  wrap to the middle and tie with pretty metallic curling ribbon.

• Make up a gingerbread house kit.  Either make the dough and wrap in cellophane, or include graham crackers.  Add frosting, candy, and other goodies to decorate with.

• Make Cookies in a Jar Mix or Cake Brownies in a Jar Mix (see recipes.)  Decorate lid of jar with fabric and a bow.

• Give a cake in a jar (see recipes). This cake is cooked and sealed in a jar!

• Plan ahead to make and give your favorite fruitcake.

• Make homemade truffles or other candies and give it in a pretty Christmas tin.

• Make chocolate dipped spoons or chocolate dipped peppermint sticks to give with hot chocolate.

• Make Hot Cocoa Mix, wrap in cellophane or use several small packets of hot chocolate mix.  Put inside a Christmas mug.  Could include candy cane stirrers or chocolate dipped spoons.

• Make Raspberry Cocoa Mix (see recipes).

• Make Cinnamon Hot Chocolate Mix (see recipes).

• Give a gift bag filled with hot chocolate mix, marshmallows and Christmas mugs, attach a not, "You Friendship Has Warmed Us The Whole Year Through...We Hope This Hot Chocolate Will Do The Same For You".

• Give homemade Spiced Citrus Drink mix in a cute fabric bag with recipe and mixing directions (see recipes).

• Give hot buttered Drink Mix in a cute mug (see recipes).

• Give a "Christmas Morning breakfast Kit".  This could include pancake mix, spatula and maple syrup.

• Buy pretty Christmas soaps, or a seasonal soap dispenser.  Write a gift tag, "We Wash"  you a Merry Christmas.

• Buy the cute cheese spreaders that have seasonal characters on the handles.  Attach a note, "Spreading Christmas Joy".  If you want, also include a homemade cheese ball and crackers.

• Cluster and wrap a bow around pretty scented votive candles, attach a note that says, "May the 'Light' of Christmas be with you all year".

• Give a pretty Christmas candle with a note attached, "May the candle's glow reflect the star, that wise men followed from afar, and may your home like that above always be aglow with love".

• Give two small bayberry candles to a friend with a cute not that explains this English tradition.

• Make a tin can luminary or make luminaries with sacks, sand, and votive candles to line a front walkway.

• Give a bottle of 7-Up wrapped with a bow.  Include a not, "have a Bubbly Christmas". Include a recipe for a holiday drink that calls for 7-Up (or whatever soda you used).

• Give a bottle of Sprite with a not attached "May your holidays be Merry and Sprite".

• Give homemade red and green or store bought salsa.  Include not, "Hope you have a real "Kick" this Christmas".  You could also include a bag of tortilla chips.

• Give a brown paper gift bag with Texas shaped Tortilla chips from the grocery store and a jar of salsa.  Tie a cute "Texas" Christmas tree ornament on the bag handle with a note "A Texas Treat".

• Buy a "Honey Bear" and wrap with a bow.  Include a not, "Hope you have a Beary Christmas"  This idea could also be used with a jar of berry jam.

• Make your favorite muffins, wrap up real cute and attach a note, "Hope your getting 'muffin' for Christmas".

• Make a batch of bran muffin batter than can be stored in the refrigerator, put in a plastic container.  Attach recipe and baking instructions.

• Buy a cheese grater, wrap a bow around it and include a note that reads, "Have a 'grate' Christmas".

• Buy a six-pack of IBC Root Beer. Twist brown pipe cleaners below the caps to look like antlers on a reindeer.  Add wiggly eyes and a red pom pom for a nose.  Tie curling ribbon around the neck and add a  little bell.  Attach a note that reads "We're Rootin' you'll have a great Christmas" or "Your favorite root deer wishes you a Merry Christmas".

• Buy a three pack of microwave popcorn.  Tie with a bow and attach note, "Just poppin' by with a holiday Hi!"

• Get a large expensive caramel corn in a bucket or cute gift bag.

• Give homemade goodies in a large tin can that has been decorated.

• Make a spaghetti dinner in a Christmas oven mitt.  Include spaghetti, sauce mix, pasta spoon, etc.

• Give "Texas Trash" (Chex Mix) in a quart jar with a fabric lid cover.

• Give other Chex cereal treats in cute containers or bags (see recipes).

• Give homemade granola in cute containers or bags (see recipes).

• Arrange six or more candy canes with a tissue paper in a cute holiday mug.

• Make candy cane stick horses or candy cane mice (see instructions).

• Give Rice Krispy Treats in a cute container or wrapped creatively.  Or, give all of the ingredients to make Rice Krispy Treats.

• Make cinnamon sugar, put in a cute shaker; give with English Muffins.

• Make a gingerbread mix, put in a cute fabric bag with recipe and a gingerbread man ornament or cookie cutter tied to the bag.

• Give homemade gingerbread boy cookies in a brown paper gift bag with frosting and decorations, tie recipe and cookie cutter tied to the bag.

• Make a small bird feeder or birdhouse and give with a bag of birdseed, attach a note "A Christmas Treat For The Birds".

• Give a holiday kitchen towel with story (see story).

• Make holiday kitchen towels with tops (fabric or crocheted) that can attach to drawer handles.

• Give a bottle of JOY dish soap with note attached, "JOY To the World and To You", could include a new kitchen towel and washcloth.

• Give a fruit basket or bag of oranges or bag of apples.  Caramel dip is yummy with the apples!  (see story about orange).

• Give a pie plate filled with apples, include this verse: Apples are my fav-or-ite, I hope they suit your appetite.  Make a pie inside this plate, or eat them plain, they'll taste just great!

• Make a  "Countdown  to Christmas" chalkboard.

• Make a candy advent or candy garland with candy, plastic wrap and ribbon tied between the pieces of candy.

• Make a twelve days to Christmas bubble gum advent (see bubble gum poem)

• Fill a Christmas stocking with goodies.

• Fill a piñata with candy and surprises.

• Make a  wreath to hang on the front door.

• Make a Christmas bell decoration to hang on a door handles with a note attached, "With each chime of this festive bell may a Christmas wish come true and bring you peace and happiness to last the while year through."

• Make a cute fabric Christmas wall hanging.

• Give a poinsettia or plant in a cute decorated pot.

• Give a bag of nuts or peanuts with a note attached, "we're nuts about you!" or "Christmas ain't nut-in without friends like you".

• Give a box of light bulbs with a note attached, "Have a bright and radiant Christmas".

• Make a snowman from a white stocking.

• Make a snowman topiary from a clay pot and Styrofoam balls.

• Make a knitted or crocheted washcloth with variegated Christmas colored yarn.

• Crochet a bookmark

• Crochet a set of kitchen scrubbies

• Crochet an afghan.  This may take more than a "Twinkling".

• Make a Christmas pillowcase from holiday fabric or decorate a pillowcase; include poem (see pillowcase poem).

• Make an apron from two placemats.

• Decorate with fabric cut-outs or machine embroider purchased kitchen aprons.

• Make bath salts and give in cute jars or fabric bags (see recipes).

• Buy large quantity size bubble bath and pour into pretty bottles.  Decorate the bottle with a pretty bow and a note.  "When the hustle and bustle of Christmas is done, And you're finished having your share of the fun. Relax in a luxurious tub full of foam, And pretend for a  while you're not at home."

• Give a Christmas dessert basket, include a recipe for a favorite dessert and all of the ingredients to make it, can also add the recipe already made up to taste. 

• Give bulbs in a decorated clay pot.

• Give herb seeds in small clay pots to grow in kitchen windows.

• Make flavored vinegar and give in a pretty bottle (see recipes).

• Layer different shaped and colored pastas in a tall canisters jar for visual appeal or for practical use. Attach a great pasta recipe.

• For someone who likes to camp, fill a large jar with marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers, all the fixin's for s'mores.

• Decorate winter gloves, stretch, one size fits all, with buttons and bows.

• Decorate a picture frame with buttons in the corners and add a pretty Christmas photo.

• Make a gift basket or gift bag with ingredients and recipe for a veggie dip or cracker dip; include crackers.

• Give a basket or gift bag with spices or holidays baking supplies and a favorite recipe.

• Give a favorite bottle of seasoning with a note: "May your Christmas be seasoned with love".

• Do a theme gift bag.  How about a home video night, including soda, microwave popcorn, candy, and a video rental certificate.

• Make a cute decorator pillow.

• Make a sachet with doilies or a fabric bag.

• Decorate papier-mâché' boxes with cute paper, paint, or fabric.  Perfect to hold small gifts or goodies.

• Make a pine bough door decoration using pine garland, pinecones, and a bow. Spray with artificial snow.

• Make play dough for kids (see recipes).  Make several different colors and give in small plastic containers.  Add a small rolling pin and cookie cutters for a fun gift.

• Make Magic Reindeer Dust (see recipes) the perfect Christmas Eve gift for believers.

• Make a throw blanket from polar fleece; using a blanket stitch, hand stitch all the way around the polar fleece edge with yarn.

• Make polar fleece scarves for friends and family who live where its cold!

• Make fabric yo-yo Christmas ornaments or a yo-yo garland for the tree.

• Counted cross-stitch ornaments are quick and easy too!

• Make a stenciled doormat

• Fill Glad ware or Ziploc plastic containers with goodies and decorate with ribbon.  This makes a very quick and attractive gift.

• Make fire starters with paraffin wax and bark mulch in festive cupcake papers.  Great for starting those winter fires!

• Make an angel or reindeer recipe holder from a wooden spoon, clothes pin and clay pot.

• Make a bread warmer/hot pack/cold pack.  Easy!  Fill a muslin fabric tube with rice.  Can make a cute cover to slip over the muslin tube.  For more info, see craft section.

• Make a kaleidoscope for kids.  Check out Thomas Boswell, ed, The Kaleidoscope Book: a spectrum of spectacular scopes to make (New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1995)

• Make a decoupage plate for decoration or for delivering goodies.

• Check out the websites for paper dolls and print some out for a special little girl. 

• Make a Christmas Family Memory  Book.  Cover a binder with Christmas Fabric.  Christmas photos and written memories can be added each year.