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Gift giving at Christmas: you either love it or loathe it.

Whichever group you are like, even the most enthusiastic Christmas shopper tends to get droopy the closer it gets to Christmas. In reality, there are ways to share the joy of giving without going broke, crazy or losing sleep for multiple nights in a row. Gift giving takes a bit more creativity at Christmas to be unique, enjoyed and within budget.

The secret to creative Christmas gifts is creativity and organization. With a little time and thought you can come up with creative Christmas gifts. Pick a money budget so you don’t overspend. Don’t overlook practical gifts such as food gifts. Practical gifts are very lovely for all sorts of people; what you think is an ordinary skill (canning, breakmaking, dried soup mixes) may be someone else’s favorite gift. My favorite gifts from my brother and sister in law include homemade salsa and homemade canned applesauce.

Don’t forget about the time factor when it comes to homemade gifts. If you are going the homemade route, schedule in the prep time, gift making time and clean up. Making homemade applesauce takes about a good 12 hour day! It’s worth it, but it is easier to do if you start with the right mental attitude.

Here are a few ideas:

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• Instead of giving gifts: host a Christmas dinner. If you like to be “artsy” make fun invites. Or, use an online service to send invites. Make your signature dish, fix a special dessert and decorate with white candles and white twinkle lights. For an icebreaker, let everyone know that they will be asked to share a special Christmas memory from years past. Take pictures. Play Nat King Cole or Michael Buble Christmas music in the background.
• Instead of a traditional formal dinner: Host a caroling and hot chocolate night. To keep the costs down, ask for people to bring milk, marshmallows, dessert, etc. As the host, you provide the Christmas ambience and background music. To help anyone who isn’t familiar with the classic Christmas songs and carols, print up copies of the songs the group will sing. Walk around your neighborhood or call ahead to a nursing home, VA hospital or children’s home to schedule a singing time. Don’t forget to retrieve the copies of paper for the next year.
• Instead of individual gifts: Take a picture from the last year and frame it. This works well for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings. The more memorable event in the picture, the more meaningful the picture. Don’t worry if everyone isn’t looking their best. The candid shot after the nephew stuck his fingers in the side of the birthday cake is priceless.
• Expose classic literature to all the kids in the family. There are many options with pictures for the kids who need a more than a pirate to keep their attention. Audiobooks are another good option. Some companies have recorded books in live narrative – like a play – with sound effects and animated voices. This is a fabulous option many kids will enjoy.
• Compile a cookbook of all the favorite family recipes. This can be done as a family affair. Naturally the organizer is going to have the most work. Be sure he or she likes to work on the computer and is happily willing to put in the time. There are also some online stores where you can compile your recipes (everyone enters their own) and then the company sends you the cookbook. It’s very little work on each individual’s part.
• Many companies offer a variety of personalized gifts. Use your favorite photos, imprints or family sayings to create smart phone cases, t-shirts, sweatshirts, aprons, mugs, bags, baby shirts, journals and more. Many companies give coupons and discounts if you “like” them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.marketmillion.com/wp-adminhttps://marketmillion.com/wp-admin

This list is a starting point for you. Don’t forget about going to your local library to browse through magazines and craft books for ideas. Online blogs, Pinterest and other sites could keep you busy for weeks with ideas for creative Christmas gifts.

The most important thing is to act. Make a decision about what you want to do and go with it. Grab some friends and have a “work” day where everyone leaves their regular responsibilities and focusers on their gift making. Procrastination only leads to disappointment and a stomach ulcer. Enjoy the season and enjoy giving (and receiving) creative gifts.

It is almost time to start making spirits bright! Melissa AuClair is an author, artist and speaker who stops (almost) everything to do Christmas-everything! This year she is starting off the season with her new book, “A Kitchen Christmas: How the Modern Girl can Have a Merry Christmas- One Batch of Cookies at a time” She blogs, bakes and creates at

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