How to Make Last Minute Holiday Gifts

It's an awful feeling. Your doorbell rings, and a friend or neighbor hands you a gift. Or, you open your mailbox to find a package addressed to you, and open a thoughtful present. These might not sound like bad scenarios, except for when the person who gave it to you is someone you forgot or just did not bother to buy or make a gift for. Do not get upset, but rather, get busy. There is still time to make him a nice gift.

Things You'll Need

• Epsom salt
• Essential oil
• Food coloring
• Jar
• Notecard or card stock
• Recipe ingredients
• Container
• Chocolate chips
• Pretzels
• Sprinkles
• Construction paper
• Cardboard
• Contact paper
• Paper towel roll
• Fabric
• Hot glue

Instructions

1. Make fragrant bath salts. Pour enough bath salts to fill a jar into a bowl. Add several drops of essential oil and a few drops of corresponding food coloring and stir well. Place in the jar and add a tag with instructions to pour a handful or two into a tub of warm water.

2. Write one of your favorite recipes on a pretty notecard or type it up and print it onto card stock. Find a pretty bowl or interesting-looking colander and buy the nonperishable ingredients for the recipe. Tuck the ingredients and the recipe inside the bowl or colander, along with a wooden spoon or a spatula.

3. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave. Dip the tops of several pretzels--rods work best, but big Bavarian-style pretzels work well, too--into the melted chocolate. Decorate with sprinkles and allow to harden. Wrap in cellophane, plastic wrap or a baggie adorned with ribbon.

4. Draw four circles about 5 inches in diameter on construction paper. Have your children draw anything they want inside of the circles with crayons. Cut cardboard the same size and shape as the circles. Use the contact paper to laminate each circle. Stack the homemade drink coasters and tie with ribbon. Give with a pair of cute mugs, if desired.

5. Cut a paper towel cardboard roll into four equal pieces. Cut decorative fabric to fit each piece and hot glue them on for a set of decorative napkin rings.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a batch of your favorite sweet treats. Wrap them on a decorative plate and top with a bow.

• Don't feel as though you always have to give a gift simply because someone gave you one. If your budget will not allow it, a gracious thank you is sufficient.

Resources

• Container Gift Recipes