Get "Christmas Ready" NOW
I know most of you have already been to a yard sale, redone a piece of furniture or bought yourself something you collect. Have you ever thought about having a Christmas that cost you next to nothing, everyone has fun and you don't have any bills to pay after the holiday. Well here is your answer - tell your family that this Christmas no one is allowed to buy a new, expensive gift for anyone! Yes, I really said that. Tell them that all presents must be from garage sales, tag sales, yard sales, auctions, handmade or made over. You really need to start now, spring/summer, hit all the garage sales, auctions, and thrift stores, that you can. Find items that your family collects, things from sports teams that they like, such as T-shirts with silly sayings, posters, glasses, etc. Pick up craft items that will look cute around someones home. You can find games for the kids and puzzles abound. You won't believe how many golf clubs you can find, bicycles, tricycles, baby toys and clothes. You can find records, cassettes and videos (old classics make great gifts). Think how many gifts you can collect over the summer for a quarter to a dollar. The person who collects cats or bears can double their collection just from items you find. You will be amazed at the silly things you can find at garage sales for brother, sister or best friend. Look at items as they will look cleaned up or painted. Even old scratched furniture is popular. Cabinets, bookcases, dressers can look terrific if sanded and re-stained or painted the color of someones room theme. You can make them match by adding wood cutouts, decals, or ornaments. Cute 2 and 3 drawer end tables for playrooms, a home office or kids room can be painted with each drawer a different color or painting stripes. Knobs can be painted or replaced. Old trunks, foot lockers, old part metal suitcases can be made into neat storage or toy boxes. Be sure to fix lids so they won't fall on children when they are open. Decoupage the inside lids and bottoms with wallpaper, newspaper or wrapping paper. When buying clothes out of season, buy them a little larger for next year. Also if you find a really good buy but it is a little large get it anyway. Almost new bed spreads, comforters and sheets are great gifts. This is a good buy if you find your color or design. Used sheets, etc.,are also great for a college student, camp or in kids rooms. Educational toys are always at garage sales. Carry a couple of batteries with you and try them out if the toy doesn't work. My family did this several years ago and the floor was covered with gifts, hundreds of them. What fun you can have opening something silly or watching the face of a family member as they unwrap a collectible. The people in your family who are crafty can present everyone with a beautiful handmade item that they will treasure for many years.You can find nice things on eBay but be sure of the seller and their feedback. Also you can find lots of second hand stores where you can find perhaps a small piece of furniture and redo it. Used book stores will have some nice books that are good for coffee table books, on art, travel or other books with lots of colorful pictures or even on "how to" books are great. A store like Hobby Lobby will have books showing you how to redo furniture pieces in cute ways with a little elbow grease and paint. If your city has book stores that are part of your city library you will find great books. This time of year keep your eye out for church craft sales and even home baked goods are great gifts. Just look around your town and see where you can go besides the mall or expensive stores. Look for thrift stores, even the Salvation Army thrift store, is a neat place to wander around in. You can find some interesting items there. You might not think of this but go through your grocery store and fill a basket full of things like tea, specialty coffees, unusual jellies, fruits, cheeses, and neat canned meats that people don't buy a lot. Try baked goods or try some items from the oriental or Mexican shelves. Put all your items in a basket with a bow and see the smiles on the face of the recipient. One other easy gift is a scrapbook or photo album full of family pictures or have each child do a personal drawing or painting and frame them - grandparents will love these. Imagine how your children will feel if they make your presents and you display them in a prominent place. They will be so proud. This is a very good way to teach your children that the purchase is not as important as the thought.
The year we did this, we had several hundred packages under the tree and we laughed all morning at some of the presents. It was a really fun time and the kids loved it and we had absolutely NO BILLS, NO CREDIT CARD DEBT or empty bank accounts. Try it one year and you will be hooked!!!
posted by Ann at
3:37 PM
6 Comments:
This sounds like a nice idea and it also sounds like some thought has to go into each gift which is great! Definitely have to give yourself some time. Nice post!
I love this idea. I am always buying my grandson clothing, toys, etc. at yard/garage sales but none of my other family likes going to them. We stopped buying gifts except for the children several years ago but I still like the idea and still buy stuff for family members all year long.
I love this idea, I certainly know I would have fun buying for everyone!
I'm going to present this idea to my family, I hope they want to participate.
I have done this for my one sister who likes antiques, my problem is that I'm so excited when I find something that I give it to her before the holiday!
I might consider it, but to tell you the truth my family really doesn't deserve to get anything..
Well since we made it a not gift policy this past christmas with our families they'd welcome this from us.
... I mean, I'd rather get Betty a gift than those losers....
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