Last Minute Gifts!!

Okay, so do you still have people to buy for on your Christmas list?? What about the person who already has everything, what should you get them?? One of my favorite types of gifts to give are consumable gifts. Do you know what type of coffee or tea they like? If so, buy a bag or box of coffee, some creamer, and sweetener. Add a nice travel mug, and you have the perfect gift.

Why not give a family gift. Buy the ingredients for smores, a box of graham crackers, bag of marshmallow, and a big chocolate bar. Add a box of hot chocolate and maybe a fun game the family can play together.

These are examples of gifts that are sure to get used, and those are the type of gifts I like to give.

Do you have any last minute gift ideas??

photo source: All Recipe

What can you do with candy??

Tons of neat things. Beth Kimmerle, a candy historian and author of Candy: The Sweet History, created these fun and easy holiday concepts using candy and candy wrappers.

Click the picture to enlarge it.  Hope you all have fun!!

Christmas Traditions!!

Do you and your family have fun Christmas traditions? These are a few of the things that our family does at Christmas time.

1. Reindeer Food. I posted about this last year, and my kids absolutely loved it. They have been asking me when we would be doing it again, every since we put up the tree. You can read all about how to make it here. We make the reindeer food and sprinkle it on the yard on Christmas Eve, that way Santa's Reindeer will be sure to find our house (wink, wink). This is fun for both parents and children, and doesn't cost much. You probably already have the ingredients around the house.

2. Cookies for Santa. This is a favorite at my house as well. We like to make Chocolate chips and oatmeal cookies, and of course you can not forget to leave carrots for the reindeer and Chocolate milk, because my children seem to think that Chocolate is Santa's favorite.

3. Christmas morning breakfast. This is something new we will be starting this year. We always have breakfast, but this year I will be making monkey bread as a fun breakfast, of course I doubt the children will be interested in eating anything, but I will have it just in case.

4. Christmas PJ's. We do this every year. The children are allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve, and it is always a pair of Christmas pj's. They wear them that night, and on Christmas morning everyone has nice pretty pj's on for all of the pictures.

What are your Christmas traditions? Leave a comment and share what you and your family do to make the season special.

Linking to these parties.

Simple decorations with Christmas balls!!

If you are trying to decorate on a budget, have no fear, there are tons of things that you can do with regular ornaments!! Decorating for Christmas does not have to be expensive. I have already blogged about some of our decorations using natural elements, and today we will talk about ornaments, or the Christmas balls, as my children refer to them.

I wanted to add a little something to my kitchen to make it feel a little more Christmas like, so I decided to take some of the ornaments that we are not using on the tree this year and hang them in the window at the sink. I took some ribbon that I already had and tied it onto the ornaments. I hung the ribbon using thumb tacks.

I used this method in the dining room as well. I needed something else to make it look like Christmas, so I went to the Dollar Tree and picked up some large ornaments, and hung them from the light fixture using ribbon. Super simple, super frugal, and I like the way it looks!!

You could easily continue this theme throughout your home in doorways and windows!!

I am linking to these great parties!!

From plain to Sparkle!!

Okay, to carry on with the Christmas Decorating on a budget, today I will tell you about my shiny little cones!! I needed something to go on the mantle in the den, that was not breakable!!

I have seen the little sparkle cones (trees) and thought those were cute, so I decided to make a couple. I already had some red tinsel, so I grabbed a couple of the floral foam cone things. Next I took the glue gun and started gluing.

It did not take that long, and I am happy with the way they turned out. It gives the mantle just enough sparkle!!

I am linking to these great parties:
Thrilling Thrusday
It's Stinkin Cute
Home For The Holidays
Some What Simple

Natural Christmas Decorations!!

Okay, so to continue with the theme of Christmas decorations, I have another super frugal and fun decoration. At my house we have tons and tons of acorns!! They cover the driveway, and it doesn't matter how much you blow them off of they driveway by the end of the day it is covered again.

I just knew there had to be something I could do with them. So, I bought two of these clear glass containers from the Dollar Tree, for $1.00 each. I then collected enough acorns to fill the bottom half. Next I took some branches off of a small cedar tree in our yard, and stuck them down in the acorns. To finish it off I added some pretty ribbon that I got for super cheap at the after Christmas sale last year.

So, this is what is on the mantle in our Living Room. I like it, it is simple, but cozy.

I am linking to these great parties:
Show and Tell
Tea Rose Home
Someday Crafts
Make it Yours Day
Works for Me Wednesday

Christmas Bathroom Decor!!

Okay, to continue with the frugal Christmas decorating ideas, today I want to show you how I finished my bathroom. I placed the Christmas basket from yesterday's post on the counter, but needed something else.

So, I pulled out some of my ornaments that were not being used on the tree this year, and found a glass vase. I placed the ornaments in the vase, tied some ribbon on, and set the vase on a huge candle stick that I found a while back at a yard sale.

Tada, this is how my little bathroom counter looks this Christmas.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more frugal Christmas ideas, and the Giveaway bash starts tomorrow!!

I am linking to these great parties:
Twelve Crafts Till Chirstmas
Get Your Craft On
Take A Look Tuesday
Anti-Procrastination Tuesday

Frugal Christmas Decorations!!

Christmas time is almost here, and it is time to decorate, or at least it is at our house. In an effort to be frugal with the decorations, I decided to see what I could do for free, using what nature has given us.

Pine cones and pine sprigs. I have this basket that that sits on my bathroom counter, so I decided to go outside and find something to put in it. I found these pine cones in my yard, and the pine sprigs as well. I simply tied the pine cones together in bundles, using sparkly gold colored ribbon. I placed them in the basket, and then arranged the pine around them. Ta-da, instant and free Christmas decorations!!

Stay tuned tomorrow for more frugal Christmas decorations!!

Don't forget about the Holiday giveaway bash that will start on December 1st!!  Check in everyday for a new giveaway!!

If you are looking for something meaningful to do as a family activity for the Holiday season, be sure to check out my post on Stocking the Pantry!!

I am linking to these great parties:
The DIY Showoff
Motivate Me Monday

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you all have a wonderful day full of family and friends, not to mention good food.

I have been thinking a lot lately about how God has blessed my life, and I want to do something to help others who may be in need. So, I have decided to see how much stuff (food and toiletries) I can acquire by shopping with coupons from now until Christmas, and donate it to my local food bank/shelter. I would like to ask all of you other Coupon Moms and Dads, if you will join me in my effort to "Stock the Pantry"!!

Any sized donation will be so greatly appreciated by these organizations. If you do not have one close by, why not start a box for a family that is in need. You probably will not have to look very far to find one. If you are uncomfortable doing this type of thing, you don't even have to let them know who did it. Leave it on their doorstep one morning with their name and a little note (you don't even have to sign your name).

I know that if we all join in we can make a huge impact, so if you would like to be involved, please leave a comment, and take pictures of your stockpile. Closer to Christmas, I will have a linky up where you can share what you were able to donate.

Today and tomorrow are great days to start your stock pile. CVS and Walgreens have some awesome deals where you can get tons of stuff for free!!

Have a blessed day!!

The Night Before Christmas!!

Christmas Clearance Reminder!!

I just wanted to post a little reminder about all of the After Christmas Sales, that will be starting the day after Christmas. This is the perfect time to stock up on decorations and gifts for next year. If you missed my post last year on all of the great stuff I found, you can see it here. I was able to pick up a ton of stuff on Clearance. I always try to save a little money at Christmas time to use on the clearance sales. Not only can you find gifts for next year, but you can pick up gifts that can be used throughout the year for birthdays or other occasions.


photo source: djayo

Frugal Gifts for Dad!!

Okay, so today we are going to talk about frugal gifts for Dad. When you think about frugal, think about practical. What are some practical things that you know he will both like and use. Below are a few of the ideas that have always worked for me.

1. A coupon book. I love these, because they are so practical. Make your own little coupon book, you can do it by hand or on the computer (the kids will love helping with this). Fill it with "free passes" for dad. Some examples include: One week of taking out the garbage, one car wash, one day of golf (you get the picture). Your book can be filled with whatever your Dad will find meaningful. Whenever Dad is ready to use one, he can take out the coupon and redeem it with you or your child.

2. A screwdriver set. What is more practical for a man, than a screwdriver set. Although this may not be something that is used everyday, they are definitely great to have on hand when the need arises.

3. A grooming set. These are great to stuff in a stocking because they are usually small. My husband always welcomes these, because we can not keep up with a pair of fingernail clippers. They always disappear, and I have no idea where they go.

4. A coffee mug. Of course you can get a cute one that says something nice about Dad, or you may want to get a sturdy one with a lid that he can travel with.

5. His favorite drink mix. If he likes a certain drink mix, hot chocolate for example, make some up and place it in a cute little bag or jar. Slip it in his stocking and you are all set.

These are just a few simple ideas on frugal gifts for Dad. Do you have some great ideas, if so leave a comment and share with everyone.

Christmas Traditions!!

Do you and your family have fun Christmas traditions? These are a few of the things that our family does at Christmas time.

1. Reindeer Food. I posted about this last year, and my kids absolutely loved it. They have been asking me when we would be doing it again, every since we put up the tree. You can read all about how to make it here. We make the reindeer food and sprinkle it on the yard on Christmas Eve, that way Santa's Reindeer will be sure to find our house (wink, wink). This is fun for both parents and children, and doesn't cost much. You probably already have the ingredients around the house.


2. Cookies for Santa. This is a favorite at my house as well. We like to make Chocolate chips and oatmeal cookies, and of course you can not forget to leave carrots for the reindeer and Chocolate milk, because my children seem to think that Chocolate is Santa's favorite.

3. Christmas morning breakfast. This is something new we will be starting this year. We always have breakfast, but this year I will be making monkey bread as a fun breakfast, of course I doubt the children will be interested in eating anything, but I will have it just in case.

4. Christmas PJ's. We do this every year. The children are allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve, and it is always a pair of Christmas pj's. They wear them that night, and on Christmas morning everyone has nice pretty pj's on for all of the pictures.

What are your Christmas traditions? Leave a comment and share what you and your family do to make the season special.

Frugal Stocking Stuffers!!

Okay, with Christmas around the corner, it is time to start thinking about stocking stuffers. If you are like most of us, money is probably tight, and there may not be much to spend on Stocking stuffers, but have no fear I have found some great ideas for you.

1. This is probably my favorite idea, recycled crayons. You can find out how to make them here.


2. Homemade Play dough is another fun idea. You can find 10 easy recipes here.


3. Bathtub crayons are fun for the kids, and surprisingly easy to make. You can find the recipe here.


4. Homemade bath slats are great for tweens and teens. You can find out how to make your own here.


5. Make your own lip gloss for those tweens and teens too. They will be sure to love it, and you can find out how to make it here.


So there are a few ideas to get you started. Be sure to check back tomorrow for more great, frugal ideas.

Day after Christmas Clearance!!

Well, I was in Walmart this morning at 6:00 am, to stock up on gifts for next year. I was able to find lots of stuff since I was one of the first shoppers of the day. The pictures are of the stuff in my cabinets, I had to put it in before the children started playing with all of the new goodies.

This is what I got at Walmart:
(4) 4 pack plastic cups
(2) packs of Christmas pencils
(2) packs of Christmas erasers
(2) packs of clear gift bags
(1) wreath
(1) pair of Christmas socks
(26) gift sets
(2) serving trays
(1) large pack of tape
(1) 200 sq. ft. roll of wrapping paper
(4) foam craft kits
(1) foam snowflake craft kit
(1) box of Christmas cards
(1) 2 pack of pot holders
(1) dish towel
(1) pack of Christmas Starbucks candy
(2) packs of large ornaments
Total $103.63

Now I have all of my Christmas gifts for next year purchased (with the exception of the big gifts for my children).




Next up I went to Roses. If you have one near you, I suggest you go check it out. This is what I got:

(1) 7 ft. pre lite Christmas tree
(1) wreath
(4) Christmas flowers
(1) 6 ft. Snowman for the lawn
(2) set of 3 gifts for the lawn
(2) Christmas Rugs
(1) Pack of 300 Christmas lights
(2) Christmas yard signs
(1) wooden Christmas sign
(2) small decorative trees
(1) bag of Ghiradelli Christmas chocolates

Total= $84.92

Everything was 50% off, and now I have outdoor decorations for next year, and a nice big tree.

Did you go After Christmas Shopping today? How did you do?

What is on your Christmas Dinner menu?

This is what we are planning for Christmas Day.

For breakfast I will be baking Christmas Morning Biscuit Twists . Crystal at Biblical Womanhood came up with this recipe, and I think it sounds like a great tradition to start.

For Lunch we will be having:
Baked Ham
Sweet Potato Casserole
Rice and Gravy
Green Beans
Cookie Dough Truffles

Supper will be leftovers.

I will post pictures tomorrow, and the recipe for the Sweet Potato casserole. What is on your menu?

Frugal Family Christmas Decorations!!

We did this today, and the kids had a blast. You will need construction paper, glue, and scissors. Cut out the strips and glue them together. If your house is like mine, I have tons of construction paper so this was a great way to use some of it up. The kids love this so much, because it is a decoration that they made.

Do you have a great frugal Christmas decoration idea? If so, leave me a comment and let me know all about it.

Stocking Stuffers!!

Christmas is on the way, and it's time to get all of those little things marked off of the list. Stocking stuffers are so easy to forget, so I wanted to post a list of my favorite frugal stocking stuffers.

1. Lip gloss is always good, for females.
2. Travel size toiletries (if you are a coupon shopper or CVS shopper I am sure
you have a lot of these)
3. For kids, Veggie tale Cd's are on sale for $3.99 and up, check out the
Veggie Tale box on my sidebar.
4. Crayons are usually a big hit with kids too.
5. Everyone could use a new toothbrush, CVS shoppers probably have an endless supply of these too.
6. Hair bows for girls, you can't go wrong.
7. Candy, I know it is not the healthiest gift, but it sure is fun.
8. A deck of cards.
9. Stamps and stickers for kids, mine love it.
10. Pens, everyone could use some of these, and if you were able to stock up a while back at walmart you probably have plenty to go around.

This is just a short list of some of my favorite stocking stuffers. If you haven't already, check out the Dollar Store, you would be surprised at all of the goodies you can get for just a buck. Do you have some great stocking stuffer ideas? If so, leave me a comment and let me know all about them.