Part 2- Teacher aide gifts and a few girlfriends gift

Here's what I gave the teacher aides, office staff at the elementary school, and a few of my girlfriends: A Glade candle and some Hershey kisses. No saying just the gift this time! I got these single tea light candles (shown below) last year on the day after Christmas clearance for FREE with coupons. I got the Hershey kisses this year on Thanksgiving clearance (Can't remember the price) from 2010 (of course from this year not last and they don't expire till 2011). I picked out the red and silver wrapped kisses for this gift. We ate the coppery orange Thanksgiving paper ones! :0)I piled the kisses on top and wrapped with tissue paper and ribbon. I am showing you how I pulled up the corners on the tissue paper.
And wahh laa an inexpensive Christmas gift!

My neighbor and friend gifts Part 1-Cookie mixes

Here' what I gave out to my neighbors and some friends. I attached this saying to the cookie mix box! I got these cookie mix boxes for FREE with coupons at Smith's!

If you find yourself on Christmas Eve's chill,
With no Christmas cookies for Santa's fill,
Don't make them from scratch,
Just whip up a batch,
On us, direct from Krusteaz mill!
Merry Christmas

Here's some other poems you could use:

This one is to be delivered on Christmas Eve Day!

When Santa comes on Christmas Eve,
He likes to have a treat.
Usually something fattening
And always something sweet.

So while you're getting ready
For the big event tonight
Bake up a batch for Santa
And he will treat you right!

OR For a Friend:
Use this poem with a cookie mix, cookie in a jar, or homemade cookie dough:

Isn't Christmas delightful with presents and goodies galore?
But you might feel like you can't eat one gooey calorie more.
So just about New Years, when you are craving some sweets,
Remember you have a cookie (dough) mix in the pantry (or freezer) and you're not far from a yummy hot treat!

OR my favorite sarcastic poem (for the right audience of course)

Use a cookie mix or brownie mix with the following poem:

Roses are Red
Violets are Sweet
I'm too stressed out from shopping
So please make your own dang treat! Ha ha

My 6 month's old gift to his Daddy

I am making hand prints of my son's hand at 6 months to give to my husband for Christmas (or you could do if for his b-day or Father's Day). Here's the poem I am putting with it. NOTE: I recommend doing hand prints when your baby is sleepy or sleeping!

Daddy

Daddy, take my hand in yours and you will plainly see,
How very much I need you now to love and care for me.
Then as my little hand grows, I will need you even more.
Everything I do in life, I have never done before.

Teach me to be kind and loving, sharing and forgiving.
Show me through your acts of love the pure joy of living.
The years will pass by quickly and one day I’ll be grown,
I will pass what you have taught me onto children of my own.

Keep these hand prints with you and remember when we’re apart,
The special love that dwells between a child and Daddy's heart.

~ Author Unknown

Homemade peppermint playdough-Use the recipe year round too!

Are you looking for last minute stocking stuffers, friend gifts, birthday gift, play group gifts? You can make peppermint(or other scents year round) play dough today. I am planning making some over the holiday break to keep my kids busy when they aren't in school. Thanks, to Dixie coupon chicks for the blog post.

Peppermint Play Dough

1 cup water
1 Tablespoon oil
1 Tablespoon peppermint extract, pure or imitation
red food coloring
1/2 cup salt
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tarter

Boil water in a bowl in microwave, about 2 1/2 minutes. Add oil, peppermint extract and red food coloring and stir until desired color. Add salt, flour and cream of tarter and combine with a fork. When it begins to ball up mix it with your hands until it becomes a play dough consistency.

Next I rolled it into a log and divided it equally. Then rolled them into balls and placed them into Ziploc containers. The 100 calorie bowls work perfectly.

Go here to Dixie coupon chicks to see how she packaged her play dough.