Santa Shops Year-Round
Homebodies
By Cheryl Gochnauer
Cheryl@homebodies.org
Copyright 2003
If you're a smart Santa, youdon't wait until the last minuteto fill your sleigh with giftsand treats. That's `way tooexpensive and not nearly as muchfun as planning your purchasesover time.
Coreen, a Homebodies reader fromIdaho, has some tips toshare with other holidayshoppers. "We have many friendsand family members - I wind upgifting about 25-30 people everyyear. Many of my gifts arepremiums received because I useda given product. (You know, send2 proofs of purchase with theoriginal cash register receiptand this form ...) But for tenpeople this year, I am givinggift baskets.
"In January I made out myChristmas list. The ten who arereceiving the gift baskets willget a set of crocheted hot pads(you can see why I start inJanuary), a jar of homemademarinara sauce, a pound of pastabought with coupons and on sale,and a Christmas tree ornament. Imay also include homemade jam, acandle (if you watch the thriftstores you can get them still inthe original wrapper, or you canre-do them easily) and some otherbit of memorabilia or treat.Caramel corn makes a neat treat.A 2-liter bottle of soda is alittle big, but I do have theseneat .75 coupons off one.
"I found enough paper twist inthe recycling bin to make bowsfor the baskets. The baskets were.50 each at the thrift store. Ialso bought curling ribbon lastyear after Christmas for .25 perball.
"These baskets will wind upcosting around $2.00 each, but Ihave taken it out of the grocerybudget all year long. Maybe I'llsplurge and buy some neatcellophane from the florist towrap them in!
"My teen granddaughters will getsmaller baskets, filled withcosmetics that I bought verycheaply or for free with couponsand sale prices.
"The grandsons will get a Brucethe Shark float, tee shirts thatwere earned with candy wrappersmostly saved for me by a friend,and some popular videos gottenfree with promotions.
"When you start in January,Christmas isn't bad."
- Coreen
You can write Cheryl or Coreen at
Cheryl@homebodies.org
, or visit
www.homebodies.org
to readCheryl's column and those ofother family-focused authors. Herbooks, "
So You Want to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
" and "
Stay-at-HomeHandbook: Advice on Parenting,Finances, Career, Surviving EachDay and Much More
", are availableat DrLaura.com, your favorite bookstore or thepublic library. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com
