Yeah, so there are only 9 more weeks until Christmas....EEK! This week, we are focusing our countdown on Neighbor Gifts. While I haven't been a good enough neighbor in the past to actually give my neighbors a gift :), this is the year that changes! In all seriousness, in the past I've made things to give to members of our church, friends, extended family, etc. I would include all of these people in the "neighbor" category. It's someone that you want to get something for, but don't want to spend a lot of money because you have lots of these people on your list!
In the past, I've made homemade lotion, homemade candles, homemade jam, truffles, chocolate bark, cookies, etc. We've been given fruit, homemade hot chocolate mix, chocolate spoons, cookies, etc. Of course, these were given/made before my "blogging days" and I never took photos of these things, so I can't share them here!
What makes a good neighbor gift? In my opinion, it's something edible or something that can be used up. I don't like clutter (though I have plenty of it!), so if it's something I can enjoy but not feel like I have to hang onto it for a long time, that's my personal favorite!
I love to make things, but I'm not very creative. I have to see something in order to figure out how to put something together. That's why they make the internet and pinterest! Here are some of my favorite ideas for neighbor gifts this year:
Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments. I made these when I was little. Easy, cheap and fun to make. Oh, and they make your house smell yummy!
Apple Cider Caramels - these look so yummy and would definitely take a little more time to make and package individually. But they are cute and more original than cookies!
Stamping onto metal is something that I've been wanting to try lately. Ever since I ordered a custom
mommy necklace. It seems like it would be so easy. The person that made this one gives a link to how to stamp the ornament and I think this would even be good as a gift tag/bow. Depending on the number of people on your "neighbor" list, you could customize them a little more or just leave them generic with "Christmas 2011".
My husband's aunt makes Cinnamon Pecans for everyone each year at Thanksgiving. We don't get together with the extended side of the family for Christmas, so it's our Christmas gift that we receive at Thanksgiving. It is so yummy and it's one thing I look forward to every year. This blogger gives instructions on how to make them, and as she points out, you can use any type of nuts. Pecans and Almonds are probably the most common nuts to use for this, though.
Chocolate dipped pretzels are another great idea. I love the sweet and salty combination! They are pretty easy to make as well, just dip pretzels into the chocolate, let them harden and package them however you like! I found these and thought they are simple but they are beautiful! I love how the
white nonpareils
make it look like snow!
This idea is so cute! It's Santa party mix! The Santa hats are made from Bugles, chocolate, white nonpareils and mini marshmallows! Mixed with chocolate covered pretzels, M&M's and chex cereal. What a great idea and so festive!
So, I'm not really much of a mint and chocolate person, but these homemade peppermint patties look good. They also look homemade, which if you are going to take the time to make a gift for someone, I would rather it look like I took the time to make it rather than looking like I picked it up from the store :) Anyway, she mentions having a hard time finding peppermint oil, but I found some easily on
amazon.com here.
So, what if you're not Martha Stewart? I also found some cute ideas with no baking or cooking skills required! After all, it's the thought that counts and not your skills in the kitchen!
The first idea is a box of brownie mix (because who doesn't use brownie mix?!) and a wooden spoon. The she printed out a gift tag that reads: ‘Christmas is Jolly, Christmas is sweet. I’m stressed out so make your own darn treat!
Peppermint Crunch cookies: I don't want to have a post full of cookie ideas, but these are simple because you buy the cookie and just add white chocolate and peppermint chips to it! Yummy and easy!
The second idea is etsy.com! It's a marketplace of homemade goodies....all online, and everyone ships directly to you! If you just don't have the time to make something but want something homemade, check out etsy! I found some cute homemade cookies and gift tags.
This idea is really easy as well. Find a cute box, print a message on paper and cut it to fit the bottom of your box. Fill the box with M&M's (or you could use festive kisses!). When your recipient eats the candy, it will reveal the message. Easy but cute!
So, if you really know your neighbors or if you just want a funny gift, this next idea is for you! Purchase a box of "Ho Ho's" and "Ding Dongs" (both Hostess pre-packaged sweet treats), tie them together with a cute ribbon and put a gift tag that says,
"Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas from the Ding Dongs next door!"
This next idea is more of a packaging idea, but she made cookies and packaged them in tin cans. I think that's a great idea so the cookies don't get crushed. Some other ideas of how to package your goodies are festive tins, Chinese take-out boxes, clear plastic bags, festive plates wrapped with plastic wrap or zip-loc bags. Hobby Lobby tends to have a great selection of items to use and they typically even have some hard plastic chargers (decorative plates) for around $1! Make sure to check in the Cake Decorating aisle for additional "non-seasonal" items that you can make seasonal using ribbon or scrapbook paper.
Well, there's my list of neighbor gift ideas! I know there are still 9 weeks until Christmas and you have plenty of time to do this, but it never hurts to have your ideas in line early to try and beat some of the last-minute Christmas rush!
