Creative Christmas Gift for Under $1!
From A Reader:
Although I have read many times the valuable information in your books and emails, I have never shared my own personal insights. May I please add something that may be of interest to your readers as well as to your own precious home?
This always presents well as a warm and meaningful Christmas gift to give to neighbors, teachers, friends, or anyone that you want to remember in a thoughtful way.
Taper candles in a pair (found this time of year for 10/$1 at most drugstores and discount stores) wrapped in a ribbon with the message on the tag reading, “When Jesus was born, He became ‘the light of the world’ John 8:12”
This presents itself beautifully with the true meaning of Christmas shared to others. The candles are a welcome addition to any Christmas table or hearth.
For a minimal cost of candles, a remnant of ribbon and a handwritten note, the gift is and always has been WONDERFULLY received by all.
I thought of your readers when I was preparing mine for this year to share as my family’s gifts to others.
Of course, tapers are not the only candle that can be included in such a gift. Any candle found throughout the year at an inexpensive cost will serve the purpose well. I found a snowman candle last Easter at a discounted price that will wear this message proudly and be given to my child’s first grade teacher this year. Any candle will do, although I usually rely on taper candles because I can always guarantee to find them discounted at this time of year.
Please feel free to share this idea with your readers if you feel it is of interest to others. A gift under .50 cents may be worthy of sharing.
God Bless and Merry Christmas,
Robin S.
El Dorado Hills, CA
photo by: petroleumjelliffe
Great idea.
I prefer to buy candles made in North America or Europe as they have a tendency to burn cleaner(i.e., not flame and puddle the wax).
That being said recently my 10,000 villages store ( a store run by Mennonite Central Committee to retail crafts from 3rd world countries,(over 70% are crafts made by woman to support their families, a fair wage is also paid for product)had their candles on sale,especially their tapers.
They were 4/$2.00, boxed . They described how the candles had been hand dipped and hand made in Bangladesh, the wicks were hand braided 100% cotton, (watch for lead lines that are put in some overseas candles in the wick)
I will use them for my own table but also as gifts now at Christmas and through out the year.
I would like to know how to order these candles. They sound just like what I am looking for. Thank you. Judy
Judy they can’t be ordered you make them yourself. You buy regular taper candles, write the message on a small card, card stock or even a piece of paper then using a ribbon tie it to the candle. You can use any color candles or ribbon you want and you can get for very cheap at $ stores and places like that.
last Jan and Feb. the grocery store was selling their Christmas stuff that didn’t sell during the after Christmas sale.
They had boxes of 6 tapered candles for .50 I bought about 10 boxes figured you couldn’t go wrong.
The next week they were .25 a box. My husband was with me so he bought another 3 boxes.
We had a couple boxes we bought before Christmas so we knew they burned well and I think they were Canadian made.
We smoke and when others are in the house we burn the candles to get rid of the smoke.
They are unscented and that is why they had so many left. Everyone wants scented candles and we hate the scented ones due to health issues.
They are a beautiful cream colour so they go well with everything. They do make nice gifts.
This is is a fabulous idea. Ths scripture card along with it is what makes it so meaningful and a blessing to the recipent. I think it would be lovely to take to parties as a hostess gift, also.
I love this idea. You could even add this to an existing gift you already plan to give.
Wonderful idea for those to which you want to express the holiday spirit without breaking your budget. This is also a great last minute gift idea. Make up a few bundles of these to have on hand when your child waits until the last minute to tell you he or she wants to give a gift to a friends parent or a sports coach. You may want to have a few with a more non-religious message on them for those people that are not Christian. The tag could also be a good alternative to a holiday card that most people just throw away anyway. The message could say something like “a dollar has been donated to “charity name” in the spirit of the holoidays.” Just place in the name of the charity and you then have a gift, card, and charity donation all in one. This also reminds people to think of those less fortunate during the holiday season. You may want to print on the card how others may donate to that charity as well. Perhaps by listing the charity’s website.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea ! I read about it over the weekend and had it on my list of things to look for today at the Dollar Store. I was only able to find tapers for 75 cents a pair. I decided to wait till I find a better deal.
I plan on making several and giving as hostess gifts, teacher gifts, etc. etc.
Thanks so much for sharing !
Stef
I always go pick up red and white candles on clearance after Valentine’s Day and The 4th of July. I’m prepared for Chrismas with new candles that I practically get for free.
What a great idea for those people we like to honor at this time of year (hairdressers, teachers, Sunday school teachers etc)…if you change the message this would be great for a small but meaningful gift at Thanksgiving, Valentines Day and/or Easter. Now I have a plan for many of the taper candles I have!!
I just love candles.Great tip & many ways to get creative with this for any occasion.Thanks.
What a great idea! I was just going through my “candle dresser” and found BOXES of plain white tapers. I also have tons of remnant ribbon left from when my mom passed away. Print up some cards on the computer and BINGO!
Now to figure out when to do them…
GREAT idea, but definitely leave the verse on for Christians and NON-Christians alike.
An inexpensive gift idea I got from Hillbilly Housewife: I make Kettle Corn! It is very popular and hardly costs anything. I use my Stir Crazy popper. I dump popcorn AND the sugar in there once the oil is hot. You must turn the popper over as soon as it stops popping, or almost done. It will start to burn. If I use Grapeseed oil, it hardly burns at all. I use 1 cup popping corn, 1/2 cup sugar and salt to taste.
There are so many ways to present it! There are lots of food gift bags of different sizes or reuse cleaned popcorn tins. When bringing it to serve, I bring it in my kettle! It’s a big enameled canning pot. Two batches fit in there. My buttered popcorn is also popular. Once the oil is hot, I put the butter in with the popping corn. Then all the kernels get the butter!
The gift of food is good for the person that everything.
Thanks Sheri and for those of you who have Dining on a Dime we have got Kettle Corn recipe in there too if you need it.
Another inexpensive gift is a pair of decorated socks. I buy my socks at Wal*Mart. I buy the large socks that fit almost all women. The socks are just over $1 a pair. I either crochet a little ruffle around the edge with crochet thread, or tie on buttons scattered around the folded over top. I used to crochet beads around the edge, but I have to be different, so I went with buttons. They are fun to make and fun to wear!
The guys would rather have kettle corn…
I have another inexpensive gift to add to the list. With just one foot of polar fleece, I can make a hooded scarf! I work at a fabric store and see these small pieces all the time in the remnants.
To make this scarf:
1) Fold the fleece in half length ways. That gives you a doubled piece 12″ by 30″.
2) Cut a hooded shape on the fold. The fold would be on the top of the head with a bit of a curve for the neck and back out to the cut edge. You could use a hoodie hood as your pattern for the head.
3) Trim the selvedge edge in a pleasing manner. It can be fringed, wavy, straight or whatever you like.
4) Sew up the back of the head down to the end of the neck curve.
http://www.coolibar.com/01018.html?source=shopzilla
This picture should give you a good idea of what it looks like. This isn’t exactly it, but close.
That’s it! If you don’t want to sew, just make a straight scarf without all the bother. It can still go over the head and be tied around the neck.
Thank you so much for this gift idea!! I believe it is almost my favorite for so many reasons-the cost, of course, but it is just so meaningful. It makes me glow inside thinking about it. Jesus-the light of the world!