Make or bake for a budget festive season
When you are working on a teeny-weeny budget for the festive season, making or baking your own gifts and festive fare can save you lots. Here are some simple ideas and inspiration to get you started.
Bake your own
Plan your festive season ahead of time. Make up a list of items you need to entertain or celebrate over the festive season and stick to the list. It's a fact that we tend to overspend on food over the festive season and supermarkets gear up to tempt your taste buds with wonderful seasonal displays. Don't be tempted to buy items you don't or won't need.
Even the most amateur cook will find a selection of easy recipes online for a variety of Christmas specialties and festive fare. With access to the Internet and a tablet. mobi or PC you can download or view hundreds of recipes and follow basic step-by-step instructions for flop-proof meals. Bake your family a gourmet ham for the festive table with easy instructions and save money that can be put towards something else.
Be on the lookout for simple yet decadent recipes that friends or family will love to receipt as gifts, like these chocolate-dipped spiked cherries. All you need is a gift box or bag and voila, a homemade gift.
The kids are at home during the school holidays and it won't take long until boredom sets in. Let the kids get involved in making up a batch of Christmas cookies. Here are some ideas for adorable cookies.
Make your own
Homemade gifts and greeting cards don't have to be cheesy or cheap if you put careful thought and lots of love into them. Nowadays we have access to hundreds of products and supplies that make home crafts easier and allow you to put your imagination to use.
Leftover buttons are useful in so many ways. We show you how to turn make a beautiful necklace made from old vintage buttons, how to make your own greeting cards using odd buttons, how to use all those leftover buttons and trinkets for decor accessories, or using buttons to craft unique jewellery.
Whatever your celebration, there are so many ways to put items you already own, or items that can be found in a garden, to good use. Try to think out of the box for dressing up the dining table or for holiday decor.
Take a look through your cupboards for items you have that can be re-purposed with some spray paint, dressed up with ribbons, or where you can use ceramic pens and paint or glitter to give them a new look.
Bake and make your own festive table decor. Get the entire family involved and make your own edible festive decor and tree ornaments. In this article we look at gingerbread tree ornaments and dried or fresh fruit decor.
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When money is tight and you don't have much to spare for holiday decor, there are plenty of ways to celebrate without overspending. Pop onto sites like www.pinterest.com that offer hundreds of ideas for making your own holiday gifts for family and friends. Visit our Craft section for even more gift ideas, and don't forget our Cooking section for festive fare and home baked goodies to give as gifts.