Christmas Gift Ideas - North Little Rock, AR

Are homemade gifts an option? Cookies, muffins, tea and cocoa kits (mug with mix & goodies inside), etc are always well received.... :}

Hi! I had the same problem last year with my co-workers and ended up spending way too much money. This year I got online at Oriental Trading Co. and ordered Christmas ornaments. They have hundreds to choose from. You an get a dozen ornaments for around $8.99 and up. Hope this helps!

You could make (or purchase) a variety of baked goods, Maybe some cookies, fudge or peanut brittle and make them all platters or gift baskets. Be creative, dress it up using colorful saran wrap or the little seasonal gift bags.
Maybe add an ornament or other small item.

Without the budget/amount of people its kinda hard to say what would be reasonable. Maybe a nice nameplate for everyones desk or some kind of item used for there workspace.
Gift cards are always nice when you have to be fair to everyone..I couldn't imagine having to be the one to decide what to give a whole group of people I don't really know. I can't even figure out what to get my own family!

My son works at a company that gives their workers 100 dollars wal-marks cards , boy does he look forward to that. A few times that has be what he has get his Christmas shopping done with. My hubby just get a weather radio which we come in hand when we had bad weather in the spring.My old boss try to fit each gift to the person but she only had five people to buy for so it was easy. I would suggest no things with the firm mane or logo on it they get those other times of the year. IN Tulsa we have a special ball that repents a different thing in our city each year this year it is the BOK Center that might be a new addition to they Christmas tree. A extra day off with pay.

J.,
My father was a fire fighter and we did not have a lot of muney. My mother would bake cookies and cakes and give them gift baskets. They loved them and would look forward to them each year. She still bakes for Christmas presents and all my stepfathers friends ask is when there gift baskets will be ready. She know does the Amish cakes also. I hope this helps.

H.

My boss used to give us $25 gift cards to a local restaurant every Christmas. It's a great gift because it's easy to carry home, and everyone eats! It makes a nice date night for parents too. If that is too expensive, you may be able to find less expensive ones.

J.,

My husband use to receive a turkey or ham for Christmas from his company or like everyone else said a nice restaurant gift card would be nice too.

Most dollar stores have really cute Christmas-themed over-sized coffee mugs. Albertson's usually has small packets of various gourmet flavored coffees, teas, and cocoas on or near the coffee aisle endcap. They're usually about $1.50 each. Many coffee shops (Starbucks, CC's, etc.) carry small packets of chocolate covered espresso beans. (You don't grind them and brew them - you eat them as a candy - my daughter and I love them). They're usually a couple of dollars each. Put a handful of small candies (peppermint discs, Hershey's kisses, etc.) in the bottom of each mug, along with a packet or three of flavored coffee, tea, cocoa and/or beans in each mug, wrap in plastic wrap, and tie up with a colorful ribbon.
I drink a lot of hot beverages, and always appreciate this sort of thing when I get it.

Last year I got a variety of bottled soda six packs from Walmart (like orange crush, cream soda, root beer, etc.) Then I mixed them up so each six pack had five different flavors (I doubled on one.)I added microwave popcorn, movie theater candy and a Blockbuster gift card. They were a hit with my huband's co-workers. To beef up the gift you could add a pizza gift card too.

hi J.!
in the past i've made "homemade" lotion for friends. it can be as simple as buying a large unscented off brand bottle of lotion (dollar store!) and a couple small jars of oils (i.e. eucalyptus, peppermint, sage, etc). you can experiement w/ the potency of the aromas & even add a little olive oil for extra moisture. and again, the dollar store always has really cute little pump bottles or dispensers of some kind that you can present your creation.
good luck & i hope you have a nice, as-stress-free-as-possible-holiday! K. b.

Hey J.,

Not sure what your budget is for the group or even how many people you are looking to buy for... but I always pick up a few extra presents each year as my memory tends to get frazzled and I always forget at least one person. Since I am not found of rushing out when I do remember... I just use the extra gift. Left over extras... become last minute birthday presents during the year... But what I found this year that is my extra... was these relaxing neck heat therapy wraps from Bath and Body Works. They were $20 when I originally purchased one for a friend. And when I went back last week I saw they had dropped to $10....so that is when I decided these would be a great extra present. They are also gender neutral and come in the colors creme, pine or maroon. Upon check out, they were adding up for only $9.75 a person. Not sure if that is what you are looking for, but I thought it was a steal and they seem luxurious as you can heat the lavender pack in the microwave for some relaxing heat therapy to an any ache or drape around your neck. Hope this helps.
Best Wishes,
-MB

I agree with responder Brenda. Cash is always great! Who wouldn't appreciate a few extra dollars this time of year! Cash is always what I gave my babysitters when my son was younger and what my husband gives his assistants at work. So much better than the trinket-like, clutter items that we all have way too much of.

CASH or a gift card even a $25 or $50 bonus is nice this time of year. My husband prefers to hand out cash (I have to hold taxes out of next paycheck for it.) Gift card to restaurant or Best Buy (music, Dvd, or videoo games). For the ladies I often attache the gift card to a nice bottle of lotion, a candle, or candy.
I often do a lunch at the office around the holidays for hte employees. Or just a snack buffet - nice horderves - some of the guys started requesting their own personal cheese ball (they were joking) so I have started making cheese balls with crackers for the guys.

J., baking is always an option, you can get boxed banana nut bread or cinnamon swirl, etc from the store, buy some of those small tin loaf pans (5 x 3) bake and put them in christmas bags...it takes a bit of time, but not much $$ and everyone loves home baked goodies...Merry Christmas...R.

Make cookies or some other easy to bake good. You can buy the pretty Christmas tins at Wal-Mart and give each person 2 dozen of your hand made gifts.
J.

If you are near a Costco or Sam's, I bought teacher gifts there... Costco had a 4 pack of really nice looking jar candles (each packaged separately for easy gift giving) for $20, so $5/gift. They also have food gifts there... Also, check QVC for some multi-packs of gifts (i.e. really huge, nice apples that are covered in chocolate, caramel, etc and packaged separately, candles, earrings, etc). They usually have lots of choices of items that you can order, and each one has several gifts packaged separately.

J.: First, what type of business does your husband have? My husband has employees; he is a trim carpenter; so, we usually will get his employees a turkey or ham or a Visa Gift Card; so they can use it for anything. We really don't have the funds this year to do that so, would you mind passing on any good, inexpensive ideas for his employees that you receive? Thanks! My personal email is ____@____.com

Merry Christmas!

S.

Things Remembered.com has some metallic coffee mugs on sale that can be personalized for $7.50 and there are silver snowflake ornaments that can also be personalized for $7.99. There are many other gifts for under $20 that can be personalized, I think these would be a great idea and professional gift that's not just the same old thing. They've got some good prices on shipping too. Hope you find something great!

Hi Leslie. I am a big believer in getting people something they will use. I gave Starbucks cards ($10-$15) for my daughter's teachers and postal workers and such. I figure 3 cups of fun coffee is better than another mug, or pencil holder or jar of candy that they may or may not like. Restaurant cards, Mickey D's, pretty much anywhere! These are easier and cheaper to wrap too! Bonus!

Well, we have little to no money for giving gifts to people besides our children, so I decided to make homemade Apple Butter in my Crock Pot and put it in nice decorative jars for some of my family and co-workers. I know they all love Apple Butter though, but I also know some people don't care for it. There is also gourmet hot cocoa mix, 9 bean soup mix...etc. I always just make sure I put it in a cute jar so it can be rinsed out and reused after they use everything up. You an also make your own herbal tea bags and put some in a cute mugs with some sugar cubes and wrap the mug in cellophane tied with a ribbon.