Ideas! Help! Mass Christmas Gift Productions!

Last year we did the Mug Brownie gift. I got a bunch of mugs on sale (they were $1.00 each!) and then I downloaded the recipe for Mug Brownie. It's basically a brownie that you can cook in the microwave in a mug. I mixed all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar and cocoa) and put it in a small plastic bag. Then I printed out the recipe into recipe-card sized rectangles and my daughter cut it out, pasted it to an index card and decorated it. All the person needs to do is add oil and water to the mix, cook it in the microwave and they have a delicious brownie for one! Then they have the recipe for later.

I got 10 mugs for $10 and it was quick to mix the dry ingredients. We put the mugs in decorative cellophane bags and tied with a nice ribbon! It cost less than $3 per person and we could whip one up easily if we thought of someone we missed! Everyone we gave it to appreciated it, and it did earn the name of PMS Brownie!

Here is a link to one of the recipies. Variations are all over the internet! I like to use confectioner's sugar and vanilla. http://www.squidoo.com/fiveminutebrownie

There is a great gift idea that I have used in the past....Friendship Tea... here is a website that has the recipe http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/friendship-tea/detail.aspx
I have made this before and then put it into small glass jars...tie a ribbon around it and voila....instant gift!!! I am sure there are places on line that you can find a cute little poem ( if you aren't very good in that dept. like me!!) to put on with the ribbon...and of course include the directions. If you get store brand on all of the ingredients it really isn't expensive at all.

What about cookies in a jar?
Its something that can be done with the kids... you can make alot at one time and I always like to recieve them.

The one family we get it from each year put a family picture on the tag with the directions. I actually look forward to getting it since we normally don't make homemade cookies here.

I like the cookies in a jar gift as well. I just recently made one as a gift and it was so nice and easy. I also like that the mason jar can easily be reused by the next person.

Another idea is to make some chocolate candies and put them in a little tin, or homemade trailmix in a jar or holiday container of some sort.

Have you discovered Pinterst yet? Tons of ideas on there. I made hand cream and gave to several people. It was easy, great stuff and fairly inexpensive!

I second Pinterest!

I do hot chocolate in a jar. Bag up your favorite hot chocolate mix and stick it in the middle of a glass jar. Put mini marshmallows on one side and peppermints on the other. If you're feeling crafty, you can etch the jar with an initial (I used Armor etch, you can find it at Hobby Lobby, it takes 5 mins and looks fantastic).

I make bookmarks, earrings and necklaces. NO, I'm NOT crafty or creative. I stole someone else's idea and made it my own. The bookmarks really just consists of cutting a piece of waxed linen, tying a charm on the end of it, threading a bead on the other end and letting it "slip over" the loose end of the string, then adding a "filler bead" and tying another knot. String a filler bead, glass bead and another filler onto the other end, knot the very end first, then tie another knot tight against the end of the bead string so they don't move and voila, you've got a bookmark.

Earrings are even easier. You ned 2 charms, and 2 earring findings and with a pair of pliers, open the finding "loop" and put on the charm, then close it - DONE!!! I buy those litttle semi see thru cloth bags with the cinch up drawstrings.

For the school teachers and faculty, I buy the charms in bulk over the internet and have the school mascot as the charm!!! Then you can use them for bookmarks, earrings, necklaces and even cell phone lanyards!! Quick and easy.

The necklaces are a bit different. Found it while I was in Australia at the Rocks Market in Sydney. It comes on a card with different ways to wear it. If you're interested - respond back to me!!!!