X-mas

I LOVE Family Dollar or Dollar General stores, you could also try Big Lots. Anyway, buy small baskets of bath lotions/body spray type products they can use to "relax" with at home :)

You can do meals in a jar. Whether you do a cookie mix, soup, pancake, biscuit it can be pretty with all the layers and delicious. There are all kinds of website out there and books in the library. It really is fairly cheap too!

I provide in-home childcare, & my kiddies are going to make a Reindeer snack mix to distribute to my neighbors who generously share their garden bounty with us/visit with us while we're outside. We're going to use simple treat bags which are very cheap, & the mix will be a combo of Chex/goldfish/raisins/Teddy Grahams/MMs - etc.

I know the kids will have a blast preparing this gift, & the leftovers will also go home with them as a gift to their families.

Do you bake?? Home made goodies are always welcomed. Fantasy Fudge is one of my favorite things to make...AND to eat!!! Here is the original recipe...the one on the back of the Kraft Marshmallow Creme is not nearly as good as this one....
http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe191.fantas...
There are also some really wonderful Christmas Cookie recipes that are quite economical to make.
Whatever you make/buy...be sure and enclose a personal note telling them how much you appreciate them....that will be something they can treasure forever.
Merry Christmas!!!

What about making them an ornament for their Christmas tree?? I am making some this year: xerox a photo then cover with clear packing tape. place in a dish of water ad rub off the paper - the image stay on the packing tape. Michael's sells craft wood that is thin enough to cut and punch holes into for a couple dollars (you could make a bunch from this). Glue the tape onto the wood. punch a hole through the top, decorate the edges with ribbon or lace if you want. Katie Brown did this on her show about a month ago and made a photo book. Check out her website to see it. www.katiebrown.com It is season 3 episode 15 - direct transfer memories. I am making these for my son's therapists and putting them onto some really cool plates I found at Kohl's a few months back on clearance 90% off along with some home made goodies like poppysead bread and cookies. For future gifts, I suggest looking year round for clearance items. These plates I found are awesome! Plus, I had a 30% off coupon. Always thinking ahead is the key to going inexpensive. Especially since we have so many to buy for. Good luck! I hope you find something!

Chris

You could take a pic of them together and frame it. Dollar stores have lots of nice frames. Or if you bake, something yummy, like banana bread or mini muffins. Even just a small gift card, for therapy supplies perhaps, would be appreciated. My son was in therapy for two years, with three different ladies coming every week, so I had lots of gift-giving experiences, heh. They become such a part of your life/family, don't they? :)

Peir one has the cutest 10/15 gifts in for Christmas. You should try them.

This year for my daughter's teachers, I went out and bought some really pretty Christmas plates at HomeGoods and Kohls (they have some for 70% off right now!). I didn't spend more than about $4 each. Then I plan to put some homemade cookies or candies on them. Then when the cookies are gone, they have a pretty holiday serving dish to keep. Or you could buy a really pretty coffee mug and put hot chocolate mix, peppermint sticks, chocolates, etc. (or tea, coffee, cider). HomeGoods & TJMaxx have some nice hand soap and lotion sets for about $7 that would make a nice gift. Good Luck!

Just thought of one more thing...Do you have a Sam's Club membership? They have a gift set - kind of like I mentioned above with the coffee cups - that has 4 separate gifts for $20. Just a thought...

Two of my favorite gift cards to give for such gifts are from a movie theater or Panera's (St. Louis Bread Co.) You can usually get these in increments of $5. You can also avoid the crowded stores this time of year.

A homemade gift idea I've used is to put a recipe and ingredients in a gift bag. One that I liked was a curried fruit and rice recipe. I mixed dried onions, coconut, apples, and raisins with a cup of basmati rice and 1/4 cup slivered almonds, and then added a tsp. of curry, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a pinch of ginger. I put this mixture into a holiday mason jar, printed the ingredients and directions onto a label and put it on the jar. Then I put the jar and a can of chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarians) into a gift bag. The only thing they will need to add is a tablespoon of oil (preferably coconut oil). They just put the rice mixture, broth, and oil into a covered dish and cook it as you would cook rice. On the card I suggest that this makes a great side dish next to fish or BBQ and is good served hot or cold. I get my curry from a local Middle Eastern food shop. It is better and less expensive. Also, if you use dried coconut that is not sweetened, you may want to add a pinch of sugar to the rice mixture. You may think all curry recipes are spicy hot, but this recipe is very mild and I've never met anyone that doesn't like it.

Have him help you make Christmas cookies. The Dollar Tree has really cute boxes and containers you can put them in. Good luck and God Bless.

Hi D.,
I know exactly what you go thru with all the therapies. I have 2 girls with special needs and my youngest is 2 and she is DS.

As for the gifts for them, I am giving a picture of the girls with a $10 gift card. That way they can buy what they want and you don't have to go all over town looking for things and wrapping gifts. Cuts down on time.

I know of 2 teachers that every year after Christmas, they bring all the gifts they have received, to our church and display them. Anyone who wants them can take what they want. So do you really want to buy a gift that won't be kept and appreciated?

Where do you live? I bet your little guy is a cutie!! How is he doing with all the therapies? Gotta go as mine has a cardiologist appt. this morning.

Good luck and write if you want.
J.

What about a gift certificate to Starbucks? Coffee is cheap, so even $5 will get them something and they will use it! Put it in a card where you thank them for the work they do, and it will mean a lot!

Please consider a hand-written and heartfelt thank you note. It does so much more than just express thanks. In the form of more tangible ideas I would suggest a photo of the therapist and your son, home-made goodies like cookies or any crafts you create, a box of chocolates or a gift card to a grocery, department store or car wash. The teachers we know sincerly appreciate receiving any token of appreciation. It is so nice of you too to think of them. Merry Christmas.

D. -

I can relate. My son has Williams Syndrome and we have 3 different therapists in our home every week as well. I am giving them a Mary Kay hand cream and some brownie mix & a plate for Christmas. I figure that they wash their hands so much...it would be nice, plus, who doesn't like brownies? I'm a Mary Kay Consultant and this gift is only $10. I'd love to help you out. I will even gift wrap them for you for free! Let me know if you want them. You can send me a message and I can get them to you the very next day! Hope this helps.

K.

GIFT CARDS!! They are wonderful and everyone loves them! You can get them for anywhere now, restaurants, clothing stores, the mall, electronic stores, gas stations, etc. Hope this helps!

Why not do a holiday cookie tray, for each you can always buy cookie dough if you don't want to make your own, an just buy a inexpensive tray. I clean for the elderly, so they look forward to the gift tray that I make they up. I found mini tins in the grocery store so that I can include a mini loaf of banana nut bread on it in the middle.

Good Morning D., What a wonderful blessing you have two little Prince's. Awesome. Ok Gift ideas. How about a small picture ornament with your son's pictures in it. Can be a snapshot cropped down to fit. Or just a 3x5 or 5x7 in a reg frame.

Could give them a small gift card to a coffee shop or movie tickets. We picked up some movie tickets for our niece and nephew this year. Movies are $7.00 and the gift cards come in $10.00 amounts. They can use them any time.

Personally I like the picture idea, something they can keep and smile at two special little guys who love each other.

God Bless you Even more abundantly everyday
K. Nana of 5

I bought spices from a store called Antoine's in Independence. We do not live close but it is worth the drive! They have a 1 oz container that is a decent size. I put gourmet garlic, charbroil seasoning, and apple wood smoke rub together in a cellophane bag for the male custodian. I chose pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice and mulling spice for the ladies. Each bag of 3 spices cost about $2.25- They could be as little as $.50 a container though depending on what you choose. I thought this was a nice inexpensive gift. Their website is www.antoineseed.com. I would give them a call before you go because their hours are a little strange.

Just thought I'd mention that I worked as a pediatric physical therapist until my daughter was born. I know we were told during our professional coursework in college, that in general accepting gifts from patients is a no-no (especially money & gift cards). I think this may even be mentioned in the APTA's Code of Ethics. Anyway, small homemade things are acceptable--baked goods, ornament, Christmas picture of your son, or something little & inexpensive like stickers to give out to the kids, etc. Don't feel like you have to do anything though. They won't be expecting it, and any small thing would be appreciated.

I always make gifts. This year was soap, bath bombs and bath salt. Years past I have done welcome plaques with scrapbook paper and those only cost me about $5 each. I have done candles from the dollar store and decorated with stuff. One year I made 6 - 8 handmade card and put a pretty pen with them in a cute little box. The box was like $2.50 and the pens came in a pack from the Dollar Store. The Dollar Stores usually have packs of lotions and bath stuff and you can find different containers for them if you do not like what they are in. Also, a big mug and a packet or two of tea or hot chocolate with marshmallows or peppermint stick, cinnamon stick or whatever or there are several make your own hot chocolate mix and give with a mug. There are things like give everything to make ice cream sundaes in a bucket and they get their own ice cream you have supplied the rest. Have a Merry Christmas and hope this helps.

I think the nicest gifts at this time of year are something homemade. Do you have a favorite holiday cookie or candy recipe that you could make a batch of? Buy a package of disposable Christmas plates and fill each plate. I buy a package of clear wrapping cellophane from Walmart and pull it up around the the plates tying it with a bow for a professional look. I do this every year for all the special adults in my childrens' lives. If you don't have any recipes you like, email me and I'll share some of mine. One of my best friends has a disabled son and she had a few other suggestions that she uses for her therapists. She has given cookies, small casseroles like chicken spaghetti (she said this is nice to send them home with a meal), and a $5 certificate to Starbucks. It's not much, but it buys one large really good coffee for those who love coffee and might not always have the money to splurge. If they're a diet coke drinker, give them a small gift certificate to Sonic.I know your little one is a joy to you. I have an 11 month old that I'm enjoying, too!!! A quite unexpected surprise. : ) C.

A lot of people won't agree with me, but I used to give out Christmas themed lottery tickets.

This is what I am doing for my daughter's helpers. I am going to buy them each a small scented candle, put it in a gift bag, and surround it with jolly ranchers instead of tissue paper. It's not a big gift, but I like to make my home smell nice and the candy is something they can enjoy or share with others. With multiple helpers, I just buy a really large back of the jolly ranchers and split them between the bags. I have 4 helpers and a main teacher to buy for. I'll be buying the main teacher a bigger candle, but same type of gift. Just an idea that I've used every year since my son started preschool.

Between my two girls, they had 11 teacher and assistants at the homeschool fine arts center where they go. We took the ceramic mini loaf dishes ($1.29 at Schnucks) and filled them with Hershey kisses. It wasn't a whole lot, but it was enough that the teachers knew we were thinking of them.