Quick, before I get Sidetrack'd

Most of my Christmas shopping is done. I purchased several gifts before Thanksgiving, and a good part of the rest of my list was filled by online purchases on Black Friday (I’m not crazy enough to go into the stores!). Mainly what I have left is the list of people to whom I usually give homemade gifts.

Generally speaking, this isn’t a big deal. Most years, I bake a few (or a half-dozen) batches of cranberry bread, whip out some cookies, and create a couple of types of candy; package them up nicely; and give them with a cute ornament. However, this year I’m not feeling the baking thing. I think it’s just because we’ve been so busy this Fall. Or maybe it’s because we’ve chosen to focus more on Jesus this year. Or maybe it’s just because I don’t find the process of heavy duty baking with a preschooler, a toddler, and a crawler under my feet very appealing.

Whatever the reason, I’ve decided to change up my homemade gift giving tactics a bit this year. So, I’m scouring the trusty web (mainly a couple of my favorite frugal gift idea blogs) to find something a little different.

Right now I’m loving these adorable magnets. They wouldn’t be difficult to create and (I think) they’d make adorable gifts. I would make some for my house if I could figure out how to keep them out of the hands (and mouth!) of my crumb-cruncher.

I’m leaning toward using a combination of hot drink mixes (cocoa and chai) and bath goodies (oatmeal milk bath and bath salts). They all look like simple ideas that the kids and I could whip up pretty quickly.

But now my issue is packaging. On several sites I’ve seen “cocoa cones” made with cake decorating bags. I think the idea is really cute, but doesn’t seem all that practical for the recipient. Maybe I could find some inexpensive glass or clear plastic containers at the dollar store or a big box store. Maybe I could use small mason jars. But I don’t know if that would be cost effective. How much do mason jars cost, anyway?

Or maybe I’m just over-thinking it a bit.

Not that I ever do that.