Holiday Cheer in a Grinchy Economy

In the movie "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" the Grinch develops a plan to destroy the Christmas cheer for the Whos in Whoville with a devious plan that involved stealing all of the presents under each Christmas tree. Despite being robbed of their gifts the Whos were able to gather together in song on Christmas morning and celebrate the holiday, teaching the Grinch that material possessions were not as signicant as the love of family and friends.

Much can be learned from the Whos, especially when we live in a time where most families are having to cut back on their gift giving due to ecomonic hardship.

Here are some ideas that will melt your heart, make the environment smile, and save you some green:

- Framed Family Photo

Print out one of your display-worthy photos and custom decorate a plain wooden frame using paint, beads, glitter, felt, or other crafty materials.

-Our Family Tree

Turn a gift into a memorable occasion by giving a tree that your family can plant together. Give each child a job, such as watering, fetilizing, or helping fill in the hole. Be sure to take pictures to commemorate the day you helped the earth and worked together as a family to help a living thing grow.

-Vintage Blooms

Go through a second hand store and find teacups, saucers, and wide mouth vases and planting pots. Include a packet of flower seeds and a little soil and you have yourself a beautiful bloom in a unique pot. You can also give kitchen herbs, such as dill, cilantro, and basil.

-Recycled Toys

Have siblings or friends wrap one of their own toys for another child. This is a great way to avoid toy overflow in your closets while teaching children the joys of giving from their hearts.

-IOU Gifts

Who wouldn't enjoy a back rub or a day where someone else helps with chores? An IOU certificate is a great way to show the person you love that you would go out of your way to make them happy.

-Smell the Joy

Making a sweet smelling sachet is easy! Just find a couple of scraps of material and put some potpourri or herbs inside. Then using a hot glue gun just glue three sides, let dry, put the desired scent inside and glue shut.

The sweater you buy for grandma won't last forever but you can be sure that a grandchild's handmade gift will be a treasure that she will save for years to come. Please check this website for more ideas. Remember also that re-using fabric, draw string bags, or last year's gift bags is better for the environment and cuts down on waste.

Enjoy your holiday season!

by Wendy Drewelow