Tag Archives: alternatives to Black Friday

Handmade and Heartfelt Holiday Gifts!

gift ideas 2013

I ♥ handmade and heartfelt gifts, to give and to receive.

Made with ♥, special and one of a kind gifts. Also, giving of our time, in big and small ways. Treasures and memories that will be enjoyed and remembered for years to come.

Gotta ♥ all those reasons and more. 😉

On the eve of Black Friday, I thought I’d share some suggestions here at Veggies…for easy to make handmade gifts and other ideas, just in time for Christmas.

What is your fav handmade gift that you’ve made for someone or received?

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From the kitchen:

Easy Chocolate Hazelnut Clusters

Slow Cooker Party Mix

The BEST Gingersnap Cookies

Spicy Honey Almonds

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Knit and Crochet:

52 Free Dishcloth Patterns 

Some Lovely Knit Shawls

Five Spring Knit Cowls

How to Knit Socks and an Easy Peasy Pattern

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 Giving of Your Time and Talents

(the most special gifts of all, IMO) 🙂

-Volunteer to read to someone on a regular basis who is blind or vision impaired.

-Spend a day exploring winter’s wonderland with a child in need. Perhaps a way to also give a single parent a much-needed break.

-Befriend a older person at a care home who has no family or friends that regularly visit.

-Knit prayer shawls and give them to recipients personally, throughout the year.

Offer to help a neighbor who is living alone with some household chores like: snow shoveling, small home repairs, bringing over a fresh plate of cookies…There are a lot of lonely people out there and the holiday season is a particularly difficult time for many people.

-Volunteer to take calls at a local crisis center.

-Volunteer to help with a local literacy program.

-Plan small gifts to give as random acts of kindness: to people you meet on the streets, delivery people, letter carriers, clerks at stores you regularly shop at…and watch their faces light up with your thoughtful gesture.

Some suggestions: Coffee cards, a stack of fresh cookies tied up in a small gift bag, lip balms to help with winter chapped lips, simple hand-knit scarves, good-quality chocolate bars.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!