giving your best this christmas

No doubt, Christmas is the most stressful time of year (with Tax Day coming in a tight second). We let the stress in. We feed it like a lost kitten and can't seem to push it out the door. Why? I blame it on the world we live in. There's pressure to give your kids the same expensive gifts their peers are likely receiving, the calendar fills quickly with obligatory holiday parties, and your paycheck fails to grow even though your expenditures for the month are larger than any other time of year. What to do, what to do ...

Perhaps recalling the real reason we celebrate December 25th will put things in perspective and push the stress out the door for good.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14, NIV

This world was promised a savior, Immanuel - God with us. Thank God for sending us His only begotten son, for providing salvation through him, and for the blood that washes away our sins. The best way to praise and show true appreciation? Serving others. The time has already passed to package and send a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, but it's not too late to pick up an angel, contribute to Toys for Tots, volunteer at a soup kitchen, donate non-perishables to your local food bank, or donate coats and blankets to those less fortunate. These are among the best gifts that any of us can give.

As for our children and other loved ones, give from the heart instead of the purse. Choose one smart, heartfelt gift that you know will be appreciated. For those blessed with a giving heart such as yours, consider making a donation to their favorite charity as their gift.

You'll be amazed at how good giving to those in need can make you feel. It's the ultimate stress reliever. God bless you this Christmas.
-Casey

sharing information is good!

Wanted to share some new finds with you:

• Free Thanksgiving Crafts E-Book! If you click around, you'll find several free e-books to download, all overflowing with crafting ideas.
• $10 off a $25 Yankee Candle purchase with this coupon. Valid through 12/12/09!
• Download the Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Recipes E-Book for free!
• Download Paula Deen's Holiday Hosting Guide for free, too!
• Free holiday supplement of The Old Schoolhouse. Great kid activity pages included!

Thanks to The Frugal Girls for freely sharing these awesome deals and steals!

finding craft ideas

I have found some of the neatest home-related gift and craft ideas in the Lowe's Creative Ideas magazine. The subscription is free! See the sample magazine for instructions to make a jewelry box from fencepost caps and pressed flower acrylic coasters. Those two projects will tide you over until your first issue arrives.

Go where the crafters go (or at least one of the places crafters go) - Michael's! Check out their awesome Handmade Holiday Guide for free instructions to begin molding your next great gift. I've already found an idea that I plan to put together for at least one person - the Peppermint Holiday Candlescape. Talk about super easy (and pretty cheap). This one's a "well, duh!" See the Michael's calendar for free demo days, too.

Consider this. USE ideas from one place but purchase the items SOMEWHERE ELSE. I can't over emphasize the savings that can be realized at the Dollar Tree. Seriously. Why pay $10 for a candle and another $10 for a glass plate to create that Peppermint Holiday Candlescape? I know I can pick up the plate and the candle for $1 each at the Dollar Tree. Not to mention peppermint candies. I'll have to investigate the cheapest place to buy a hurricane lamp glass. Michael's might actually be the best bet on that piece of the puzzle. For the red balls seen in the photo, check out the Christmas decorations for cheap beaded garland. If you find it, cut it apart and use the beads for this instead. :o)

I forgot to mention one of my favorite crafts from quite a few years ago. I made several of these for Christmas gifts and even had one or two of my own. The Mason jar soap dispenser! It's easy and if you know someone who has a country or primitive influence in their decor, I encourage you to give this one a whirl.

Supplies:

• Mason canning jar with seal and lid (size doesn't matter and the old zinc lid won't work for this)
• Cheap liquid hand soap with a pump dispenser
• scrap fabric and twine

Find something to puncture a hole in the middle of the jar seal. It needs to be big enough to fit the soap pump into. (I say "find something" because that's how I work. I rummage through the junk drawer until I find one of my husband's screwdrivers or something to push a hole through metal. Not safe, but that's how it works in my house.)

Cut a piece of scrap fabric in a square large enough to cover the seal, be screwed on underneath the lid and still hang out along the side of the jar a little bit. Think old fashioned jelly jars that your Aunt Millie made your mom every year.

Cut a hole in the center of the fabric only large enough to let the soap pump through.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER: Fill the jar about 2/3 full of liquid soap. Put the seal on the jar, followed by the scrap material. Push the soap dispenser down through the material and the seal. Screw on the ring. Tie a piece of twine around the lid. Just knot it. Nothing frilly. Leave a length of no more than one inch.

As my two year old would say, "Ta da!"

Perhaps I'll make another one of these jars soon and post a picture. I looked through Google images but didn't find one like what I've made in the past. This tells me that if you make one of these, it will be a unique gift!