Every year your kid starts whining about Christmas gifts for the teachers, aides, therapists, drivers, pool boys (oh wait, that’s my list) and you immediately start wondering how you’re going to pay for all the stuff….did you ever think about shopping your stockpile? with a twist?
For 2009 we put together “Depression Care Packages” which contained organic pasta sauce, pasta, paper towels, toilet paper, Nivea lip balm, shampoo and conditioner (especially funny for the bald guy), anyway, you get the idea. We used a brown grocery bag and believe me, it was filled to the top. People that somehow got left out were know to pout until I made more…
So this picture is this year’s gift: The 2010 Sniffle Sacks for 12, just in time for the cold and flu season. Each bag contains….well, you can see everything, right? And I would hope you would remember the deal. Except that the 3 bags of the teddy bear cookies are something I just kinda “lucked” into – 6 cartons of luck – …maybe I’ll have a giveaway…
Fantastic Idea!
reminds me of the Christmas package my dad used to get from his company a few decades ago….so I put similar ones together for our peeps last year and this year! turkey, ham, FM chocolates, soups, coffee etc…
I want to truly thank you for all the tips that are posted on this web site. Our family had a fabulous Christmas this year! Stockings (4 of them!!) were packed with free electric toothbrushes (the elusive CVS offer), a $50 Target gift cards (just kept stacking them till they hit $50) or $50 Best Buy gift card (stacked Jewel five $10 Catalinas), 2 movie/2 drink AMC tickets (Coke rewards), Godiva chocolate and Hallmark candy. I was even able to put the gift cards into unique puzzle boxes from Office Depot (while not free… well worth the rebate from an empty print cartridge).
I made six gift boxes full of “Winter Survival” items for my siblings. The retail value of the contents exceeded $100 (all free – tax only or a mm for me!). Everyone was THRILLED to receive cold medicine, tissues, body wash & lotion, hand lotion, snacks, coffee, card games etc.. The family pets even received their own gift boxes filled with an assortment of free (tax only) treats and toys.
So …. after saving so much during the year and on the stockings and on the gift boxes I was able to stay within the Christmas budget. Needless to say Santa was REAL good to my husband and children this year.
Thanks again for all your efforts.
Thank you for being so generous with your thanks, I feel all warm and fuzzy – oh, wait, that’s just stupid cat hair. Seriously, when people appear to be “big spenders” on very little or no money, I am thrilled.