Gathering Leaves: Christmas on a Dime

Ok so maybe not on a dime, but here are some ideas that we have done to help save a few pennies. But even more then that I think it is about Simplifying this Sacred Season. Every year presents are ripped open, they are played with and then this......

They throw the toys to the side, and play with the boxes.
Hundreds of dollars later, the kids don't even remember what they got a few months later. This year I want to make it more meaningful. We have my husband's sister's family for Christmas this year, so we decided to make gifts.Well sort of.

Kaden and Porter really enjoyed stitching... and I must say they did a pretty good job.

We went to the dollar store and bought hats, and scarves and put each child's initials on them.

We also bought an extra scarf and cut it into squares sewed it and filled it with wheat ( you can use rice also) making each one their own wheat heat. Pop it in the microwave for a minute and you have a lovely warm heater.
We also made cinnamon fire-starters for their christmas basket. Take some newspaper, put in a pine-cone, cinnamon sticks or cinnamon powder with pine-needles. Wrap with raffia, and you have a lovely fragrant fire-starter for your fireplace. The boys had fun making these as well. I think the boys really enjoyed making their cousin's presents this year, rather then me just buying something and sending it. I hope the cousins will like it as well.
I made the little boys and Ava a crayon/paper carrier for church.

I saw these on etsy and figured I had scrap material so I could make them. I am no seamstress by any stretch of the imagination,. So no I didn't measure anything, I just started cutting and sewing, luckily they turned out well enough. Don't look too close :) Another cheap Christmas Idea....

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