DIY Christmas ideas that are easy on the pocketbook

By Sana Sohel
[contributor]

With a crackling fireplace, hot chocolate, and warm fuzzy pajamas, Christmas season is finally here.

Santa may be making his rounds Christmas Eve, but he sure wont be adding any more dough into your stocking. But fear not! You can laugh your way through the season of giving without your bank account feeling super light.

Here are three ways to give the most meaningful, most precious gift without feeling wiped out by the end of December.

1. Memory Jar: I made memory jars for my grandparents last year and surprisingly they loved them! Plus, they are super duper easy to do. All you need is a jar, some paint, some photographs and trinkets or bows or any such accessory. Paint the jar, any which way you want – hint: make it festive! Roll up some photographs, write or type out some of your most memorable times together and place them in the jar.  I rolled mine into cylindrical shape to make them look like candy canes. You can add candy canes and chocolates and perhaps some Santa figurines. Tie it up with a bow and you’re all set.

2. Custom Cookbook: Not only is this gift amazingly easy, it is thoughtful and ideal. Get together all the its and bits of recipes’ your mum, grandma or any other recipient has scribbled, cut out or saved, and type them out. Gather pictures, and since its custom, add your personal touch to it E.g. add pictures of them cooking, or of you cooking with them. Compile them in any way you want, bind it and voila you have it. If you don’t mind spending a few extra dollars, and you can, get the front cover in hard copy.

 3.  Video It: My neighbors did this last year as Christmas cards, and I loved the idea, so I’m going to share it with all of you this year! They enacted out their favorite Christmas Carol – Deck the Halls and they edited it into a festive video and sent them out through email, mail (CD’s) and all possible other ways. It was different, unique and perfectly Christmas-y!