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The Art of the Easter Egg Hunt

March 23, 2009 by Melissa · 3 Comments 

Easter eggs // Ostereier
Image via Wikipedia

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Do you know there are many different ways to conduct an Easter Egg hunt? As a young child growing up, my parents used to add fun new twists to our Easter Egg hunt each year and some of them have become fond memories. Today, we often do the same with our children as well. If you’re looking for a fun twist for your Easter Egg hunt this year, here are a four great versions we have tried in the past.

The Easter Bible Verse Hunt:

This version works best with older children and teens who can read and decipher clues well. The year that we did this, the older teens were paired up with one of the smaller children. Then, each “team” was given an envelope with a Bible verse in it. The verse was a clue to the location of the first treat and the next clue. After 4-5 clues, the last clue took us to the biggest treat: a large Easter basket for each of us.

Putting together the clues may seem like a lot of work at first, but it’s actually fairly simple. A verse about rocks told us to look in the rock garden. A verse about sleeping would mean to look in your bedroom. If your children are a little younger, you could help by highlighting the portions of the verse that are most important to finding the location.

An Easter Treasure Trail:

This version is perfect for very small children/toddlers. When our eldest was 18 months old, we greeted her on Easter morning at her crib with a basket. Leading from her crib was a trail of mini Easter eggs. She took the basket and followed the trail, putting the eggs in her basket as she went. The trail led through the house and ended behind the couch where a bigger treat was waiting.

When laying out your treasure trail, keep your child’s attention span in mind. Some children will follow the trail for quite a while before getting bored, others may need something shorter or more broken up. Perhaps a series of smaller prizes along the path where they can stop and enjoy if they wish?

An Easter Scavenger Hunt:

A scavenger hunt is another fun variation and it can be modified to suit any age. For older children, a written list of items to collect will work. For younger children, a sheet with pictures of the different treats they need to find may be a better choice. A very simple version would have children look for specific colors: 1 red egg, 3 blue eggs, etc.

For those who, like us, add other items besides chocolate eggs, your list might include a chocolate Easter bunny, a skipping rope, a chocolate bar, a crème egg, a small toy, etc. Items are hidden at random throughout the specified area and make sure children understand not to remove items that are not on their own list.

The Easter Challenge:

The Easter challenge is a fun party game version of an Easter egg hunt that older children and adults will love. Instead of hiding candy eggs, you would hide small plastic eggs. Inside each egg would be a task that has to be completed. Sing a song, recite a verse from memory, jump on one foot for 10 seconds, draw a picture, etc. After each task is completed, the child receives another treat for their basket. Make sure to keep a camera on hand to capture all of the fun.

So, as you’re dyeing your Easter eggs and planning your egg hunt, take one of these suggestions – use as is or improve upon it – and make it a wonderful Easter egg hunt.


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Holidays

Easter Eggs – A History

March 23, 2009 by Melissa · 3 Comments 

Easter eggs
Image by jmurawski via Flickr

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It never fails. Year after year the stores pack their shelves with various items mean to “decorate” an egg. All dressed up for Easter, the plain, white egg you normally have for breakfast or use in your baking becomes a multi-colored, glittery, or tie-dyed work of art.

If you celebrate Easter then you, too, probably purchase dozens of eggs to decorate but do you know why you do it? Is it simply because that’s what your mother did each year because that’s what her mother did? And why does a bunny deliver them?

Though-out history, eggs have been a part of many spring celebrations. Eggs are generally thought of as a symbol of life and Easter is in Spring when new life abounds in the world. The Romans, who believe that “All life comes from an egg” used eggs in their spring festivals and feasts and salted hardboiled eggs were part of Jewish traditions as well.

Pagan beliefs viewed the egg as a sacred symbol and an old fable told of an egg that fell from heaven and hatched the goddess of Fertility, Astarte (Easter) Since then eggs have been found as symbols of new life and fertility in Rome, Northern Europe, China and Japan.

Christians later adopted the use of eggs into their Easter celebrations as the “seed of life” symbolizing Christ’s resurrection. Many different beliefs have been held about the actual use of eggs. It was once believed that eggs laid on Good Friday and cooked on Easter would promote fertility of the trees and crops will protecting against sudden deaths.

Today Easter Eggs have become a central part of Christian Easter celebrations in North America with chocolate Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts and decorating Easter eggs. It is unclear as to the specific reason for decorating eggs, but painted eggs have been part of spring celebrations in many cultures for centuries, each with their own styles and color traditions. Red and version of red have been the most common color in many cultures, symbolizing the blood of Christ.

The most famous Easter egg to date is the first Faberge egg. This small gold egg encased in platinum and enamel was created by Peter Carl Faberge in 1883 as an Easter gift for the Empress Marie of Russia from her husband Tsar Alexander. The egg was gorgeous, and a tradition began with a new egg being designed each Easter. Nicholas II, Alexander’s son, continued this tradition with a total of 57 eggs designed in total.

Today, Easter eggs are generally connected with the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts. The Easter bunny came to be part of Easter tradition because rabbits and hares are known for their ability to produce multiple births and that made them a natural choice for the celebration of spring and new life. For many decades, young children have taken part in Easter egg hunts, searching for colorful eggs laid by the Easter bunny in the grass. Easter egg hunts have become a traditional part of American Easter celebrations, with the Whitehouse and many community churches hosting annual Easter egg hunts each year.


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Holidays

Picking Out a Valentine’s Day Card

February 14, 2009 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

Heartstorm
Image by sparktography via Flickr

Believe it or not, picking out a Valentine’s Day card can be one part of Valentine’s Day which is the most difficult for many. They may worry that the card they select does not properly express their feelings or they may worry that their partner will not understand the card or will think the card is inappropriate. All of these concerns can make choosing a card for Valentine’s Day a very difficult and stressful task. However, this article will provide some useful information for picking out a great Valentine’s Day card which your partner is sure to enjoy. Valentine’s Day cards can be romantic, humorous or filled with heartfelt emotion. Whichever type of card you select, it is very important to make sure the card is one your partner will appreciate.

When most people think about Valentine’s Day, they think of romantic cards filled with words of love. This is a great type of card to give on Valentine’s Day for couples who really want to use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to express their love for each other. They may tell each other they love each other every day of the year and they may also show their love through their kind actions throughout the year but Valentine’s Day is a great day to give a card which expresses these feelings of love. If you are planning to give your partner a truly romantic card on Valentine’s Day, you have a few options. You can search through card stores for the card which best expresses your feelings for your partner. However, it is important to note that there are many cards available and finding the right one can be difficult.

Those who want to give their partner a really romantic card for Valentine’s Day do have other options available to them. They can also purchase a blank card and write your own heartfelt sentiments inside. This is one way to ensure the card you give to your partner really says exactly what you mean. Other cards available commercially may come close to expressing your feelings but they are not likely to say exactly what you feel. For this reason, writing your own message can be much more special. You can also include a short poem in your card if there is one you feel is appropriate for your current relationship.

Humorous cards are another popular option for Valentine’s Day. They can be a great idea for a fun loving couple who doesn’t take Valentine’s Day so seriously. They may enjoy spending time together on this day but they likely do not think Valentine’s Day is the only time to tell someone how much they mean to you. Humorous Valentine’s Day cards can still express a very loving emotion but they will likely do so in a way that is also fun and lighthearted. If you know your partner will appreciate this type of card, it can be an excellent way to express your love on Valentine’s Day.

However, there are some concerns with giving a humorous card for Valentine’s Day. If you plan to give your loved one a humorous card on Valentine’s Day, you should be sure your partner will appreciate this type of card and will not interpret a humorous card as meaning you are not serious about your relationship. This can occur when your partner gives you a very romantic card and you give her a humorous card. Although you may not mean anything negative by giving this type of card, your partner may interpret it this way. One way to offset this type of reaction is to purchase a humorous card but to include a handwritten note expressing a more romantic and loving sentiment with the card. This way your partner will appreciate the humor in the card but will also understand your true feelings and will not likely be offended by the card.

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Holidays

Spending Valentine’s Day Alone

February 14, 2009 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

Early 20th century Valentine's Day card, showi...
Image via Wikipedia

Whether you are in a committed relationship and your partner is away for the holidays or you just do not have a date on Valentine’s Day, spending this day alone can be very sad for some people. Women especially are likely to dwell on the fact that they are alone this day but some men may wish they had someone special to spend the day with as well. However, spending Valentine’s Day alone does not have to be such as sad day. This article will offer a few tips for how to have fun on Valentine’s Day even if you are alone for the day.

Those who are in long distance relationships often find themselves alone on days such as Valentine’s Day, anniversaries or birthdays. If you are in this situation you likely realize there will be times when you are spending Valentine’s Day apart from your loved one. For example if you and your partner live miles away from each other because of work and only see each other on the weekends, you will likely be alone on Valentine’s Day if it falls during the week. However, there are other ways you can make the day seem special. For example if you know you are going to be alone on Valentine’s Day, try to keep yourself busy throughout the day. Schedule appointments such as manicures or pedicures, run errands or make plans to meet a friend for lunch or dinner. This will help to keep you from dwelling on the fact that it is Valentine’s Day. You can also make plans for the following weekend ahead of time so you will have something to look forward to. You may still be alone on Valentine’s Day but if you know you will be celebrating on the weekend it will help to make the day feel less sad and will help to make you feel less lonely.

If you are alone on Valentine’s Day because you are not in a relationship, you can still have a great time on Valentine’s Day. One way to do this is to rent a few movies and order in diner from a really nice restaurant. Try ordering from a restaurant you have always wanted to try or from a place which you know is very popular with couples on Valentine’s Day. This will help to make the day more special for you and you will be less likely to feel as though you are left out from the day’s activities. Just because you are alone does not mean you can’t enjoy a great meal and have a fabulous night by yourself.

If you have other friends who are single, you might consider hosting a singles only party on Valentine’s Day. You can invite all of your single friend and ask them each to bring someone else who is single. You and your friends will enjoy spending time together away from all of the couples who can make Valentine’s Day seem so lonely for those who are not in a relationship. You might even wind up meeting someone great at your Valentine’s Day party and next year you will not be alone on Valentine’s Day. You can even try playing match making games at the party which encourage the guests to get to know each other. Even if you do not wind up meeting someone great, one of your friends might. Examples of games you might play are the dating game or scavenger hunts which encourage guests to find other participants who have certain interests or personality traits.

Finally, if you are alone on Valentine’s Day, it is important to remember it does not mean you will always be alone. One of the biggest mistakes singles often make on Valentine’s Day is spending too much time dwelling on the holiday. It is very important to remember that being alone on Valentine’s Day is not the end of the world. Try doing something for yourself like giving yourself a manicure, going for a run or taking a long bath. This will help you to focus more on yourself and your good qualities than the fact that you do not have a date on Valentine’s Day.

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Holidays

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Wife

February 14, 2009 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

Valentines Day Gift
Image by Nikita Kashner via Flickr

Men who have been married for awhile may have a great deal of difficulty selecting gifts for their wives on Valentine’s Day. They may feel as though they have spent so many Valentine’s Days together that they have already bought their wives all of the standard gifts and may have trouble thinking up new and original gift ideas for Valentine’s Day. They may have already bought their wives items such as flowers, candy, lingerie and jewelry and may feel as though repeating these gifts would not be appropriate. However, there are a lot of great gift ideas for men to give to their wives on Valentine’s Day. This article will focus on how men can update some of the traditional gift ideas and will also provide some unique gift ideas for men to give their wives on Valentine’s Day.

Candy is one of the most popular gifts for men to give to women on Valentine’s Day. Men who have given their wives a gift of candy in the past may feel as though it would be inappropriate to give her candy again. However, this is not true. Candy is a gift which is almost always appreciated on Valentine’s Day. There are ways to make candy seem like a more original gift though. Men who normally give their wives a gift of an assortment of chocolates in a heart shaped box can search for other candy options available. For example, they may find chocolate covered strawberries available in a number of unique designs. They can also make a gift of candy more original by making the candy themselves. Making candy is not difficult and can be a great deal of fun. While some women will always appreciate a gift of candy, she will be more surprised if you make the candy yourself because it shows you put more effort into the gift.

Jewelry is another popular gift idea for men to give to women on Valentine’s Day. Men may feel as though once they give their wife a few pieces of jewelry, there is no way to continue giving jewelry. However, this is not true. For example if you previously gave your wife a solitaire ring you might consider giving her a new ring with three stones to reflect the past, the present and your future together. You might even consider having the solitaire ring modified to include the additional stones. You can also put a unique spin on gifts of jewelry by giving different stones or jewelry of different metals. However, when selecting a gift of jewelry for your wife on Valentine’s Day care should be taken to choose items that reflect her taste so you are sure your wife will love the gift and want to wear it often.

If you and your wife have children and excellent gift idea for Valentine’s Day is to present your wife with handmade coupons for free afternoons. You will take care of the kids during this time so your wife can go out and relax and enjoy some time to herself. Many women often feel guilty about leaving the children with their husbands to take time for themselves. This type of gift will make her more likely to take some time to get a manicure or do some shopping without feeling guilty because you will be volunteering to watch the kids so your wife will not feel like she is inconveniencing you by asking for some time to herself. You can make this type of gift even more special by giving your wife a gift certificate to a beauty salon so she can go to get her hair done or have a manicure and pedicure. You can also plan a special activity for the kids while she is gone. For example you might sit with the kids and have them make a gift for their mom while she is gone. This way your wife will have some free time and will also receive a homemade gift from her children.

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Holidays

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Husband

February 14, 2009 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

Richart Chocolate for Valentines Day
Image by stevegarfield via Flickr

Some may argue that women have the more difficult job on Valentine’s Day. This is because there are many websites dedicated to finding the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your wife for girlfriend but there are considerably less resources dedicated to helping a woman to find a great Valentine’s Day gift for her husband. This can make shopping for your husband very difficult. However, this article will hopefully provide a few ideas for women who are looking for the perfect gift to give their husbands on Valentine’s Day.

One great gift idea for a woman to give to her husband on Valentine’s Day which is often overlooked is a gift of flowers. Flowers are one of the most popular gifts for men to give to women on Valentine’s Day but women often do not even consider giving flowers to men on Valentine’s Day. This is a shame because men receive flowers so rarely, if ever, that they are very likely to really appreciate a simple gift of flowers from their wives on Valentine’s Day.

Another great gift idea for women to give to their husbands on Valentine’s Day is something that really reflects his personal interests or hobbies. For example if your husband is really into following a particular sports team, you might consider buying him tickets to a game or a piece of memorabilia. For a man who has an interest in an activity such as fishing, you might consider buying him something related to his hobby such as a new fishing reel or other accessories for fishing. These types of gifts may not seem overly romantic which is why many women do not consider these gifts at Valentine’s Day but they do show that you really know your husband well and appreciate his interests and hobbies. This is a very important part of being in love with someone and therefore these gifts are perfect for Valentine’s Day.

A homemade dinner is also a great gift idea for women to give to their husbands on Valentine’s Day. Again, most women cook every night so they wouldn’t consider cooking dinner as a Valentine’s Day gift because they think it is too ordinary. However, if they just make a few changes by creating an elegant menu and serving dinner by candlelight it can transform everyday dinners into and excellent gift idea. You may spend a little more time preparing the meal than you normally would spend to cook dinner but both you and your husband will get the benefit of being able to relax and enjoy a fabulous dinner together.

If you are running out of ideas for gifts to give your husband on Valentine’s Day, you might want to consider giving him some clothing as a gift. This really is a good idea because if your husband is like most men, he rarely shops for clothing for himself. In fact he may still be wearing clothing from high school or college. Try buying your husband items he normally wouldn’t purchase for himself such as a stylish pair of jeans or a new pair of shoes. He will likely appreciate the gift because he will now have a few more clothing options but will not have to worry about doing his own shopping.

A final gift which can be a good idea for women to give to their husbands on Valentine’s Day is a gift certificate for a massage. Men often give these types of gifts to women on Valentine’s Day but women typically don’t give these types of gifts to men. Men enjoy being pampered just as much as women do, and your husband will likely appreciate a gift of a gift certificate for a massage. However, you might consider giving him the gift certificate and also scheduling an appointment for him. This is helpful for a couple of reasons. First it helps to make sure your husband doesn’t accidentally forget about the gift. The other reason is that some men may be shy about this type of gift because they have never had a massage before and may be apprehensive. If you make the appointment for them, it will take away some of the anxiety.

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Holidays

Understanding Women on Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2009 by Melissa · 1 Comment 

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - FILE PHOTO:  A buyer ...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

One complaint that many men have is that they just don’t understand what women expect from them on Valentine’s Day. This can make planning for Valentine’s Day a very stressful experience for men. They are worried that the gift they buy will say the wrong thing or that their gift will be misinterpreted by their girlfriend or wife. As a result they often wind up either doing too much or too little on Valentine’s Day and have trouble finding that happy balance where their gift will be appreciated without their partners reading too much into the gift. The key to finding this perfect gift is to understand women and how they think of Valentine’s Day.

The most important rule for men to remember is that when women say it is okay for you to not do anything for Valentine’s Day, 99.99% of the time they do not mean this. It is true there are some women who really do not expect anything from their boyfriends or husbands on Valentine’s Day but the vast majority will be extremely disappointed if you allow Valentine’s Day to pass without even a card or a small gift. So unless you are absolutely sure your partner is one of those women who really does not care about Valentine’s Day it is a safe bet to at least get a card and a flower for the special woman in your life. She is likely to be disappointed if you don’t.

Now you might be wondering what type of card you should get for the special woman in your life on Valentine’s Day. There are humorous cards available for purchase on Valentine’s Day but again unless you are absolutely sure this is the type of card your partner will like it is a better idea to go with a romantic card. You can find these types of cards expressing a number of different sentiments and are likely to find a card which expresses your feelings about the relationship perfectly. Men may not realize this but women typically put a great deal of time and effort into selecting your card and they may be disappointed if you do not do the same when selecting a card for them.

Men should also be aware that women do not want to be reminded of their diets on Valentine’s Day. Your girlfriend or wife may talk about wanting to lose weight and may be trying to exercise and eat right but this does not mean she wants you to buy her sugar free candy and give her workout equipment for Valentine’s Day. You may think you are doing something great for your girlfriend or wife but trust us on this one, she will think you are calling her fat. If you really want to support your partner in her diet efforts, you can give her a small box of chocolates and a piece of jewelry instead. Conversely, a box of diet cookies and a workout video are not likely to be well received.

Finally, one of the most important things for men to remember is it really is the thought that counts. Women want to feel special on Valentine’s Day. Extravagant gifts may seem like a good idea and may be well received but most women really just want to know that you love them on Valentine’s Day. So whether you give them expensive jewelry or make the effort to cook them dinner they will know how you feel about them.

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Holidays

Celebrating Valentine’s Day Apart

February 14, 2009 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 13:  A Valentines Day disp...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

There are a number of reasons why a couple may find themselves spending Valentine’s Day apart. Couples who are in a long distance relationship, business trips, shifts which prevent couples from being together, sickness and family emergencies are just a few examples of reasons why a couple may find themselves spending Valentine’s Day apart. While you may certainly understand the reasons why you and your loved ones cannot be together on Valentine’s Day it does not make it any easy to deal with this situation. You may still feel sad and lonely if you find yourself in one of these situations. However, there is home for those who are spending Valentine’s Day apart from their loved ones, there are a few ways for making the day a lot more fun. This article will provide information on ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day apart in a number of different scenarios.

First we will consider the case of a couple who is in a long distance relationship. For this couple, they may be used to spending important days such as Valentine’s Day, anniversaries and other holidays apart so it may not be as difficult for them to deal with. However, there are ways this couple can still celebrate Valentine’s Day together. One way to do this is to both rent the same movie and watch it while on the phone together. This may run up your phone bill but if you have unlimited evening minutes you and your partner can chat away on your cell phones while you watch the movie together. You might even consider both ordering the same type of food such as pizza or Chinese food so you will feel even more together for a little while.

Next we will consider a couple who finds themselves spending Valentine’s Day apart do to an unexpected business trip. This can be particularly difficult because the couple is not used to being apart on important days and likely did not have a great deal of time to prepare for spending the holiday apart. In this situation the couple should discuss Valentine’s Day as soon as they realize they are going to be spending the holiday apart. While discussing it they can decide whether they want to celebrate before they separate or after they are reunited. It is also important for the couple to try to at least have some contact on Valentine’s Day even if it is over the phone or through email. This will allow the couple to feel like they are together in some way so they don’t get too lonely. Having flowers delivered to your loved one while you are separated is also a very thoughtful gesture.

Finally, we will consider the case of a couple who cannot spend Valentine’s Day together because one or both of them does work which involves odd shifts. This could include doctors, firefighters, police officers or a variety of other professions. Individuals in this type of situation are probably used to their odd schedule and making time to be together outside of working hours. In this case the best way to deal with being apart on Valentine’s Day is to plan on celebrating together when it is more convenient. This may not seem like the most romantic option but sometimes it is important to remember that you love your partner every day of the year and you don’t have to be together on Valentine’s Day to prove your love for each other.

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Holidays

Cathy’s Creations-Great for Handcrafted Jewlery and Ornaments

January 23, 2009 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

Christmas time is always a hard time for me to figure out what to buy those hard to shop for relatives! You know who they are the ones that have everything what else could they possibly need? Well my Mom will not tell you what she wants and she tends to be picky! So this year I knew I was going to hit it out of the ballpark because the one she loves is PERSONLIZED ornaments that mean something personal to our family! Now enter my good friend Cathy from Cathy’s Creations! Now Cathy and I have been friends for awhile and she is Co-Host on my Radio Show Frugal WAHMs Talk Radio and I knew she made handmade ornaments amongest other things! So feeling confident I headed on over to Cathy’s site!

Oh my gosh was I surprised at the wide variety she had to offer. Not only did she have Christmas ornaments but she had ornaments for dog and cat lovers, special occasions, handcrafted whimiscal jewlery, custom name tags, sports and professions ornaments and more! How in the world was I going to chooose! Then I found a perfect Christmas ornament that allowed me to add all of my Mom’s grandchildren’s name on it.

The ornaments came in a big box stuffed with pink raffia all over, on top was a ziploc baggie with pink candies inside. She knew the way into my heart just add candy lol. Then under the candy and beautiful pink raffia was all my ornaments I ordered each carefully packaged. The ornaments were so much beautiful than I had ever anticapated and her website does do them justice. Cathy is truly a gifted artists each ornaments was unique, beautifully crafted, handpainted and simply just breath taking.

The care she took from making the ornaments and painting them to shipping and packing them really showed from the moment we opened the box. Now on Christmas morning I couldnt wait and made Mom open up my package first! Inside was TWO personlized ornaments from Cathy’s Creations! The first ornaments depcited all of her children’s names! The second depicted all of her grandchildren’s names! And here it came the flood gates opened and Mom was bawling! SCORE I hit that one out of the ballpark all thanks to Cathy!

So if you are looking for affordable and handcrafted one of kind jewlery or ornaments I highly suggest stoppping by Cathy’s Creations today!

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Holidays

Top 5 Last Minute Christmas Gifts

December 24, 2008 by Melissa · Leave a Comment 

Every year you swear that next year you will make sure to get all your Christmas shopping done on time. No more running through the department store picking up the scraps that everyone else has left behind. And just like last year, there you are looking around for last minute Christmas gifts. This list should help you out with some creative solutions while you try to get that last minute Christmas gift this year.

1. Online shopping.

This can greatly reduce the time spent running from store to store trying to find something. This can save you time and money. While many stores may be out of stock, most online stores will have just what you need and many times will have free shipping. Make sure you do your research, it can save you hundreds of dollars if done right. Look for free shipping, and next day air. Also when you find what you are looking for, do one more search for coupons for that product. For last minute Christmas gift shoppers this is the best place to start.

2. Gift Cards

A gift card may be the greatest invention in the history of the world. Okay maybe not but it is in the top 10 in my book. These can be perfect for someone that you have no idea what to get or what size is right. If you know what place they like to shop in then the gift card will always be the right size. For last minute Christmas gift shoppers this is a great idea. The person will get what they want and can shop anytime they want.

3. Cash

Money is a good gift idea for kids, collage students are always in a need for extra money. All you need to do is run out to the local super market and pick up a nice card and toss in some money. Make sure you add a nice personal greeting and you are all set. You can add a note to the recipient to make sure they use the money for something fun. This is also good for children, they can be very hard to shop for even when you have plenty of time. Toys go in an out of style so fast it’s hard to keep track of them all. A child’s face will light up when they see that they have money to get whatever they want the next time they go to the store.

4. Homemade Gifts

Making something to give as a gift is another terrific last minute Christmas gift idea. If you know how to bake, you can make cookies, cakes, or chocolates to give out to anyone. Do you paint? Paint a nice holiday theme picture and get a nice frame. You can knit scarves or hats if you have that skill. Anything that you are good at can make a really nice thoughtful gifts.

5. Potluck

This one is last because it actually takes time to think ahead. And if you did that then you would not need a list of last minute Christmas gifts. But, if you take the time throughout the year and pick up small things while you are out shopping and place them in a box. You will end up with a good amount of gifts to pick from when you are ready to start shopping. Most people during the year will see something that you think would be a nice gift for someone and just move along. Pick it up and have it on hand.

Another option is to stock up on small presents throughout the year. Maintaining a treasure chest of last minute presents in storage can eliminate the last minute gift giving problem. Get an assortment of useful, peculiar, or fun items to give out, and keep a stock of wrapping paper on hand as well.

At Christmas, it is the thought behind the present which counts. A thoughtful card, offer of flowers, or another similar gesture can make a big impression on a recipient. When looking for a last minute Christmas gift, think about your connection with the recipient, and what kind of presents would delight him or her and deepen your relationship.

Here are some homemade Christmas gift ideas for your last minute Christmas needs.

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