Here are some ideas for low-cost or no-cost holiday gifts, courtesy of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Lehigh Valley, Whitehall Township:
– Take an elderly friend or young children on a drive to look at holiday lights.
– Have children make holiday tree decorations from old paper or cards.
– Invite a friend or your children’s friends over for an evening of hot chocolate and cookies or popcorn and a video or TV holiday special.
– Offer to wash, wax and detail a car, mow the lawn or clean up leaves, grocery shop, run errands, drive someone to a doctor’s appointment or clean.
– Make a baked item, frozen casserole, sauce or hot chocolate mix (sugar and marshmallows added to cocoa) or other gift from the kitchen. Include the recipe and, if you wish, the container.
– Give a gift certificate for a back rub or foot rub, manicure, car pool, snow shoveling or baby-sitting.
– Refurbish a piece of furniture or tool.
– Have a potluck supper with recipe exchange instead of exchanging gifts with relatives or friends.
– Make craft jewelry, needlework, corsages or evergreen decorations.
– Give a collection of coupons for favored items.
– Make a recipe binder.
