Quick last minute Christmas gifts

RACHEL ALEXANDER, Staff Wtiter

Christmas is quickly approaching and finding the right gift for your friends and family can be a hard task, especially when you only have little time and little money. It can be important to give a gift with special meaning to the ones you care about. The idea is to not spend all your money for one holiday season. Below are some ideas to help in your Christmas-gift search:

Picture collages

Picture collages are memorable and from the heart. They may take some time to make but the outcome is always worth it.  You could use a picture board and tack up some pictures or articles that have a special meaning. Or you could get a giant frame and tie strings across it and buy many close pins and hang pictures across.

Soap

A fun DIY holiday gift that takes under 20 minutes to make is soap. Soap is a nice gift that can be used as a decoration and for the use of making yourself smell good. You can make the soap homemade and full of holiday cheer.

What You’ll Need:

Shea Butter Soap Base, Peppermint Essential Oil, Red Soap Colorant, Soap Mold, Microwave Safe Measuring Cup w/ Spout, and a Toothpick. Below is the link you can go to that will tell you how to make homemade soap.

http://www.happinessishomemade.net/2013/11/20/peppermint-soap-holiday-diy-gift-idea/

Blankets

Everyone loves pictures and warm fleece blankets. Put those together and you have a blanket full of photos! This is a fun and easy gift to give that can keep you warm and happy.  Who wouldn’t want to sleep with pictures of loved ones every night? It is really easy. All you have to do is order a blanket and insert any photos you want on it.  This is quick, easy, and a good way to make someone smile.

http://photos.walmart.com/walmart/storepage/storePageId=Blankets

Holiday mix

Putting any kind of holiday mix in a jar never fails. From anything to hot chocolate mix to cookie mix to a pretzel and chocolate mix. Mixes are fun and they taste good. They are a creative way to make someone smile. You need a jar, ingredients to layer inside the jar, and a nice ribbon to wrap it up and make it look pretty.

Ornaments

Homemade ornaments are always a fun gift to give your parents. You can go to a craft store to purchase the bulbs to make Christmas ornaments for the tree. All parents love homemade gifts from their children.

Bath and Body

If you are in a rush to get your significant other something and you have no time to make anything you could make a trip to Bath and Body Works and buy a gift package for under $20. You can customize your own gift package and put a candle, lip gloss, perfume, lotion, and hand sanitizer inside. It’s a quick way to make your girlfriend happy that won’t break the bank.

Good luck with your holiday shopping, and have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.