A Totally FREE Christmas 2025

Soontobeoap

first gift Made for Christmas yesterday at craft group. For the Usual £2.00 admission fee and a few extra bits and bobs from my craft stash a pin cushion for my sister. Some of the bits are from my other sister's stash too. She passed away last year. So a momento of her crafting spirit too. We all had the crafting gene.  I have the .perfect box to fit it into saved from some bath bombs too.

Willowtree222

That is gorgeous x

Dizzycap

@ Soontobeoap - Absolutely fabulously gorgeous! Great going with the recycled box for it too xxx

Duchess2

@Soontobeoap what a beautiful personal gift. I’m sure your sister will be thrilled. I would really appreciate a gift like that, made with love. Very well done

weenancyinAmerica

I know we didn't have much money when I was growing up. We made snowflakes by folding paper and cutting it out - and usually it was scrap paper we started with. Used flour and water to make a paste and fasten them in the windows. Used the same paste to make paper chains for the tree along with our popcorn strings (made with day-old popcorn so easier to string with needle and thread). Almost nothing but homemade ornaments on the tree - many from cutting shapes with pinking shears and sewing pieces together with stuffing from an old sofa pillow. Made a lot of flour and salt clay ornaments too. Our gifts for several years were things like home scooters (old pairs of roller skates for wheels- loved this way to get around and still have one in the garage), doll beds made from cigar boxes, stuffed animals my dad made out of various shapes. I made my younger sister a doll one year sewing by hand and another time I made her a little grocery store for her dolls. One year I asked for an empty shoe box and some 3"x 5" cards and used it to start my first file of household hints. It wasn't until I was about 15, that my parents started actually buying presents and then it was limited to no more than $25 each. Even now I prefer getting things like a jar of strawberry jam, a gingerbread cookie and a tangerine in my stocking. We limit the presents between the adults to $40 and draw names. Have to get creative and shop secondhand. Everyone in the family collects something that can be bought used. For my Dad my mother was buying the ornaments from the hoods of cars which we got at the car junk yard places. We also give a lot of books in the family, usually bought at the library book sales - no more than 25 cents each. The kids usually get a large box of books each. They also sometimes get the ingredients for science experiments (their mother teaches science classes). When I was traveling to the British Isles, I used to get the Red Cross charity pins and any other ones available when I was there to add to the presents. My sisters still wear them. I also would go to the charity shops for most of my presents to take home. Other than that it was seeing what was available on the covers of magazines. I would give the magazine and the attachment most times. Got some wonderful gifts that way. Never thought a lot of money was needed for the holidays. The idea of paying more that $25 for a birthday party was unheard of.

Dizzycap

@ weenancyinAmerica - Great post & it's certainly brought back some great memorise , so thank you so very much for sharing xxxxx

For those who are not familiar: There's some great hand made & creative ideas on the '2025 - No Craft Spending - We WILL bust my stash and make pretty things!!!!!' Thread HERE

Off Topic: Amzn have launch a new shop called Haul which you can find by searching on Amzn: Low(ish) pricing around the lines of T*mu pricing and associated quality *cough*, but watch out for the horrendeous shipping charges which are per item regardless of the number / different colours you're thinking of purchasing from the same seller - OUCH!

weenancyinAmerica

Next door neighbor was getting rid of a magazine rack with iron work at the back - perfect to make a planter for my sister. She loves iron things with flower carvings in her yard. I still have the old wooden drawer set that my work was getting rid of years ago. I have been trying to clean it up to use as a jewelry box for the same sister. I also made her a crocheted bag in my crocheting class this last semester. Got the yarn at 70% off when our local craft store closed. So only a couple of dollars for the yarn. Along with the books that have cost me $1 for 4, it should take care of her birthday and Christmas gifts this year.

Dizzycap

Good morning all - I trust & hope that everyone is doing ok, even though the road of life might be alittle rocky at times 

Should anyone be interested have a Nationwide current account and already received a £50 Thank You Bonus for the VirginMoney Merger, there is a second £100 Fair Share Bonus due to be paid by Nationwide between: 18th June & 4th July, 2025.

dND

Nice to see you @Dizzycap, we were beginning to get worried over on the decluttering board. ❤️❤️ 

Soontobeoap

14 cards made for crib group using stash and some cards that were being thrown away. Feeling a bit smug. It's a start. 🙂