The funny thing is, you don’t remember hardly any of my Christmas gifts as a child, but I do remember the stuffed lion my mom made one Christmas.  My mom said it was because they had no money, but that lion was so loved by me.

One workplace had a gift exchange.  You picked a name,  and then you bought that person a toy or game that they might have wanted as a child.  It was hilarious.  The toys were packed up and taken to a social worker office.  Great fun and no clutter.

I wish I could just sit down and talk with you. This Christmas will be the hardest because my husband died in January the day after our 41st anniversary. Our year has been so hard also losing his income. I finally said I need a purpose so I deemed this a homemade Christmas. I have taken his soft robes and pajama bottoms and am making teddy bears for our grandchildren. I can’t express how healing this has been for me! God has shown me how to make a child smile out of my sorrow. Our little Lydia was born nine months and three days after Papa’s death and she will have a soft teddy to cuddle with while hearing stories about him. Now you have given me ideas to make something for my children and their spouses from his clothes. Thank you, 😘

I think the first tip that you recommended was so wise!!! (Take an inventory of what you have first, instead of picking a pattern and then shopping for everything you need in order to make whatever it is! Genius! You consistently make the best videos! God bless you!

We got to the point where we were just swapping gift cards to our extended family. We've finally decided for forego the gifts and do something small. Last year I made my parents a drink gift basket. I bought a basket from the Goodwill and filled it with their favorite tea, coffee. I also bake for the holidays and put together small tins of goodies for family and neighbors. The tins are from the Dollar Tree or given back to me from family to refill again. One year I was sick and didn't bake and there was much disappointment. That's how I know it's very much appreciated. ❤It made me feel really good about my efforts.

I think getting back to giving gifts that are more meaningful is something everyone should try.  All the rushing to the store to get the next "must have" thing that will be forgotten in a couple months is such a waste.  Great video.

My mum always told a story about one Christmas, she had three daughters all under 6 and my dad was ill and out of work, so money was incredibly tight, she knew my grandparents were buying all of us a new doll each, so she spent a few weeks making beds and sheets and pillows and knitting blankets for them out of stuff she had at home. She said she looked at what little there was on Xmas eve and cried, when I was an adult hearing this I told her that I had no memory of a Christmas when I was disappointed by having few gifts or that they were home made. I couldn't say they were the best ever and I still have them because I don't have them and don't even remember them... all I remember was Christmas was bright and always fun and lively, we were family and that was what mattered, even as a small child. I remember the laughter and eating great food. She almost cried again then because she thought we were scarred by those times and saw we were perfectly fine and... well I could waffle all day, but I'm saying it's about love and wanting to bring someone joy, not how much something costs, if someone is disappointed by your gift or thinks it's cheap, they don't love you and don't need to get another one. ❤❤

In the past I would make a Christmas ornament for everyone in my church, about 125 ornaments. One year money was tight so I went into my stash and found my Christmas fabric & batting. I ended up making about 150 scrappy Christmas trees with fun stitching. The only thing I had to purchase was a spool of red thread. Everyone enjoyed them!

This was a GREAT video with some awesome ideas. The best gifts I ever gifted my siblings were quilts I made from our Moms clothes after she passed. They all thought I had donated her clothes to charity but I actually cut them up and put them in a quilt. They absolutely loved them! And, of course we all sat around pointing out different fabrics remembering the pieces of clothing. We laughted and we cried and we healed. ❤

We were a single income military household with several children when I gifted the grandparents with a monthly "Day in the Life of My Grandchildren" packet.  The children would draw or color pictures, we'd send school workbook pages, and I would keep a diary of a regular day in our life.  My parents died 2 years ago, and as we emptied their house, I found all the packets.  I plan to make scrapbooks for all my grown children to share with their kids.

I am a teacher- Over the years parents have gifted me: soup (brought it after school), cake, cookies, fruit from their tree, sourdough discard, food...so many thoughtful things. Honestly, these are the best gifts!

One year I struggled to give a gift to my mom and stepdad since they had "everything."  Mom had MS and had to be cared for by stepdad full time.  I decided to give them a "Cookie-of the-Month."  I sent them two dozen cookies with the cookie-certificate stating that they would receive 2 dozen cookies each month through the year as their Christmas gift.  They just loved it!  I tried to make different kinds of cookies, but often they would ask me to make their favorites which I gladly did.   I have to say, it was a fun gift for me to give too.  I enjoyed baking and packing up the cookie box, making it pretty.

In 2010 (yes. That 2010…) I was a new mom, and had a 2yo niece that I really wanted to do something nice for. I found an old trunk for $10 on Craigslist, and used a lot of the scraps I had from making dresses and costumes in my teens/twenties and put together the most epic dress up box ever. I grabbed some dollar store crowns and made some wands with ribbons. It was awesome. She loved it and used it for years.

I am a retired art teacher in the UK, and your daughters watercolour is absolutely wonderful, I love the simplicity of it which is how watercolour should be. I know you will treasure it and so you should....I still have many of my daughters drawings from a very early age,...she is now 42!

This is one of your best videos.  Totally relate...I'm 72. When we were first married we decided to live on one income.  God provided.  When kids came along, Christmas was an issue.   Oh!!! we also homeschooled for several years.   BUT!!! my husband is a whiz at budgeting, and our Christmases were always fun.  Thanks for sharing

About teacher gifts, we homeschooled also, but my father, sister and husband were/are teachers. The best gift is a letter of gratitude telling how much the teacher is appreciated and what a difference he/she has made in the life of the student. That letter will be treasured and kept!

I'm in my early seventies and you are living well because you understand that it isn't the cost of the thing. It isn’t even the thing. It's love. Six of us old friends used to get together a bit after Christmas at one couple's farm house. We called our holiday  Gomish because the community is named Merigomish (get it?) We cooked and ate and drank and played stupid fun games. We would open gifts after dinner.  The basic idea was that we would shop our own houses. Even the three guys got into it.  There would be books carefully curated, silk scarves or a handmade toque. Maybe there'd be a blown glass tiny vase or a linen tea towel wrapped around a lemon loaf. Man oh man we loved Gomish.

I love the idea of the vintage pyrex with a hotpad, with a casserole ready to heat and eat over the holidays!

Our first Christmases together we made the gifts we gave. I remember sanding beautiful wood that became bookends with monogram W on each for relatives from husbands family.  Another year we made placemats that were a big sunshine.  I remember hubby cutting the wedges of different yellow and orange mini prints and we both embroidered happy faces on briilant yellow. Stitched like a quilt and used batting first time.  As the relatives have died these items came back to us.  So glad they were useful and almost free.

If I could give this video 10 thumbs up, I would. I agree with everything, especially how your friends will be relieved if you were the one who initiates  stopping gift giving. One year I inherited a huge stack of Christmas fabric. I made 12 10 minute table runners over a weekend and gave them out to 12 coworkers. They still let me know how much they love table runner when they bring it out at Christmas.