Inexpensive homemade gifts for friends and neighbors

by Ashley
(New Milford, NJ, USA)

I like making gifts for the holidays, especially for those friends or family members who seem to already have everything and for the seemingly endless neighbor gifts. It works best if you plan ahead and have the time to make these kinds of gifts. Last year I found a really simple crochet pattern for a hot pad and made as many of these as I could get out of a large skein of cotton yarn. Included with the finished hot pad was a plate of cookies with the recipe attached on a Christmas recipe card (I found a free one online I could print and glue on a regular 4x6 index card). Even though I couldn't make enough hot pads for everyone on my list, I did manage to do the cookies and recipe for everyone.