Whole foods as much as possible! Coupons, too.

by BarbL
(California)

While doing holiday shopping, it is important to realize that many items available all year, or easy to make, will be marketed as "holiday specials" in their red and green, or orange and black, wrappings. Stay away! Plain wrap candy is fine for Halloween. The best Christmas cookies are home made, and spritz cookies can be easily made with a stamping machine: fast, delicious, and CHEAP!!

Wrap baskets, gifts, baked goods yourself. It's easy to get an artistic and inexpensive result if you do not pay others to gift wrap for you.
Throughout the year, look for specials on dry goods like flour, sugar, decorations, baking powder. When the prices go up at holiday time, you won't have to deal with the markup.

Coupons are a qualified blessing. It seems that companies have gotten greedy with their "buy 2" coupons. Be SURE you need two of whatever it is.
With the money you save, get yourself a nice gift! You deserve it!