I am trying to keep my Christmas gift giving costs down, while utilizing my God-given skills and available resources.  Here are a few ideas that I have come up with:-

• Christmas T-shirts - buy plain T's in red, green, white and decorate with applique.  I have quite a few remants of Christmas prints as well as solids in traditional Christmas colours.   May also do a few of these for sale at upcoming craft fairs!   Could be done with sweatshirts too, but that's not too practical for us in the tropics
• Christmas Bibs - I will buy plain white washcloths (or buy terry fabric) and decorate with applique as described above. The trim/ neckties will be made from seam binding.  Another possible sale item
• Book ends - using scrap wood from my Dad's workshop!   Will jazz up the basic book ends with dollar store figurines, small stuffed toys and or wooden alphabet blocks, either screwed/ glued in place.  I suppose I could use other inexpensive toys like cars, planes to decorate as well!  I had originally intended to use this idea for kids, but I'm thinking I could use small potted silk plants etc to make it more appropriate for adults!
• Jewellry/ accessory organizers - another piece of scrap wood, decorated with recipient's name , and a few small c-hooks for hanging necklaces.  For the younger boys, I will substitute inexpensive drawer pulls - they can use their for hanging baseball caps, clothes etc.
• Earrings - I have quite a few beads and jewellry findings in my craft stash.

Any other ideas?

Being Jewish, I don't give "Christmas" gifts, although I do give holiday gifts - so I tend to stay away from "Christmas" themed gifts (and I'm never quite sure what to do with the ones I get - mostly I regift them).  Most of my gifts are for people at work - so I usually start checking Michael's and Hobby Lobby about now, in their clearance sections, looking for notepads with magnets, interesting containers, and clearanced craft materials - one year I bought small jars with locking lids, granulated colored wax, and wicks, and made candles - several people I know still display them at their homes or on their desks.  Bath salts are easy to make and very inexpensive - another use for containers, although the woman who first gave me some used baggies tied with ribbons.

bumping the thread. ..any plans for this year and what happened to last years plans!    my crafty plans petered out last year.  this year  maybe crochet some washcloths to go with the soap I have.

I got an issue of Country Woman today. They showed a shopping bag/tote that had been painted with an apple design. That would make a nice gift.

Aprons make nice gifts.

So do hotmats/potholders.     

 Since so many people are now using reusable grocery shopping bags, I think that would be a GREAT gift.  You could do appliques of veggies or something on them.   And maybe use recycled jeans for the fabric--it's indestructable, and green.

 This year, I have lots of bush cherrys so am making jelly. It is a nice red color so am going to call it Christmas Jelly. Using different size jars. some 2oz , some 4 oz. for different people. I have some Christmas print material.will make a cover fo rthe lids. and a cute label  That is it so far. Babs

The christmas jelly sounds wonderful. I'd love someone to give me something like that. I made block Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah for teachers one year. It was cheap and easy. We were redoing our deck and took the spindles and cut into 2x2 blocks, saned them smooth and painted a letter on each. Then I decorated 2 more with hollyberry and put them in a recycled tin along with a holiday dish towel from the dollar tree. total cost was $1.75 ea.

I found several cute ideas from doing some research for a craft boutique I'm helping out with at church this year.  So far I'm definitely doing photo magnets and photo thumbtacks w/the kids pictures.  Those are super easy, inexpensive and I always have lots of photos lying around.  I'm also making some scented epsom salts for foot soaks and giving them to some of the ladies in the family.  I also found a wheat germ facial scrub that is really easy, might do that as well and I can package them in a "spa" themed gift.  I think I'll make the guys some chocolate dipped pretzel rods, I even have some really cute boxes specifically for them that I got on clearance last year.

Great ideas!

Really like the idea of doing reusable grocery totes.  I just saw a cute pattern for a crocheted tote the other day-meant to be used as a market bag or produce bag, strong enough to carry groceries.

Not sure if I'll have time to make them but I might give them a try!

I think a Christmas jelly would be such a nice and special gift.  I'd love to learn canning one day.