As kids, Christmas was fun and easy on the receiving end of piles of gifts. Now as an adult and the responsible gift giver, you are instead left with piles of receipts and credit card bills at the end of the season. Buying power can come at a wallet-thinning cost, but it does not have to be that way.

It is time to redefine what Christmas means and stay true to the real spirit of the Holiday season: to celebrate love. Christmas gifts should not be about doing more, but doing more that actually has meaning.

Instead of buying gifts outside of your budget, give your family and friends presents that express love and appreciation. Gifts like these cost very little, but with creativity and a small time investment, these gifts mean a whole lot more.

There is no right or wrong gift when they are truly heartfelt. Have fun and make something personal with your own flair. Create gifts with meaning and focus on spending time with the people you care most about. These new gift ideas could be the start of a family tradition or even a few extra hours spent with your kids while crafting a gift for grandparents or aunts and uncles.

From a variety of creative resources, Inspired Living has compiled a list of the top creative gifts that will warm the soul and help you and those on the receiving end of your gift giving embrace the true spirit of the Holiday’s.

Gift of Gratitude

Handmade cards may seem too cliché to give as a Christmas gift, but instead of writing “Thank You,” fill the card with all the reasons you are thankful for that person being a part of your life.  If you want to take it up a notch, write 12 thank you cards and seal them in envelopes. Decorate a small shoebox in pictures, pretty paper, buttons, mementos and adornments. Place the 12 thank you cards in your gratitude box and tell your friend or family member to open one card for each month of the year. This is a gift that will be treasured now and years from now. That is the power of gratitude in action.

Homemade Treats

If you love to cook, nothing beats homemade goodies. Baked goods, candies, homemade flavored liquor, homemade extracts, jam and assorted canned goods can all be made into special gifts. Add your own personal touch by encasing them in boxes or jars with a special message from you. Maybe even name your delicious creations after the person you are giving them to. Make each with love; the sweet aftertaste of your heartfelt gift will last longer than the actual treats will. 

“I love you because…” or “I remember when…” Box

Through out the year we don’t always take the time to let those we love know the many reasons WHY we love them. Fill a box with pieces of paper, each with a handwritten message about why you love the person you are giving it to. Decorate the box with buttons, beads or anything you feel is a reflection of the person receiving the box.

Another way to fill the box could be with your favorite memories of the person. A mother could write “I remember the first time you grabbed for my hand and your hand was so tiny it only fit around one of my fingers. I have loved you always my daughter and this moment was one of many that melted my heart.”

Special Service Gift Cards 

No, these are not your typical gift cards. Create your own! Think about favors you can do for loved ones and when you can do it for them! Write them down or create small certificates on the computer.

Help a friend with housecleaning. Set up a blog for your sister. Cook dinner for your mother. Wash your dad’s car. Give your husband a back or foot massage. The possibilities are endless.

Artifacts from First Meeting or Date

What a better way to make your significant other feel special than taking pieces or landmarks from your earliest encounters and encapsulating them? If you met on a beach, go back and scoop up a small bottle of sand from where you met. If you met at a park, pick fresh flowers and press them.  Snap a photo where you were standing and then place both in a photo box. If you met at a bar, buy a glass or souvenir with the bar’s name. Get creative! The idea is to show that those first moments made such an impact on you months or years later.

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At the end of the day, the best gifts are not found under the tree or in a store—they are found in the love we share with the people in our lives.” Use these examples or think of your own to not only save money, but give gifts that will be remember for years to come.

© 2012 Inspired Living, LLC

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Keri Murphy and the Inspired Living team is on a mission to empower people to use their unique talents in a way that allows them to Dream, Live and BE all that is possible through speaking, coaching, celebrity interviews and original on-line content. Get Inspired at inspiredliving.tv