In the course of my holiday shopping, I happened into my local pet shop for some supplies and a catnip-filled stocking or two.

While there, I couldn’t help but wander towards the wall full of wriggling puppies, each more adorable than the last.

As usual, there were a few display tanks full of kittens, generally from stray or other cats which people drop off to be vaccinated and then resold. It’s not a bad program, really, and the store always charges $49.99 to adopt a kitten once they’ve been checked and treated, enough to cover the vet and their expenses.

Always, that is, except the holidays. As I looked at the inquisitive little faces, my eye was drawn up to the yellow tag: $199.99.

“Well, they must be from a breeder,” I mused aloud, but a nearby store clerk shook her head. She gave me a knowing look and whispered “They’re the same cats as always,” then strolled off before anyone else could overhear.

Indeed, these were run-of-the-mill kittens, some stripey, some longhaired with white bibs, and some pure jet black. But all featured the special holiday pricing, four times the normal cost.

In the midst of the Christmas rush, I wonder if anyone else will even notice.

Image Credit: Collinj

Homemade gifts can be so much more than the sum of their parts, which makes them a great frugal gift option.

They are redolent of effort, of “I thought of you all year and worked on this for you” versus “I realized I needed a gift for you ten minutes ago and picked this up as I was driving here.”

MoneySavingMom has an extensive collection of frugal gift ideas. Some of my favorite homemade gifts from her list follow:

• Homemade baking mixes
• Embroidered pillowcases
• Hand-stamped notecards
• Personalized CDs (with music, family photos, etc.)
• Custom-made photo calendars (every grandparent I know adores these)
• Homemade food, including freezer-ready quick meals and baked goods (I am seriously asking my mother-in-law for a giant vat of her famous fresh Tomato soup for the holidays this year)
• Canned vegetables, jam, pickles, etc.
• Scarves, sweaters and other knitted/crocheted goodies
• Fleece throw blankets

• Homegrown organic dried herbs (in a charming little jar, what could be better?)

  I talked a bit about this in my last entry, but the ultimate “handmade” gift may not be a thing at all, but instead, a service. I love the concept of lending your personal services to someone else, especially in this age of so little free time.

  If you’re good at sewing, what about giving certificates for mending and tailoring clothing? Or giving proofreading or resume help to someone still in school? Know someone who travels a lot? A few certificates for rides provided by you to and from the airport could be just the thing. Or create a scrapbook or photo album for someone with lots of memories and no time to compile them. Babysitting, yard cleanup, etc. are gifts which cost little but your time.

  I’ve been blessed with some very creative friends, so in the past I’ve received amazing scarves, jewelry, gorgeous embroidered pillowcases, and even original artwork. This year, one of my good friends knitted me some very chic pure-white cashmere gloves.

  My own talents are more culinary than crafty, so this year I’m giving out tins of several varieties of homemade cookies and a few premade freezer meals, like lasagna, for those in my life who don’t enjoy cooking as much as I do. If you’re not inclined to create gifts yourself, you can buy amazing and unique handmade gifts of all sorts at Etsy.com.

  Any special handmade gifts you’ve given or received? Share your favorites.

  Image Credit: Autreyu

I got a little carried away with consumable gifts in the food and drink category in my last entry, but that’s to be expected. This time around, my favorite ideas for non-edible consumable gifts:

• Soap and Bath Products – They make a great gift basket, but are easily used up, so they don’t contribute to clutter. One of my friends makes her own fantastic-smelling all-natural olive oil soap and bath products, and she had a home show this year where I bought soaps for just about everyone I know. I tried to select scents which I think each individual will love, and it should be fun to see how accurate I was predicting their fragrance preferences. And anything I don’t give away I’ll just use up myself.
• Massages, Pedicures, and Spa Treatments – Beauty supplies continue to be a popular gift, but they are a clear winner when combined with gift certificates for massages, pedicures, facials and other spa treatments. In my book, there’s no such thing as too many massages, and it’s nice to have some luxury to look forward to. Pick a local spa, or visit SpaWish.com for a gift certificate good at over 1,000 day spas across the nation.

  

• eSubscriptions, Media and Content – With all the interesting videos, music, and books available via iTunes, it’s hard to imagine anyone who owns an MP3 player not appreciating an iTunes Gift Card. I’ve heard great things about Audible.com as well, and electronic book and programming subscriptions start as low as $7.49 a month for the first 3 months with their AudibleListener program.
• The Gift of Less Mailbox Clutter – Starting around $5 a month, you can help a loved one get less mail and move to receiving and paying bills online with Paytrust. For someone who’s online enough to benefit from this but buried under their bills, this is a great way to help him dig out. E-bills are simple to set up, and for traditional mail, you have the recipient call all the companies which bill him and provide a new mailing address, then Paytrust will receive and scan all bills going forward. My partner and I are Paytrust users and it has transformed the way we manage our bills and rental properties. More on that in a future entry, but from a holiday perspective, it’s a fabulous gift for that overwhelmed person in your life.
• The Gift of More Time – Take a page from Tim Ferriss’ book The Four Hour Workweek and help someone to “outsource” time-consuming or unpleasant tasks. Whether you supply a bevy of homemade frozen meals or set up a running engagement with a personal chef, your gift will directly benefit the recipient’s quality of life. Maid service, child care and gardening or landscaping services are gifts they’ll remember all year, and can be accomplished by hiring out or (more economically) by helping out and doing it yourself.

  Low-clutter gifts can still be high impact.

  iTunes Image Credit: Tanais

Besides charitable giving, this year I’m focusing on clutter-free gifts: experiences and consumables. While experiences are great gifts, consumables give you something to open and enjoy Christmas morning.

Unclutterer.com has some nice suggestions for theme-based consumable gift collections, such as bulbs and seeds for a gardener, spice collections for someone who enjoys cooking, and the always-popular bath sundries collection for anyone who enjoys self-pampering. There’s even a very utilitarian garage-themed collection idea with motor oil, work gloves, etc.

My tastes run a bit more colorful, as I believe the holidays provide a great chance to give premium consumables, little luxuries life might not otherwise afford us.

My favorite food and drink gifts include:

• Aged Balsamic Vinegar – It’s a surprisingly flexible gift, suitable for everything from salad dressings and bread dips (include some fresh loaves of bread for an irresistable gift basket) to marinades and even as a topping for ice cream. There are a range of prices and qualities available, and The Splendid Table has a great guide. Print out some relevant recipes and include them, too!
• Wine – Even better when paired with a gift certificate to a BYOB restaurant and maybe a cute wine tote, but there’s so much you can do with wine gifts. A nice bottle you’ve tried and enjoyed, different vintages of the same wine so the recipient can sample and compare, or a selection of bottles from a region with accompanying reading material on that region’s wines can make a memorable gift. You can find nice, well-rated wines for less than $20 a bottle. Wine Club memberships are wonderful too if you have the budget.
• Say Cheese! – Last year one of the best gifts I got was a stylish reusable tote filled with a variety of fine imported cheeses, candied nuts, and crackers. Food gifts made for sharing are perfect for holiday entertaining. There are plenty of places out there which sell preassembled gift baskets, but I think the best approach is to find a local cheese shop or market and try things out yourself. Add fresh or dried fruit and nuts and you can make your own extravagant gift for much less than you’d pay at Harry and David or Williams-Sonoma.
• Sweets – Speaking of indulgence! Last year I gave my father-in-law a set of dark chocolate bars made from cocoa beans from different countries for a comparative tasting. Homemade cookies or cakes are always appreciated, and can provide a more economical gift alternative. I’m partial to british candy as a fun and inexpensive gift.
• Citrus Fruit – Sweeter than candy, the juice from Temple oranges is a rare treat in the cold winter months. I order them now for delivery January through March from Nokomis Groves. You could make a fabulous gift basket around a citrus gift (think breakfast kit) or let its sunny glory stand on its own.

  

• Salumis, Seafood and Special Meats – Salami, bacon, proscuitto, ham, smoked turkey, scallops, salmon – whether you spend a lot for a fine imported meat or seafood product or assemble your own basket from a local specialty shop, there’s much to choose from.

  Whether you’re seeking truffles from France or salumis from Italy, finding a great source is key. If you can’t find these imported items at a local market, you can find them at a markup at Dean & Deluca, but you can also try your luck finding better deals and culinary rarities at sites like EthnicGrocer, Gustiamo (Italian), La Tienda (Spanish) and French Feast.

  Amazon has a great collection of gourmet gifts under $25 worth checking out.

  You can also take a look at Food411’s Holiday Picks or Sur la Table for more inspired gift ideas.

  Image Credit: Sur la Table

‘Tis the season to think about charitable giving, and there are some wonderful opportunities to do this while giving to your friends and loved ones. Whether it’s one of your favorite causes or one which aligns with the interests of the recipient, there are three simple ways to make a doubly-impactful gift this holiday season.

1. Buy Christmas/holiday cards which support your charity of choice

If you’re going to buy cards this year anyway, why not see if your favorite charity has anything to offer? Not only do you show your support, but you may find interesting, unique cards which stand out to their recipients.

• The Audubon Society has a stunning array, and 10% of each box goes to serve their cause.
• The Make-A-Wish Foundation will actually personalize and mail your cards for you if you wish to make a gift on someone else’s behalf. Or you can order blank cards and send them yourself.
• The American Diabetes Association offers cards which you can personalize regardless of whether you are making a gift donation as well.
• Defenders of Wildlife offers free personalization of up to 4 lines when you order 3 or more boxes of cards, plus the cards are really wonderful for animal lovers.
• Sierra Club has an array of cards ranging from adorable polar bears frolicking in the snow to stunning National Park landscapes.

  2. Buy gifts which provide a percentage to charity

• Know someone who loves the water? Oceana has some really cool t-shirts and apparel, and as much as 25% of the proceeds benefit their charity.
• Sierra Club offers two gorgeous gift-boxed calendars, note card sets (the owl set is my favorite) and even books for the nature/scenery lover in your life.
• The American Red Cross Store offers a number of smart gifts for the practical people in your life who always like to be prepared. Start with the $5 emergency kit as a stocking stuffer or spring for an emergency radio or more extensive kit. They’ve even got a line of vintage-style and baby clothing and some cute wrapping paper to package it all up.
• UNICEF has a store full of interesting, international gifts, including candles, journals, and books.
• A cancer survivor or supporter might enjoy jewelry, clothing or a tote bag from the American Cancer Society Gift Shop.

  3. Donate to charity as a gift

• Oceana is offering a holiday adopt-a-creature program. For $35, you can adopt a dolphin, seahorse, or one of 16 other sea creatures and receive a cookie cutter in the shape of that creature and a special sugar cookie recipe. For $75, you can choose a set of 4 creatures, or for more, you can get the full set with an oven mitt or two included. It’s a nice way to donate while still having a fun gift for the recipient to open and enjoy.

  

• Oxfam America offers you the unique opportunity to present your friends and family with a sheep, a can of worms, or other amusing gift. You are donating your funds to purchase items needed by growing communities worldwide, but you get a very charming personalized card announcing your gift in any of a number of categories relevant to the recipient, from gardener to student. How else could you possibly gift wrap a camel?

  

• Heifer International also donates livestock to countries in need. You can choose from a variety of animals, including a llama for $150.
• American Forests lets you plant trees in the name of a loved one for $1 a tree.
• Alternative Gifts International offers truly impactful gifts of of food, shelter, trees, gardens and medicines around the world.
• Not sure what charity would be most fitting? JustGive.org sells gift certificates which can be redeemed for any of 1,000,000 charities and nonprofit organizations.

  There are so many more charities out there offering personal, interesting and impactful holiday gifts. What are your favorites?