Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List

Dec. 11, 2006 — -- It's the time of year to show our appreciation to our neighbors, teachers, friends and grandparents with a thoughtful gift.

If you are tired of giving candles and baked goods, we have easy, creative gifts for everyone on your gift list.

From $2 to $20 each, they won't break your budget either.

Find a great bargain on a household or kitchenware item online or at a discount store, and make a themed gift.

For example, I found a good-quality Farberware nonstick skillet set (one 8-inch and one 10-inch pan) on Amazon.com on sale for $7.99 (down from $60), and printed a rebate form to get $5 back. I created a "frittata set" by attaching a recipe card for a frittata, a package of herbs (13 cents bought in bulk at the health-food store), and a wooden spoon (four for $1 at the dollar store).

Total Cost: $3.75

*Note: You can find the rebate link on Amazon.com in the pan description, and the rebate offer ends 12/15/06. Shipping is free with a minimum order of $25.

It is easy to make gifts using canning jars that are attractive and inexpensive.

Create an attractive bulb kit with a pint-size mason jar. Fill the jar two-thirds full with colored stones, colored glass stones or marbles for color (you can substitute soil if you prefer). Add a Paperwhite Narcissus bulb (which is the most foolproof bulb) and put the lid on the jar.

Add a festive bow and a tag with the simple growing instructions: "Fill the jar with water halfway up the bulb and keep watered (do not cover the top of the bulb with water). Put uncovered jar in a sunny spot. The bulb will bloom in 4-6 weeks with fragrant white blossoms."

Total Cost: $2 per kit includes the 67-cent pint-size jar, one 60-cent bulb (bought in quantity of 10 from a local nursery), 75-cent glass stones (from a dollar store).

You can create mixes for cookies by layering ingredients in quart-size, wide-mouth mason jars.

The price of the jar can vary widely, depending on where you buy the jar. I found the lowest prices on Ball mason jars by buying them in a case of 12 at my grocery store or hardware store for $10 per case, which is 83 cents per jar.

The pint-size jars cost $8 a case, or about 67 cents per jar. If you only want to buy one or two jars, check a craft store and look for a coupon in the craft store's ad in your newspaper. The Michael's craft store in my city carried the quart-size jar for $1.49 and the pint-size jar for 99 cents.

By using the 40-percent off coupon, I would pay 83 cents for a single quart jar and 59 cents for the pint jar (prices may vary by location).