Free

• Light a candle at Christmas Mass for someone.
• “Share a Christmas time story with a younger relative or sibling.” – Peter Grbac
• Paper mache prayer box with words of strength and inspiration from the Scriptures.
• Go hiking, skiing or some other fun outdoor activity.
• “Gift certificate for babysitting one’s child, giving massages, completing chores or giving unlimited hugs.” – Andrew Santos
• Make a fun YouTube video, especially if it’s for someone far away.
• Give a prayer bouquet. Offer up a Mass, pray a rosary, spend an hour in eucharistic adoration and/or fast. You can try using flowers to represent different prayers -— a rose to represent one Mass, some greens to represent maybe a novena to their patron saint on their behalf.
• “Weather permitting, make a snow person/object for your person and bring them outside, blindfolded, singing Christmas carols to experience it.” – Daniel Telech
• Volunteer at a homeless shelter on Christmas Eve or spend part of Christmas day at a seniors' residence.
• Write a personalized prayer for someone.
• Use your artistic creativity and write a song, paint/draw a picture or take a nice photo like a photo of their house after a snowfall or anything significant. – Nisheeta Menon

Homemade

• Tree ornaments such as macaroni angels, painted pine cones or dough dolls.
• Hand-made all-twine knotted rosary. See rosaryarmy.com.
• “Buy old vinyl records at a thrift store, heat them in the oven and mould them into bowls. Then fill them with Christmas cookies and other treats.” – Rebecca Ryall
• Design a personalized prayer card or prayer book. Compile some of your favourite prayers, maybe a few novenas to different saints with a little bit of information on each saint beside the novena, put in or draw some meditative pictures.
• Swedish Christmas Cookies delivered in a box decorated with things that mean a lot to you and the person who is getting the gift like memories. See www.about.ch/culture/food/mailaenderli.html.
• “I would say a scrapbook. It’s what I made my boyfriend -— sshh, don’t tell him! It cost me a grand total of $4.” – Christine Rose
• Origami. It doesn’t take too long and it shows that you actually put effort into making it. Lots of instructions online.
• Hand-drawn or computerized calendar.
• Make a mixed CD with your favourite Christmas carols. Record introductions before each song like a radio show. Most computers have voice recorders, so it’s very easy to do.
• Candles. Role a sheet of beeswax around a wick into long-stemmed candles.

Socially minded

• “Precious Feet Pins. I love these. Lots of fun discussions have sprung from these little pins.” See www.prolifepins.com/catalog. – Nicole Lau
• Make a trip to the supermarket and buy nonperishable items for your local food drive.
• Donate to a charity such as Development and Peace or Catholic Missions in Canada in the recipient’s name.
• For $10 you can buy chicks and ducklings for a family or mosquito netting; $20 buys four rabbits and $25 buys a school uniform, bag and shoes for a student or a doctor or dentist check-up. Christian Childcare International sends out thank you cards telling your loved one about the gift that’s on its way to someone living in poverty.
• Lots of great organizations like L’Arche and the Sisters of St. Joseph sell gifts at this time of year, where your money will go to supporting their programs.
• “For younger girls, maybe a purity ring (I’m thinking my little sister).” – Elena Feick
• Fair trade anything from Ten Thousand Villages. It has picture frames, handmade jewelry, home decor and tons of other cool stuff to suit everyone on your list.
• Fair trade coffee that you can enjoy after a Christmas meal -—– the coffee tastes even better when you know where the money is going.
• Pair the coffee with a reusable mug.
• www.kiva.org gift certificates.
• Scented potpourri.

Apple spice recipe:
3 tbsp dried apple slices
1/2 cup coloured carnation petals
1/4 cup dried sweet woodruff leaves
2 tbsp crumbled cinnamon or a cinnamon stick
1 whole nutmeg, grated (1 1/2 tsps)
1 tbsp whole cloves
3 drops of cinnamon or vanilla scented oil
More recipes found at www.familycorner.com.

• “Volunteer your time and the recipient’s time to a local charity, food bank or soup kitchen.” – Amy Crofts
• Arrange for a choir that is raising funds for a good cause to come and carol at the person’s house.

Environmentally conscious

• Try a Bonsai tree, a bamboo plant or a magic plant. See www.message-plant.com.
• “Hangers. Pad an ordinary hanger with biodegradable plastic bags to give it volume, leaving the hook out and wrap it up with ribbon.” – Carine Lee
• A composter or assorted recycling bins.
• A pack of eco-friendly low energy light bulbs.
• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. Hunt for it at a used book store.
• “Rechargeable batteries for the tech gadget that they can’t live without.”– Lauren van Vliet
• Presents made from recycled materials. For example, a doll; use old sweaters as stuffers and cover over with ribbons and fabric from old shirts.
• Assorted recycling bins or a composter.
• “Stapleless Stapler. Google it. There’s a Crayola one at Staples, ironically enough.”– Dylan Robertson
• Personalized canvas/duffel bag for grocery shopping.
• Home-made stationary in a paper mache box.
• “A basket of eco-friendly cleaning supplies.” –Vanessa Baker
• Wrap your gifts in newspaper. It's good for the environment and let’s you be creative. Try adding colour with paint or markers.