With the holidays coming and money tight Santa can feel pretty busted. Pinching pennys can help. Here are some tips. Hope you will add yours.

Wrapping paper and ribbon?

Useing fabric remanents, flannel back table cloths, and artificial flowers, yarn, contack paper on drink canisters, glueing instead of tape, and the silver liner bags can be used to decorate packages.

Need Holiday decorations?

Offering to help and elderly person who is still trying to live independently get their fall yard clean up done can sometimes be bartered for artifical trees, yard decorations, ornaments, lights, all the fun stuff. Sit down clearly list what will be done in exchange for what on paper and sign and date it by both sides.

Check out library books on paper cutting or origami to make your own decorations.

Recyle cans to make ice lanterns for your driveway.

Winter pj's, snuggley robes, coats, sweaters, and holiday wear?

Talk to your local dry cleaners. While they have to hold clothes for a certain period beyond the pick up date many times people bring things in early and never come back to get them. Some will sell off these clothes but usually you can pick them up for the dry cleaning fee.

Some churches and schools have clothing swaps. Take what you can no longer wear and trade it for sizes you can.

Useing flannel or satin sheets, blankets, and towels can be cut and turned into great Christmas wear. Matching outfits are really personal. With new fabric glues owning a sewing machine is not even necessary for simple patterns.

Winter firewood?

By talking to construction site managers you can sometimes get permission to take burn able wood. Be sure to get permission in writing. Sometimes by renting a dumpster they will even fill it as they go.

Military bases and some utility companies will donate burnable wood to families with catestrophic medical expenses.

Sometimes Habitat for Humanity has scrap lumber for pennys on the dollar.

Extra Pillows for holiday guests?

Baste placemats together and suff with shreded foam or polly fill.

Fold beach towels, summer weight covers, or chair coushins in a pillow case.

For a pet bed use shredded paper.

Use twisted plastic grocery sacks for stuffing.

what's an ice lantern??? i've used the paper bags w/candles to line the walk but they always blow over or out...

awesome tips

when my son was little and I didn't have a lot of money...doing things help. like I used to put boots one the fireplace then sprinkle flour around the boots then remove the boots. I used to tell him it was North Pole Snow.

or making thank you letters from Santa for the cookies.

he really enjoyed things like that

They are really pretty out door decorations. You take a two liter soda bottle or lage jice can and cut the top off.

Freeze water to one quarter of the dept of the container.

Then set a vegtable can with rock down inside add enough water to fill up to the top of the can, Freeze.

When ready to use remove rocks. Rinse inside of the smaller can and outside of the larger container so it slips off forming and ice container. Add a small votive and position outside where there is enough snow or clear concrete not to be a fire hazard.

Next refreeze the large juice can with ice.

When solid take a small nail and hammer and tap desireable patterns into the can in the top 3/4s. Rinse the can in hot water to dislodge the ice.

Tap down the sharp points on the inside of the can.

Add a wire coat hanger bail (Handle) Or a drawer pull to the outside of the can.

Place a votive in the can and surround with a small number of rocks.

You can carry the decorative "bucket" for warmth and light Christmas Carroling. Or gift to teachers.

Be sure and watch the Crafts forum for fun and cheap gift ideas.

real good post, shuld stay up at the top for everyone to have a chance to read it.