Written by Mindy, Contributing Writer

This ooey, gooey cake is a chocolate lover's dream - specifically a dark chocolate lover's dream!  It's light and airy, but oh-so rich all at the same time.  A perfect ending to a lovely Valentine's dinner at home.

The key to this cake is using a very good quality chocolate.  If it's fair-trade and organic that's even better!  With so few ingredients, choosing the very best quality you can find will guarantee that this cake will taste amazing.

I included orange zest as an optional ingredient in this recipe, because I LOVE chocolate and orange together.  If you do too, then I highly recommend that you try it with the zest.  It's very yummy and the flavor is terrific!

Dark Chocolate Flourless Pudding Cake

adapted from Martha Stewart

Cooking this cake in a water bath keeps it moist and helps it to cook very gently.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup powdered sucanat + 1 TBSP for baking dish
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 6 oz. very good quality dark chocolate, melted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 TBSP orange zest, optional
• Freshly whipped cream for topping

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a shallow 2 qt. baking dish and coat with the 1 TBSP powdered sucanat.  Set aside.
2. Get out a roasting pan that is big enough to hold your 2 qt. baking dish.  Fill a tea kettle of saucepan with water and place over high heat to bring to a boil.
3. Combine egg yolks and 1/3 cup powdered sucanat in a mixing bowl.  Beat vigorously with a wire whisk for one minute.  Mixture should thicken and get lighter in color.
4. Whisk melted (not hot) chocolate into the egg mixture and set aside.
5. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form.
6. Whisk 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture.  (If using the orange zest, add at this time.)  Fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture just until combined.
7. Transfer the batter to the 2 qt. baking dish.  Place the baking dish in the roaster and then fill the roaster with the boiling water so that the water comes 1 inch up the side of the baking dish.  Be careful not to pour any water into the cake pan itself.
8. Bake 25-30 minutes or until just set.  The middle should still be slightly jiggly.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
9. Remove the baking dish from it's water bath in the roaster and serve immediately while warm or allow to completely cool and then serve chilled from the refrigerator.   Serve with freshly whipped cream.

What are some of your favorite desserts for Valentine's Day?

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I hope that you've all had a restful and memorable time with your family during the Christmas season! Our holidays were relatively uneventful, but still wonderful.

My husband and I took a couple days away the week before Christmas to do some dreaming and goal-setting for the coming year. Then we spent a quiet week preparing for our holidays, which included an evening with my family, Christmas Eve worshipping with our church family, Christmas day with our children focused on thankfulness and generosity (not to mention an amazingly yummy breakfast), then Christmas dinner and Boxing Day with my husband's family in Washington.

Though I am still trying to find a solid chunk of time to take a New Year's planning retreat (have you taken yours yet?), I was also reflecting on the past year and tried to come up with a list of words that sum up 2011 for me:

Burnout. Replenish. Growth. Compassion. Loss. Life. Mornings. Reliance. Friendship. Purge. Dreams. Risk. Trust. 

What words would you use to describe your past year?

Most Popular Posts of 2011

It was also fun to go back through the archives and check out the statistics for all of last year's posts to discover which ones were the most popular. Some I expected, others surprised me.

Here are the top 14 posts of 2011:

(Why 14? I have no idea, it just seemed like a good number.)

1. 11 Simple, Homemade Gifts
2. Seven Strategies for Having More Productive Days
3. My Frugal Beauty Routine
4. Treating Depression Naturally: Supplements, Herbs and Foods for Feeling Better
5. How to Make Water Kefir
6. Plan It- Don't Panic: A 6 Week Meal Planning Challenge (and I'm excited to announce that as a follow-up to this challenge, I have a new meal planning eBook coming out in the next couple weeks!)
7. The Thoughtful Parent's Guide to Thinking Through Vaccinations
8. Meal Plans from "100 Days of Real Food" 
9. Two Recipes for Odor-Eliminating, Air Freshening Sprays
10. Gentle, All Natural Deodorant Stick Recipe
11. Homemade Herbal Vapor Rub to Relieve Coughs and Congestion
12. Non-Toxic Cleaners You Can Make at Home
13. Good Fats, Bad Fats, and Why I Eat Plenty of Butter
14. 15 Fun and Frugal Memories to Make With Your Kids This Summer

Did you have a favorite post that you don't see in this list?

More importantly, what would you like to see in the coming year? Although I've got plenty of ideas and have planned out the first several months of the year already, I am always eager to find the topics that matter most to YOU. 

My goal at Keeper of the Home remains,

"To be an encouraging, inspiring and Christ-centered resource for those who aspire to healthful and natural homemaking."

What would you like to learn more about this year? What are you struggling with? Are there types of recipes you're looking for? Aspects of more "natural" homemaking that are still a challenge? An area that you would like to make positive changes or baby steps in?

What would you like to see on Keeper of the Home in 2012?

Image by danielmoyle

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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end...

Isaiah 9:6,7

Wishing you all a very blessed Christmas, as we celebrate the Savior!

There will be one more post before Christmas, as Erin shares tomorrow with some helpful suggestions for taking and making the most of a personal retreat for the New Year. Then I will be taking a few days off for the holidays, spending time with my family.

We'll be back to more regular posting on Tuesday, December 27th. In the New Year, we've got all sorts of great topics planned, including:

• The launch of my upcoming eBook on menu planning
• Getting your finances under control
• Ways to save money on healthy foods, household and beauty items, and so much more
• An mp3 interview with Budget Saving Mom, full of money-saving ideas from her new book
• Review and giveaway of the book, The Money Saving Mom's Budget
• Being a work-at-home mom and learning to balance it all
• Getting ready for baby- having a fit pregnancy, natural baby care, and some other baby-related topics in February
• March will feature cooking-from-scratch tutorials, traditional kitchen basics, tips for cooking efficiently, and finding the time to make wholesome foods.

I'm excited to begin another new year here at Keeper of the Home! Thank you all for making this past year so fantastic. It is such a joy to run this site, to partner with such incredible writers, and to be in community with all of the readers here.

Merry Christmas to you all! 

How will you be spending the holidays this year?

 Image by Wonderlane

This post contains affiliate links.  

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Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

Written by Jaime G, Guest Writer

Whether you're on a strict budget, have a large family and many friends, or simply enjoy creating meaningful Christmas gifts, I hope you'll find a few Christmas gift ideas you'll enjoy making - and giving - on my list.

It's wonderful to create lasting memories, especially during the Christmas season. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

1. For the tea lover in your life, a homemade chai tea kit would make an ideal gift. Using an assortment of cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, and other spices you can easily create a special treat. It's easy to follow the directions I've shared here. Or, come up with your own unique Christmas chai by experimenting with a few of the 11 holiday herbs and spices Stacy shared last month.

2. The gift of food is always appreciated. Perhaps the most frugal of all food gifts is a beautiful, crusty loaf of homemade bread, wrapped halfway in brown paper and tied with a bow. Add a sprig of evergreen - or mistletoe! - for ornamentation. Might I suggest a loaf of authentic German pretzel bread or bagels made from scratch? If bread is not your preference, then homemade maple granola presented in a large glass jar is a unique and easy alternative.

3. For the bookworms in your life, consider homemade bookmarks. If you are skilled at crocheting, consider crocheting a bookmark, including a few beautiful beads near the top so they may drape from the top of a cherished book. If you are not skilled at crochet, you can make lovely bookmarks with an assortment of ribbon and then sew the beads onto the top.

4. Have you been making jams throughout Autumn? An assortment of homemade jams is a gift an entire family would be sure to enjoy. My blueberry jam recipe is a yummy, easy option.

5. If you have accumulated many pins and broaches over the years, consider turning them into elegant magnets by removing the pin segment from the back and hot gluing on a strong magnet in its place for display on a refrigerator.

Homekeeping Binder

6. For the homemaker or busy mom, consider putting together a homekeeping binder or recipe binder and customize it to their activities and needs. Be sure to use a durable, appealing design. Stephanie's homemaking binder is simple and functional; be sure to head over and get some ideas before you begin.

7. For the movie buff family, consider putting together a movie basket; include popcorn, a box or two of candy, and a Redbox movie code or two (there are often free movie codes going around). Or, if you are technologically savvy, include a video of the family from years past.

8. For children, consider giving a homemade craft box. Using a fun school box or wood box, fill it up with scraps of card stock, fabric, ribbon, buttons, etc.

9. Has your family recently experienced the loss of a loved one? Ask others to contribute a favorite story or memory and then compile a dvd or journal recounting each one. Interview and record each contributor on video, if you like. This gift would be treasured for many years!

10. Several years ago we made a wind chime as a family, and right now it's a fun addition to my son's room. Using an assortment of wire (even old wire hangers twisted into long spirals will work!), hang fun ornaments, art pieces, or collectible items from each ending. We used three-inch clear glass circles (look for these at a craft store) and painted various designs on them. The circles had holes at the top that made for easy hanging.

Looking for more homemade gift ideas?

• 9 Homemade Gift Ideas: Frugal and Fast
• Simple Holiday Potpourri
• 11 Simple, Homemade Gifts

What are some of your gift ideas? What have you done in years past? 

Jaime, a pastor's wife and homeschool mom, shares simple, homemade goodness on her blog, Like a Bubbling Brook. She enjoys photographing her "real" food recipes and is passionate about nurturing her family, living intentionally, and being debt-free. Join her conversations on Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter.

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Written by Rachel, Contributing Writer

As you well know, it's Christmastime! Your music is playing, the stockings are hung, your tree is decorated and it's time to get baking!

When I think about baking during this season, my first thoughts are about gingerbread houses and cookies. I love the spicy, sweet flavor. They are adorable, although they are full of white sugar and decorated with artificial flavoring and color frosting usually.

Did you know that it is possible to make these little guys while removing some of the bad ingredients?

A few things about ginger. Ginger is anti-inflammatory and has immune boosting powers. Ginger also aids in gas relief as well as motion or morning sickness and has many more healing effects to take advantage of. Eating gingerbread or gingerbread cookies will probably not give you the exact same health benefits as eating ginger raw but  it's a lot more fun, especially this time of year!

Gingerbread  Cookies

Ingredients:

• 4 C whole wheat flour (+ 1/4 C at the end*)
• 2/3 C sucanat (or sweetener of your choice)
• 2/3 C raw honey
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 C butter
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp all spice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp baking soda

What to do:

1. Combine dry ingredients except for sucanat in a medium bowl, mix and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter, sucanat, honey and eggs.
3. Mix wet and dry mixtures. *If the mixture is still to wet, stir in 1/4 cup of flour.
4. Knead dough together, then divide into two and place in a glass bowl with an air tight lid or in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Once you have refrigerated the dough, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Roll dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick.
7. Use your favorite cookie cutters and transfer cut shapes onto a greased cookie sheet pan. (You don't have to grease, I found that the cookies remove very easily with this particular recipe)
8. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from heat and cool on a wire rack.
9. Decorate them with chocolate frosting  if you would like to.
10. Enjoy!

Chocolate Icing for Decorating

 Ingredients:

• 1 C  homemade powdered sucanat (or organic powdered sugar)
• 3 tbs cocoa powder
• 4 tbs heavy cream, milk or water
• 1 tsp homemade vanilla

 What to do:

1. To make your own powdered sucanat, take 1 cup and pour in blender.
2. Cover and blend until powder-like.
3. Pour the powdered sucanat and cocoa into a medium bowl, add vanilla and cream.
4. Mix well and add more liquid as needed.
5. Spread icing onto cookies with a butter knife or spoon frosting into a plastic zip baggie or in an icing pipe bag or bottle.
6. Decorate cookies and enjoy!

Gingerbread

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 C whole wheat flour
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tsp ginger
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 C butter
• 1/2 C sucanat
• 1/3 C honey
• 1 1/4 C puree pumpkin or 1 can

What to do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients except for sucanat in a medium bowl, mix and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter, sucanat. honey, pumpkin puree, and egg.
4. Fold dry ingredients into wet a little at a time.
5. Pour in your greased baking 9x9 pan or 9x5 loaf pan. Mixture will be very think!
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until done.
7. Cut a slice and enjoy!
8. For further indulgence, add some easy whipped cream cheese frosting!

* To reduce sugar, use apple sauce in place of one or both sweeteners or check out this recipe, you could just add a few teaspoons more of ginger and cinnamon.

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Written by Mindy, Contributing Writer

I have always loved making, giving, and receiving handmade gifts.  There is just something very special about a gift that somebody takes the time to make themselves!

As much as I’ve always loved making gifts to give others, I do…ahem…have a history of not completing all of my handmade gifts on time.  I always have such grand dreams of crocheting everyone in my family huge blankets for Christmas, or making everyone a pair of matching pajamas.

If I would give myself more time, these gifts would be feasible for me to complete.  But since I usually wait until December before I start making gifts, I need to learn to keep it simple.  (Or plan ahead a little better, which is a goal of mine for next year!)

Stacy did a great job of sharing ideas for simple, homemade gifts last week and I want to continue on that theme today.  All of these gifts can be made quickly and easily, and they will be enjoyed by all who receive them!

The Gift of Tea

Source: theelliotthomestead.blogspot.com via Mindy on Pinterest

I love the idea of giving homemade Herbal Tea Blends as a gift.  You can customize these tea blends to your hearts content.  If you’re not sure where to start, here is a list of 10 different Herbal Tea Blends that would be very easy to put together in bags or jars for presents.  Who wouldn’t want that as a gift?

If herbal tea isn’t your thing, this Chai Tea Concentrate would also make an excellent gift.  I’ve made it for our family several times and it is delicious.  Better than any chai tea you can buy!

The Gift of Honey

Source: spain-in-iowa.com via Mindy on Pinterest

 

Raw honey in small glass jars is a great gift idea.  You can make it even more special by infusing the honey with herbs and spices.  Two of my favorite honey infusions are Chamomile Infused Honey and Vanilla Infused Honey.  Both are delicious and only take a week or two to infuse.

The Gift of Candles

Source: blog.kanelstrand.com via Mindy on Pinterest

 

I have never made candles before, but I am planning to try my hand at it this year.  Beeswax candles are my candles of choice since they don't pollute the air, and I have a wonderful source for affordable beeswax.  (Check this site to locate local honey and beeswax in your area.)

Both hand-dipped candles and candles in jars make beautiful gifts.  Here is a great tutorial on making hand-dipped beeswax candles and here is another one that shows you how to make beeswax candles in a jar.

If you're looking for something more unique than jar candles or pillar candles, how about making cookie cutter candles?  You can make practically any shape of candle you like by using cookie cutters!  You can find instructions for cookie cutter candles here.  I LOVE this idea!

The Gift of Jars

Gifts in jars are very popular right now!  There are so many great ideas out there of different baking mixes and goodies to include.  Here are a few that look really good.

• Cranberry Christmas Bread in a Jar
• Granola Bars in a Jar
• Chinese 5 Spice Blend  (or any homemade spice blend!)
• Six Bean Soup Mix (you can leave out the bouillon granules)

Gifts in jars can go beyond food gifts, too.  Be creative with coming up with different themes.  I love this idea for a Sewing Kit in a Jar.  There are also some very cute and unique ideas for gifts in jars here (such as Garden in a Jar!)

The Gift of Pictures

Source: crunchybetty.com via Mindy on Pinterest

 

I am very guilty of taking a million pictures, but never printing any out.  This is the day and age we live in, but I want to start working on intentionally printing pictures more often.  There is just something nice about having a printed picture to look at, and they also make wonderful gifts - especially when displayed in a unique way.

I love these DIY picture tiles.  They look very custom and professional, but are actually very easy to make yourself.  You can use family photos or art prints to make a stunning gift!

Another unique way to give pictures as gifts is with glass jar picture frames.  They are very easy to make and are practically free since you can just reuse old glass jars.

The Gift of Gardening

Source: everynothingwonderful.com via Mindy on Pinterest

 

These seed bombs would make the perfect gift for your favorite gardener.  Actually, they are so easy to use (no digging required!) that they would make a great gift for anybody.

They are equal parts seeds, compost, and clay, and you don't even have to plant them!  You just throw them wherever you want them to grow.  What a great idea!  Get the full instructions as well as a cute printable to include with your gift here.

The Gift of Baked Goods

It is tradition for my family to set aside a day each Christmas season to do nothing but bake goodies for others.  Everyone always looks forward to receiving our yummy treats.  Here is a list of healthy(er) baked goods to get you started on ideas.

• Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
• "Sugar" Cookies
• Chewy Gingersnaps (Grain-free, dairy-free)
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins (this homemade "muffin tin" is a really cute idea for packaging them!)
• Cinnamon Peanut Butter Granola
• Caramel Corn
• Pumpkin Cake (Gluten-free)

For more ideas on healthy(er) baked goods, check out the free ebook, Healthy Holidays, that I put together with several friends of mine!

The Gift of Play

Source: easiepeasie.blogspot.com via Mindy on Pinterest

 

Children love homemade gifts just like adults do.  Any child would be thrilled to receive any of these fun gifts!

• Playdough (all healthy ingredients in case it gets eaten!)
• Fingerpaints
• Moon Sand
• Oobleck (messy but fun!)
• Cloud Dough

The Gift of Time

Source: shannonbrown.typepad.com via Mindy on Pinterest

 

What more precious of a gift can you give somebody than your time?  It is so easy to get so busy with life that we forget to slow down and spend quality time with those that we love.  We have to be intentional about spending time with our loved ones if it is going to happen on a consistent basis.

That is why I LOVE this idea of a basket of date nights!  You basically just make an envelope for each month and include inside each envelope the plans for a special date and the funds (or gift cards) to pay for the date.  It is so clever and a great way to have a planned (and prepaid!) monthly date with your spouse.

I think that this would be a great idea to do for your kids as well.  Plan a monthly outing and include all of the details in the envelopes.  It doesn't have to be expensive, and most of the outings could even be free - a picnic at the park, a hike in the woods, etc.  Be creative and use your imagination!

There are many more wonderful ideas out there for homemade gifts, but everything on this list can be done without spending a lot of time or money.  I am excited about making most of the gifts that we will give this year, but I'm even more excited about giving them - because that's the fun part!

What homemade gifts are you planning on making this year?

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Although I think we would all agree that Christmas is a season for giving, we often restrict that giving to family and friends.

Yet this season offers us a beautiful opportunity to show the love of Christ in a very tangible way, as we give beyond our personal relationships.

Not only do we have the chance to reach out and bless others who might not otherwise receive anything, but we can also do it together as a family, teaching our children about generosity and showing kindness, and even by being thoughtful about the purchases that we already plan on making for family and friends.

On a Local Level

Food banks or soup kitchens.

Offer a monetary donation to help them provide families and individuals with meals at Christmas. Or, choose to volunteer and serve as a family.

A center local to us, packing up Christmas hampers.

Christmas hampers.

Many churches put together hampers for those in need in the local community. Our church has been doing this for years, and each small group within our church will take one family and purchase a large amount of food, dry goods and fresh items (including a turkey), as well as gifts for various family members.

A family that you know is in need.

You don't need to know of a Christmas hamper program to simply help a family in need. One year our family put together a hamper of sorts with about 3 other families from our church. The family in need were recent immigrants from Sudan and we had been trying to build a relationship with them, so it made sense to find a way to bless them in particular at Christmas.

With the state of the economy the past several years, you may also know of families that have been out of work or really struggling to make ends meet, and I'm sure they would be so happy to receive gifts for their children, special foods or Christmas treats, a gift certificate to a local grocery store or anything else you can think of.

Image by Keely Scott

On a Global Level

Compassion International.

Since my husband and I travelled with Compassion International to the Philippines this spring, and we were able to really delve into how they manage their funds, we feel very comfortable putting our money towards the support of this incredible ministry. Not only are physical needs being met, but the Gospel is going forth and lives are truly being changed.

Several ways that you can support the work of Compassion:

• Gift of Compassion Christmas Catalogue. Go through with your children and select specific gifts to give to families and communities in need, like goats or chickens, garden seeds, dental care, medical checkups or safe water for life (these filters are amazing!). Items range in price from $5 to $275, with a wide range in between.
• Donate to help meet specific and pressing needs, like disaster or famine relief, at-risk babies and mothers, or anywhere else that funds are needed.
• Sponsor a child. What better Christmas gift could you give than to choose an individual child and begin to build a relationship with them?
• Contribute towards leadership development of some of Compassion's brightest and most promising young people. We met some of their Leadership Development Program students and they blew us away. What a worthwhile investment into the future of a country!

Operation Christmas Child 

Although it's too late to make an actual shoebox gift yourself and send it in, you can still create one online and customize it, including personalized notes from you and your family members.

I've enjoyed learning more about this ministry at the Relevant Conference, and in addition to a child in need receiving a box full of gifts, lovingly packed for them, they also receive a live presentation of the Gospel message, and many of them receive further information in their own language, including a follow-up discipleship program. This is definitely something worthwhile to consider doing next year (boxes are usually due by late November).

Other Ministries and Development Organizations. 

There are so many amazing ministries and ways to give globally. Simply discuss it as a family and choose to make a donation to any organization or ministry that your family feels that they can stand behind.

Our family has recently discovered Hope International, which provides micro-loans and business training for qualified entrepreneurs in developing countries, and we're excited to decide how we will partner with them as an entrepreneurial family ourselves. Find something that really speaks to you, pray about the options and then just give.

Missionaries

Give an extra love gift towards the work of missionaries that you know of or already support. They may be in need themselves, or may have extra ministry needs at this time of year.

Image from Mercy House Kenya

Through the Gifts You Purchase

Buy fair trade whenever possible.

Whether it's coffee, tea, chocolate... there are so many fair-trade options out there, that are ensuring that farmers are being fairly paid for their work and their products.

Buy speciality handmade gifts.

Looking for unique gifts? There are many ministries, like Mercy House Kenya, where beautiful handmade products are available to help support the work of the ministry, and in exchange, you can buy a truly special gift for someone on your list. I recently bought one of their Large Funky Paper Bead Necklaces (in blue), and I love it!

Emily has a good list of links to ministries like this in her post on shopping green, where you can both shop and give at the same time.

If you're struggling with the cost of products like these, I have found one great way to be able to afford to support both fair trade and speciality handmade stores is to purchase vouchers from deal sites like Jasmere. They frequently feature vouchers for companies that are selling speciality handmade, fair-trade goods, or green and organic products from small business. The vouchers give me a great value for my money, and allow me to make my own Christmas gift shopping intentional without busting my budget.

How Do We Afford to Give Above and Beyond?

Simple. By buying less ourselves.

Keep the gifts exchanged among your own family minimal. Our children are receiving only a small handful of inexpensive gifts from us this year. We do have a minimal budget for purchasing other gifts, I use vouchers like the ones I mentioned above, and we just don't buy in to the mentality that expressing love has to mean spending a fortune.

When we make giving generously to bless those in need as much as a priority as giving gifts to our loved ones, suddenly it isn't that hard.

Lastly, when there is nothing to give financially, we can always give of ourselves. Loving service to others is a gift in and of itself. You may have not have the ability to give monetarily this season, but consider how you can serve those in need instead. Write special letters to your sponsored children. Visit an elderly care home. Invite someone lonely to join you for your Christmas festivities. The possibilities are endless.

What are some of the creative ways that you have given at Christmas? Is this important for your family and how do you make it a priority?

Top image by Impress Your Kids- filling Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes!

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 As 2011 comes to an end, we’re sharing helpful lists to help you save money, stay healthy, get organized, creatively repurpose, frugally gift-give, intentionally celebrate and more in our “11 Things for 2011” series throughout these holiday months.

Written by Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer

Homemade gifts are my favorite gifts to give and receive. A present that is made by hand communicates love and thoughtfulness, showing the recipient they are worthy of your time and energy.

One downside to giving homemade gifts is that it can be time consuming. It’s easy to become stressed and overwhelmed with projects piling up as Christmas approaches.

Today I’d like to share eleven simple gifts that can be put together in under an hour (some in just a few minutes):

1. Extra-Rich Body Butter

Once the ingredients have been gathered, this body butter takes very little time to make. It is extremely emollient; perfect for those with dry skin.

Ingredients:

2.5 ounces cocoa butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
1 tablespoon Avocado or jojoba or olive oil
1 tablespoon (1/4 ounce) grated beeswax (If you prefer a firmer body butter, or live in a very warm climate, increase the beeswax by 2 teaspoons, or more if needed.)

In a heavy saucepan, melt all of the ingredients over a low heat. You may also place ingredients into a heatproof bowl and set over a pan with two inches of boiling water (or use a double boiler).

Once melted, pour into a clean jar and allow to cool completely before capping tightly. This amount fits perfectly into a wide-mouth, pint-sized mason jar.

2. Nourishing and Fragrant Body Oils

Fragrant body oils can be made in about 2 minutes! They are excellent for dry skin and smell delightful.

Follow Crunchy Betty's instructions (I did last year) and you will have a unique, pampering gift in no time.

3. Granola

One of the first homemade gifts I made with my daughter was granola. Even at a young age, she was able to help measure, pour and stir the ingredients and also decorated labels to add to each bag.

This gift takes about an hour from start to finish (maybe a tad longer as you wait for it to cool). Once the granola has finished cooking, you will have gifts for five or six people.

One of our family's favorite granola recipes is Earthbound Farm's Maple Almond Granola (except we switch the canola oil for a coconut or safflower oil).

Design Sponge shows you some beautiful packaging ideas.

4. Lip Balm

Lip balm is another homemade skin care item that involves little more than melting and pouring. I love making lip balm for people because no one can ever believe I actually made it! I always get a kick out of saying, "I did. It's easy!"

Jasmine of Ponder the Path shows you how to make peppermint lip balm in a video tutorial.

I also have a lip balm video tutorial at Saving Naturally that uses slightly different ingredients.

5. Sugar Scrub

I'm slightly obsessed with making sugar scrubs! It only takes a minute to stir the ingredients together, then you have a special treat that smells great and makes your skin oh-so-smooth.

My favorite sugar scrub recipe is: Lemon-Lime Sugar Scrub. It has a wonderful citrus scent. I keep in in the kitchen for when my over-worked hands need some rejuvenating.

Double, triple or quadruple sugar scrub recipes to make enough for your friends and family.

6. Bath Salts

Bath salts are made by mixing salt, baking soda and essential oils together.

My favorite recipe: Citrus Bath Salts

I used to package bath salts in glass jars (they look so pretty), but have heard stories of jars exploding! So, I now suggest keeping them in a ziplock bag or a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.

7. Hard Lotion bars

Last year I made lots of hard lotion bars following the instructions at MadeOn Hard Lotion. It only takes about 30 minutes (most of which is spent waiting for the bars to cool). It's easy to make a large batch of bars at one time.

MadeOn provides clear instructions in the My Buttered Life ebooks an also has a DIY kit if you would rather not locate and purchase ingredients separately.

Watch this video to see how to make lotion bars in 30 minutes.

8. Belly Butter for the Pregnant Mama

For the pregnant gals on your list, try this homemade belly butter. It is yet another melt and pour recipe that takes a few minutes to make.

9. Cookies in a jar (or spice mixes, soup, sauce, or play dough in a jar)

The great thing about gifts in jars is that you can get a production line going. Gather all the ingredients and go along, adding the appropriate amount to each jar. This is an excellent way to knock out a bunch of gifts in one evening.

Bakerella shows you how to make Cowgirl (and Cowboy) Cookies in a jar (which are not at all healthy, but fun none-the-less).

Heavenly Homemakers has a free ebook that includes lots of ideas for gifts in jars including spice mixes, play dough, and soup.

10. Lavender Linen Spray

Pour the following into a spray bottle:

½ cup distilled water
1 teaspoon vodka
5 drops lavender essential oil

Close tightly and shake to blend. Add a label and give!

This linen spray can be used on tablecloths, sheets and pillows.

11. Bath Tea Bags

Fill a small muslin bag with dried herbs and add a few drops of essential oil for a relaxing (or energizing) gift.

If you would like an actual recipe, this one is tried and tested: Energizing Bath Tea.

It's easy to sew your own muslin bags, even with little sewing experience. If you would rather not sew, buy pre-made muslin bags or cut circles out of muslin (or another thin cotton fabric), place ingredients in the center and gather up the edges, fastening with a rubber band and some ribbon (I demonstrate how to do this here).

Fill a jar with bath tea bags or include in a basket of other homemade body care items.

What simple, homemade gifts do you like to give?

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

• Homemade Cough and Cold Syrup
• 9 Homemade Gift Ideas: Frugal and Fast
• Frugal and Homemade Mother’s Day Gifts
• Healthy Homemaking: Homemade Condiments

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It's so easy to make your own potpourri, and it's such a fun and inexpensive gift.

Make up a small batch of this orange spice holiday potpourri and keep it in your kitchen to simmer any time you want a fresh, festive scent in your home.

Or make a big batch to make several small gifts for anyone on your list.  Buy small, holiday treat bags with ties, or you can use pretty sachet bags then fill with potpourri and tie with ribbon or raffia.  Attach a homemade gift tag with simple instructions (simmer 1/4 cup potpourri in 1 cup water) for an added touch.

How to Make Simple Holiday Potpourri

Ingredients (Amounts vary according to how much you need):

• dried orange peels -  about one cup
• cinnamon sticks  (6-8)
• whole cloves  (about 2 tablespoons)
• whole allspice  (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions:

1. Use leftover orange peels and air-dry overnight by placing on paper towels on counter.  (Do not cover.)
2. Mix ingredients in large bowl.
3. Store in airtight container.
4. Simmer one tablespoon plus 1/2 cup water in small pot or potpourri warmer.

Planning for a homemade Christmas? Look forward to more homemade gift tutorials over the next couple of weeks!

What's your favorite homemade gift?

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

• 11 Simple, Homemade Gifts
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• Living Simple Saturdays
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]]> http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2011/11/simple-holiday-potpourri.html/feed 20 http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2011/11/11-ways-to-celebrate-christ-this-christmas.html http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2011/11/11-ways-to-celebrate-christ-this-christmas.html#comments Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:00:09 +0000 Erin O http://www.keeperofthehome.org/?p=13119 As 2011 comes to an end, we’re sharing helpful lists to help you save money, stay healthy, get organized, creatively repurpose, frugally gift-give, intentionally celebrate and more in our “11 Things for 2011” series throughout these holiday months. Written by Erin Odom, Contributing Writer As followers of Jesus, keeping Christ as the center of my family's Christmas celebrations [...]

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As 2011 comes to an end, we’re sharing helpful lists to help you save money, stay healthy, get organized, creatively repurpose, frugally gift-give, intentionally celebrate and more in our “11 Things for 2011” series throughout these holiday months.

Written by Erin Odom, Contributing Writer

As followers of Jesus, keeping Christ as the center of my family's Christmas celebrations is key. Now, I don't think it's necessarily wrong to decorate with snowmen, buy presents, throw parties, eat lots of (good!) food or even play Santa Claus (although my family doesn't). But if we do all those things and forget Christ, what does that say to our children? And what does that say to the world? 

Over the past couple years, I've been gathering ideas on how my family can truly celebrate Christ during the season.

1. Decorate with Nativity Sets

When we first married, my husband and I started collecting nativity sets from different countries whenever we went on mission trips. Sometime today or tomorrow, we will bring out nativity sets from Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, China, Argentina, Israel--and a few from North America as well--and use them to teach our children the Christmas story and about how God calls us to spread the gospel of Jesus all over the world.

2. Serve Others as a Family

Whether you serve a meal at your local soup kitchen or sew dresses for impoverished girls, use this season as a springboard for serving those Jesus came to save throughout the year.

3. Deliver Treats with Scripture

What do homemade treats or baked goods have to do with celebrating Jesus? If your focus is making the treats a way to show Him to your neighbors, it could be a prime example of keeping Him center! One of my favorite memories from last Christmas was taking my then-2-year-old and 2-month-old girls all bundled up around our neighborhood and delivering banana bread on Christmas morning. We simply attached a card to each loaf with a Scripture proclaiming Christ's birth.

4. Decorate a Jesse Tree

I had never  heard of a Jesse Tree until last Christmas! Basically, a Jesse Tree uses devotionals from throughout the entire Bible, starting with Creation and the Fall of man and ending with Jesus's coming. After reading each daily devotional, you and your children can make ornaments representative of that day's story to hang on a special tree. Last year, I subscribed to Ann Voskamp's blog, A Holy Experience, and received a wonderful free downloadable book of Jesse Tree devotionals and printables.

5. Count down the days with an Advent Calendar--or Wreath

Advent refers to a period of spiritual preparation in the season leading up to Christmas. Many families celebrate Advent with countdown calendars for each day of December--or with lighting a candle for each week leading up to December 25.

6. Keep Gift-Giving Simple

My family doesn't think there is anything wrong with giving gifts at Christmas, but instead of lavishing our girls with any and every toy, we've decided to keep it at just 3 gifts--in representation of the 3 gifts that the wise men gave to Jesus. We are intentional about the types of gifts as well: They receive a want (like a new toy), a need (like an article of clothing) and a spiritual gift (like a new Bible). Another idea is to give gifts that give back to others.

7. Throw a "Happy Birthday, Jesus" Party

I've recently heard of families baking birthday cakes for Jesus to eat with Christmas dinner. Another option would be to throw a birthday party for Jesus. Invite all the neighborhood children and use it as an evangelistic outreach. 

8. Dramatize the Christmas Story

My college roommate's family has always put on their own Christmas pageant. An alternate to this would be to watch someone else act it out. The last couple years my family has enjoyed a local "A Walk Through Bethlehem" outdoor live nativity.

9. Watch The Nativity Story

Some Christmas movies are cheesy. The Nativity Story isn't. My husband and I have started watching it together on Christmas Eve while we're wrapping presents.

10. Create a Paper Chain Garland

Richele, from Under the Golden Apple Tree, and her children decorate their tree with a homemade paper chain. Each chain contains one Scripture from the Christmas story, and they spend the days leading up to Christmas opening up and reading the verses. 

11. DON'T Do it All!

Last year, I tried to do it all. I was overly enthusiastic about the fact that my 2 year old could understand more of the Christmas story. But in trying so hard to keep Christ the center, I ended up stressing out and leaving Him out!

The result was a half-made Jesse Tree, an Advent calendar that remained unopened and scrambling to open up multiple Scripture chains several nights in a row when we realized we had missed a few. If you're eager to incorporate some of these suggestions, pray about it and decide which ones best fit your family.

I think Jessalyn of Desiring Virtue said it so well here: "Trying to do too much during the holiday season, even good things, can result in a loss of the meditative spirit we are hoping to cultivate."

Further Reading:

• Resources for A Christ-Centered Christmas
• Wooden Block Nativity Tutorial 
• Cultivating a Christ-Centered Christmas: Practical Traditions

How does your family celebrate Christ at Christmas?

 

Top image by Matt Ryall 

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