This is what I'm thinking of doing for Christmas - thoughts?

[hengal]

Ok - so this is the first year both the boys have been out of the house and on their own. My plan is tol have dinner at our house on Christmas Eve and then go to church together, which we normally do.
Since I just went back to work full time in October things are still very tight financially, and the boys know this. So I was thinking of making a memory jar(out of a large glass pickle jar or whatever I can find). I thought would decorate the jar and I'd write memories of the boys (and of dh) on pieces of paper and drop the slips of paper in the jar, then we could take turns pulling one out and reading it out loud. What do you think of this idea? I really want to focus on the important things of Christmas and plus I'm looking for ideas that mean a lot but don't cost a lot of money. What do you think?

[HOTW]

Since they out of the house maybe you cna make them each a book of their favorite recipes with lots of pictures/descriptions(if they don't have a lot of expereince cooking) to help them get along. Maybe even make up dry mixes of their fave cookies and put it in jars that they just add wet ingredients to and once its empty have you refill the jar for them.

[ejagno]

The best gift I gave my sons the first year they moved out was not only Mom's recipe books but real bound books made with all of their pictures from birth forward. I included "mom's" notes beneath each photo. They are very inexpensive but a treasure trove of memories that will carry on with them for a lifetime. You can also do this on CD's and since you are posting here I am assuming you have a computer.

[Loriann1971]

I think it is a great idea.

[whiskeylivewire]

Those are great ideas, I'm sure your boys will love it.

[AngieM2]

How about finding a calendar (or a notebook with the recipes) and put in all the family birthdays, anniversaries, etc that pertain to your part of the family. I bet they don't remember them...

[Forest Breath]

The recipe book is wonderful. I was hurting bad one year, my daughters were teens and we had nothing. I was a single mom and the Dad was no help at the time.

My mother had bought some blank recipe books and gave them to her 4 daughters and one son. She wrote a few of our favorite recipes in them and gave them to us. So I decided to do this for my daughters. I got blank books to match the ones mother got.

I went through my book and picked out things I knew each individual daughter loves for me to fix. I hand wrote the recipes in the book and after the recipe, I hand wrote a short story about the food item or something that I recalled when they were just little ones. I was not sure how the book would be received, especially with teens 15 and 16 years old.

They loves them and still have them today. I pulled mine out the other day for a recipe for Thanksgiving. I read the recipe in Mother's handwriting and although she has been gone for 5 years now, it brought tears to my eyes. That recipe book means so much to me and I will make sur emy granddaughter gets it when it is time to pass it on.

You jar idea sounds great as well. Expect some tears...and laughter as well. Maybe you could also make their favorite dish for them or something as well.

No matter what belief you have this holiday season, I can bet money was never the original meaning for the holiday. This year we are hurting as well. With buying the farm and it taking all of our savings for legal costs and the down payment and all, my sil lost his job with Wapauca and other issues, it has been a hard year for all of us. We have no money for the holidays. We are building a club house for the kids with some lumber from the house we took down, my daughters are getting home made gifts, the friends are getting home made gifts and even the name I drew at work will get home made gifts. We won't be able to spend money on Yule this year, but we have a home for the family to come to and enjoy a nice meal while they open their bird houses, scarves, and the kids go out to play in the clubhouse (hopefully for years)

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season despite how tough things are financially. Just know you are not alone and we will all just have to support each other and make the best of it.

[Betty Jean]

I gave a similar gift to DH for his birthday one year, a jar full of 365 slips of paper, each with a different reason why I love him.

My two grown sons would find the memory jar idea to be way too "mushy" and I don't think they or DH would enjoy that kind "sharing circle" activity. We do tend to get into recollections and laughing over memories, but it is more spontaneous. And I can tell you that some of the memorable events for the boys are not things Mom would think of, LOL!

I give my boys socks and underwear for Christmas. I give my boys socks and underwear for Christmas, and some little "treat" like a can of cashew for the oldest one whose gift must be mailed. This year DS2 will get a jar of the pickled okra I made for him as a surprise.

I like the recipe books and calendar ideas, too!

[hengal]

Thank you for the ideas!! The cookie in the jars will go over well I know! Or even muffin mix! There is a place close to my office - an antique type place that has lots of kitchen gadgets and pans and stuff very cheap. I don't think either one of them have a muffin tin - so I could "attach" a muffin tin with a red ribbon around it to the jar with the muffin mix! Oooh... this is getting fun!
Thanks so much everyone!!!!

[HOTW]

I think this is a greta thread the Calendar is a wonderful idea! I did the cookie mix in nice mason jars oneyear the only person who looked enthrused was my SIL who seems to appreciate home made things. My other relatives are a bunch of Jones'

I think I will do thr Calendar thing for my eldest who is moving 2 hours away!