Save Money While Being Eco-Green with Homemade Holiday Gifts

What better way to share the love than to put your own personal loving energy into handmade goodies for family and friends!

I wanted to avoid fighting for parking, stressful crowds at the mall, and spending too much cash on common gifts available everywhere. Instead, I spent my time in my kitchen making edible gifts this year.

Rather than being stressed out, I was happy and at peace in my own kitchen! That was my gift to myself.

I had fun making eco-green containers to hold my treats. I always save my jars, and have quite a stock pile. They make for great gift containers, instead of using paper or cardboard boxes. I cut details out of stickers to add more decor. The final touch with ribbon.

Tins, as shown up top, make for good containers that can be kept and reused to hold other things long after the holidays are over. I use my tins to hold hair ties and clips, pens and pencils, even business cards!

The cookies and treats I made were my signature raw vegan organic desserts, of course!

Strawberry Macaroon: strawberries, coconut, vanilla, dates, agave
Cranberry Chai: oats, raisins, cranberries, coconut, dates, spices
Oat Chocolate Chip: oats, raisins, dates, chocolate chips (cooked), salt, spices
Cacao Chip Brownie Cookie: almond, cacao, agave, salt
Walnut Brownie Cookie: almond, cacao, walnuts, agave, vanilla, spices, salt

I'll put some of the above recipes on my website soon at:

AniPhyo.com

If you're not up for making your own treats, consider gifting experiences like an organic facial, massage, or even a trip to the Go Cart Raceway. I found this great track that uses electric cars. I guess that counts for Eco, yes??

Enjoy your holiday season!
Remember, it's about loving the company of our family and friends, and not so much about the material goods and gifts we give or receive.

Love, laugh, and have fun!!
Happy Holidays

Comments

[marcosweb]

Ani, just wanted to say say thanks for you contribution last month to our site.
Our readers loved the article and recipes.
http://www.livinggreenmag.com/archives/food_and_health/ani_phyo.html

Have a great holiday and look forward to more of your blogs here.

marco
http://www.livinggreenmag.com/

[Sketchgrrl]

Thanks, Ani, for your always great ideas. I always recommend your wonderful raw recipe book, Ani's Raw Kitchen, as a gift, too.

If anyone is in need of a last minute gift, I e-mail out The Little e-Book of Raw Holiday Recipes in a flash! It's newly updated for 2008-2009, and contains 50 recipes and color photos; 65 pages for $8.99.