Christmas 2006 is now over and done with but many birthdays, Christmases and other occasions requiring gifts lie ahead. So what do you do when you must buy a gift for someone you don't know well, a "secret Santa" gift or the person who has everything?

Here are a few ideas I have come up with over the years that have gone over quite well. Most are relatively inexpensive and easy to put together. Most are an assortment of items because my philosophy is that, if you give a person several items, there has to be at least one or two that they will really like! Basket instructions follow.

The person who has everything:

• food basket. Hey, everyone needs to eat! One year for Christmas I put together a basket of soup and bread mixes for my mother. I shopped discount stores to get a deal on the soups and watched for sales for the bread mixes. I have done the same thing with cookies and teas/hot chocolates and other assorted food items. It is far less expensive to make up your own than to purchase one ready-made. Most food items are good for quite some time so you can purchase items well ahead of time to find sales and discounts. Make sure you are aware of any special dietary needs first and try to learn the person's likes/dislikes.
• cards and accessories. This one is a HUGE hit with older people. There are so many we need to remember throughout the year and it becomes difficult for them to keep up. I print out labels for each family leaving a place for the first name. Then I pick up some cute stamps and buy a box for the cards. You can find these ready-made with dividers or make your own to save $$. If you have some artistic talent decoupage the box, paint it, glue on pics - whatever. Fancy it up and find dividers to fit at any store carrying office supplies. I try to think of every category: birthdays, children's birthdays, thank yous, anniversaries, wedding, new baby, sympathy, get well and even holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter. Then I find cards to fit those categories usually purchasing assortments. There are booklets you can find which have a month to month area for putting the cards and adding in special dates. The whole thing makes a great package deal and they truly love it.

Kids:

• every year my kids were in school they had to exchange gifts with classmates. The limit was usually just a few dollars and, not knowing what each child liked or had already, it was difficult to come up with ideas. Then I started making "stockings" and they were a big hit. I cut out two stocking shapes from wrapping paper and glued or stapled them together. I put cotton balls along the top for "fur" and then added small gifts. (or just get a cute bag to put them all in, too.) For $5 you can get some candy and small toys wrapping each one separately. With kids, seeing all those gifts are part of the fun! Disposable items such as Silly String, bubbles, colored bath foam, glow-in-the-dark bracelets/necklaces, etc. are good as all kids enjoy them. (I have seen and purchased all these items at dollar stores.) Again, look for bargains. Dollar stores and sections in bigger stores that carry dollar items often have sales where you can get the item for .25 or .50. Look for these and buy during the year so you have an assortment to choose from. Not only will you save $$ but you won't have to shop at the last minute when you child says oh, by the way, I need a present for the party tomorrow! This idea also works for birthday party gifts when you don't know the child very well or what they like.

Small gift ideas:

• For teachers or others for whom you would like to give a small gift - calendars are a big item on my list. Everyone needs and uses them and you can get nice ones for a buck these days at dollar or discount stores. For teachers, knowing how busy they are during the holiday season, I also made homemade fudge or mints. Candy stores have small white boxes, the paper dividers, paper fluted cups and even cute stickers that say Homemade Candy on them. I also made up labels using regular address labels on the computer that said Fudge, Mints, Sweet Treats to put on the top of the boxes. It makes it a little fancier. Don't forget to add the plastic knife to the fudge box!
• I also do a neutral scent hand cream, lip balm, shower gel - items that are consumables. If you go to the bigger stores to the travel or trial size section you can find some cute items, too. Bath gels, trial size body sprays, lotion, etc.

Assorted baskets:

• Baskets or cute containers can be picked up for next to nothing on clearance or at stores such as GoodWill  or other discount places. Rummage/garage sales, too. Pick up a few here and there so you have them for using when you need them. You can also pick up fancy shredding for inside the basket, save it from ones you get yourself, or make it. If you have a shredder you can shred the Sunday comics, tissue paper, colored construction paper or wrapping paper to make it. Place items neatly in the basket and then cover. You can buy shrink wrap for baskets at craft stores or just bundle it up in some cellophane. Bunch it at the top and add a cute bow or pick up some plastic flowers or holly and tie it on the top. You can also wrap the cellophane and tape it on the bottom so it is flat on the top. Again, add a bow and there you have it.
• Basket ideas:
•  pedicure items - nail polish, polish remover, cotton pads, toe dividers, foot cream, socks for treating dry feet, toe nail clippers
• manicure items - nail polish, polish remover, cotton pads, cuticle remover, hand cream, nail decorations, manicure set
• beauty items - hand cream, nail polish, facial treatments(you can get these in individual packets), hair brush, lip balm, lip gloss, sleep mask
• bath products - lotion, bath salts, bubble bath, bath oil, bath pillow, cover for the drain (these are great as you can fill the tub much fuller), bath gel, fancy soaps
• relaxation package - fine chocolates, flavored tea or hot chocolate, nice mug, CD of soft music, the newest novel, bubble bath
• movie package - microwave popcorn, fun soda flavors, large boxes of candy, rental coupon for the closest video store
• gaming - poker chips, cards, snacks (for guys think sausage, cheese and crackers!)

These are just a few of the ideas you can put together to make a fun gift for people. Use your imagination. And, again, look for sales and clearances throughout the year. Gift-giving does NOT need to be expensive. If you shop around the gift will look as if you spent far more on it than you really did and your recipient will love it!