Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is all about handmade cards and love notes (with flowers and chocolate for good measure). In recent times, Valentine’s Day has gotten pretty commercialised, and hand made notes of love have given way to mass produced greeting cards.

Despite the commercialism, I feel like we don’t celebrate enough special moments. I used the think that gestures of love shouldn’t be restricted to just one day a year, but then I thought about just how often we actually stop and make those gestures throughout the year (not often enough). Valentine’s Day is a good reminder to stop and think about that significant other in your life (or to approach someone you want to be your significant other).

A handmade card or gift, a lovingly prepared meal, chocolates (I’ll take chocolates any day) or a warm sentiment thoughtfully expressed are just a few ideas to make Valentine’s Day (or any other day) special.

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The presents are all unwrapped, the Christmas ham (or Chrissy prawns) are all eaten, and you’ve scoured the sales bins for that had-to-have bargain.

Then the credit card statement comes. And the pain begins.

I read somewhere (I can’t find the reference now) that it takes the average person six months to pay off their Christmas credit card debt.

That’s six months of playing catch up. Six months of not saving for the family holiday or, dare I say, next Christmas. Because starting a Christmas fund at the beginning of the year is the best way to avoid the after Christmas hangover.

But now that it’s December, what can we do to avoid racking up Christmas debt?

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Ok, with Christmas only 9 weeks away (so I’m told), it’s time to get crafting on all of those handmade Chrissy Gifts. If you’re like me and need a little inspiration, here are 35 websites dedicated to all things crafty. Amongst these sites there are literally thousands of craft patterns, tutorials ideas, inspiration and resources.

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Of all the gifts that my husband has given me, a pack of gift certificates was the most memorable and the most meaningful. And it cost almost nothing. The old cliché ‘it’s the thought that counts’ really rings true. A thoughtful gift, handmade with love, is to me so much more meaningful that something bought at the shop.

The thing about gift certificates like these is that it’s a gift that keeps on giving. After the special day has long passed, you can pull one of the gift certificates out and get a present all over again.

With Christmas coming up, making your own gift certificates can be a great present for the hard to buy for person and is a very inexpensive option. Make them handmade, or use a computer and printer, or combine the two methods to make up some snazzy gift certificates.

Below is a tutorial for making up some gift certificates using Word 2007. As usual, this can be done in earlier versions using the drop down menus instead. I originally created this tutorial to use in conjunction with mail merge for the class I teach. Save the file as a template, and you can reuse the file over and over. Print your certificates on nice paper, cut them out, paste them on some nice cardboard and embellish however you like. Scrapbooking supplies can be a fun and creative way to jazz them up.

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This is a guest post from my mum talking about Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day seems to have become so commercial these days. Why should Mother’s day be only for one day of the year?

As a mum I don’t require an expensive gift from my children for them to show their love and appreciation for the things that I have done for them over the years.

Sometime the most simple of gifts can be the most precious to a mum. A hug and I love you and thanks for everything mum, doesn’t cost anything but I’m sure it would make most mum’s very happy.

If you do want to do something to make mum feel extra special for a day, there are many ways of doing this without spending a lot of money.

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This year I told the family that I didn’t want Easter eggs. Call me a scrooge, but I feel like Easter Chocolate is a bit of a rip off. You pay more for less per kilo (hollow eggs) just because it’s the done thing to do. Also, the quality of the chocolate is not as good, and I’m a bit particular about chocolate. I prefer 70% cocoa – no hydrogenated vegetable oil masked with lots of sugar for me, thanks.

However, we were heading to the family’s place for a lovely Sunday lunch, so of course, I didn’t want to go empty handed. This is what I made up to share. The family prefer the sweeter chocolate so who am I to argue.
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