If the butter post’s popularity is any indication, making mason jars of fresh herbed butter (super easy) might be a good way to go? But given your skills, infusing a vodka with lemon verbena or blood oranges (or whatever this year’s lavendar is) and gifting in nice bottles could also work.

If that’s too crafty for you, donations sound like a good idea. Do you have the time to personalize the gifts? For instance, a donation to Alley Cat Allies would be good for Iams, and Unilever might like a donation to Kiva.org.

Let me know if any of this is helpful, and what you find out. You’re a born marketer, just identify what they care about, and find a way to give that to them.

Melissa

Thanks for this wonderful blog!

Here’s one idea: don’t ever ever buy wrapping paper again. Use the comic pages in the newspaper, or use the regular sections of the paper and color, draw or collage on them. Since we’ll all be exchanging fewer presents, it won’t be much of a burden.

And another idea: If you plan to give a gift certificate, tickets or something else in envelope, don’t use a store-bought envelope. Use a page from a glossy magazine to make the envelope. Cosmetic ads make great envelopes – there’s usually a lot of space on the face to write on if you fold them correctly.