With the gloomy economic forecasts of late and the jittery drift of the stock market, many of us are worrying that we’ll see our 401(k)s shrink into 201(k)s!

The timing couldn’t be worse with the holidays just around the corner.

Cheer up though – there’s a silver lining. This year we have the perfect excuse to scale back on the holiday spending spree, once and for all.

“What kind of humbug is that?” you ask.

Fear not! I’m not suggesting we abandon gift-giving entirely, but that we return to basics and emulate our thrifty ancestors by making as many of our gifts as possible.

With a bit of determination and your creative ability, you may be surprised at what you can create on a limited budget.

With only about 65 days until Christmas, there’s not a minute to lose! Begin by making your list and dividing it into gender and age groups. It will save you time and money. For example, if you decide that all of the teenage girls will be getting handcrafted bracelets, you can buy the supplies in bulk, and work on the pieces in an assembly-line fashion.

To further economize, visit the Dollar Store for your wrapping materials. They have a wonderful assortment of papers, gift bags, tags and ribbons; and there’s nothing more festive than a beautifully wrapped gift!

You may be surprised to see more smiles than ever this year, as you present your special handmade treasures. And, who knows, it could just be that you’ll have started a new “back to basics” tradition in your family!

©2008 Bead Happily Ever After