I don't even know how I came across this site, but you have to go to the Inspired Room and check out the Jingle Bell Jars, I just love these! In fact I love them so much I decided to make one of my own.

Melissa used a canning jar, but I decided why not use a regular old jar?  I have plenty of those on hand.  This one had pickles in it originally and we've been using it as a drinking glass. Melissa also used jute twine, but I just used silver ribbon. (I should have used hay twine!)

I had almost everything on hand, too.  After Christmas I shop Target's 90% off sale and I always pick up any decoration-type materials left behind. I've had the silver jingle bells for at least three years if not longer. I keep Epsom salts on hand because I use them for luxurious hot bath soaks (great detoxifier!).  And of course I had a hot glue gun with glue sticks in my sewing cabinet.  It took about fifteen minutes to make this one, and now I have a pretty decorative candle for our dinner table.

The only thing I was missing was a white candle!  But I think Mr. A has some stashed somewhere.  I had little brown candles which I found on clearance at a grocery store.

The really fun thing about these decorative jars is you can customize them for the different seasons of the year. Melissa has one for Valentine's Day that is just adorable, and her summer version is called a Starfish Mason Jar.

I love simple holiday ideas, and I really love it when I can use craft items that I already have on hand.  I especially love it when I know where to look for the things I bought the previous year!  We don't do a lot of decorating or entertaining during the holidays, but it is nice to have a few pretty items out to make things look more festive and that is usually why I buy items at 90% off. For the next year!

I think I might make a few of these Jingle Bell Jars for some of my friends and family. They are just so cute!

Speaking of gifts, here are some links to other gift ideas:

• Gift Idea: Movie Basket with Candy and Popcorn
• Working with Old Photos: My Mom's Christmas Gift
• What Are Some Good Cheap Holiday Gifts and Ideas?
• Bible Money Matters Great Big List of 75 Frugal Gifts You Can Give For Christmas
• Not Made of Money 50 Homemade Gifts and Gift Ideas, Thirty Days of Homemade Gifts,
• Money Funk  Frugal Christmas Gift Ideas
• Fiscal Fizzle Alternatives to Traditional Christmas Gifts
• Len Penzo 9 Great Gifts for People Who Have Everything
• Little House in the Valley Homemade Gift Jars
• J. Money from Budgets are Sexy has been working on Love Drop and it is finally up and running. Go over and check it out.
• The Digerati Life – How to Gift Wrap a Cat for the Holidays Don't miss this adorable kitty video!

Articles I read and enjoyed around the blogosphere recently:

• Journey to Our Home Mommy Monday presents INFANT sign language
• Consumerism Commentary – Your Food Pantry: An Essential Part of Your Emergency Fund
• Bargaineering – 5 Lessons from the DC/Baltimore Snowpocalyse
• Bargain Babe has A New Way to Organize Coupons
• Funny About Money gets a windfall in THIS Is a Disaster? More news on the insurance front
• Frugal Zeitgeist – How to Deal with a Nightmare Boss
• Invest it Wisely – The Great Credit Contraction and How to Use Gold as Money
  

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the United States. I hope that you are with your loved ones and have a blessed day filled with joy and good food!