Too many times, we wait until last second to do all of our holiday shopping. This often leaves us buying any gift we can find so we at least have something to give. However, this year, with pennies being pinched in an unbelievable way, this method is not going to work. Holidays are quickly approaching, and your best game plan is to be prepared. Presents, tokens of our love, should be from the heart. They should bestow love and appreciation. A hand-made gift can do all of that and more. One site in particular has helped me find everything that I was looking for to satisfy my homemade holiday shopping list. I have found that whether it is male or female, young or old, the materials are available right at your fingertips.

With a dash of creativity, and splash of ribbon and bow, you can make all sorts of bath and body products, for all the parties where you go. Incense is possible, air fresheners are too, you'll have candles galore, and that is just the beginning of what you can do! Even if you have never made homemade products, don't worry, it really is easy! The steps are simple and easy to follow. The company that I use even has printable classes with step-by-step instructions. There are many wholesale candle and bath/body suppliers in online existence. For the past three years, I have purchased from Natures Garden Wholesale Candle Supply. I have found that the website is very easy to navigate through, the prices are very reasonable, and their HUG line has a very caring staff that is always able to answer questions and give creative ideas if you are in a pinch.

The basics: Create your list. Before you can start to decipher what you need, you first need to know who you are buying for. All fragrances are safe to use for candles, incense, potpourri, and room sprays, but when you are making the bath/body products, you will want to use the body safe ones. Your best bet (and most economical one) will be to choose fragrances that are both.

My suggestions would be: Male (any age group) also bath/body safe - Black for Men Type, CK One Type, Cool Water Type, Dude, Fresh Outdoors, Light Blue Men Type Female (any age group) also bath/body safe - Butterfly Flower, Clean Type, Japanese Cherry Blossom, NG Loving Spell, Plumeria, Vanilla Silk Children (really fun scents) also bath/body safe- Bedtime Bath Type, Bubble Luscious, Cookie Jar, Doodle Bug, Monkey Farts (amazingly fun scent), Wintery Candy Apple Holiday (perfect for this time of the year) also bath/body safe- Autumn Wreath Type, Holiday Pomegranate, Jack Frost, Mrs. Claus Cookies, Reindeer Poo (a huge hit last year), Winter Garden Also remember that you can also use the same scent for several different people. Each person does not need their own individual scent.

Once you know who you are buying for, and what scents you want, the next step would be to decide which products you want to make for your baskets. I have always found that you can impress people with baskets that have a variety of items. These items are quick and easy to make. They are also great projects that you can get your children involved in making too, a perfect family time recipe.

Candles: I have found that using Joy wax is the best bet. Joy wax is a combination of soy and paraffin. What is really neat about this wax is it has the awesome cold throw (thanks to the soy element), and the amazing hot throw and uniform candle appearance (thanks to the paraffin element). Joy wax is very easy to use, and it is the best of both worlds. Although you can color your candles to match the theme of the basket, for economical reasons, you can stick with the creamy white color that the wax is normally. Natures Garden offers two different sizes of jars for candles. I think that it is personal preference to which you like best. Both are gorgeous selections, and with a little ribbon, it makes for a beautiful candle. Wicks are also another area where personal preference will be your guide. I suggest the CD ones. I find that the burn is nice and hot, I rarely get any complaints on mushrooming, and when making the candles themselves, the wicks stand with very little guidance.

Melt & Pour Soaps: This soap is a heaven scent! I like to use the Goat's Milk. I find that it is perfect for coloring, scenting, and is a great natural lotion for chapped hands in the winter months. Although you can make standard bars, Natures Garden offers cute little molds that are perfect to doll up your baskets. Any will work, and for $2.10, you can reuse them for years. I feel that coloring the soap is also important, especially since you can also use the soap coloring for the gel, foamer soap, lotions, or smelly jellies. You only need a drop or two per item. I would advise getting one red, one blue, and one yellow. From those three primary colors you will be able to make any shade that you want.

Lotions: I absolutely love the Goat's Milk Multi-Base Lotion. I find that it is a perfect selection because there are so many varieties of lotions that can be made from this base. Plus, you cannot beat the price. For the containers, I would get the size bottle that you would also like to use for the soap gel. If you purchase this way, you are getting more bang for your buck. Also, I would suggest purchasing the pump tops. These too can also be used for both. Soap gel: The Ritzy bath gel is the best gel I have found on the market. It is very easy to color and scent. If you are making several baskets for females, adding mica to this product gives it sparkle. The mica can also be added to the lotion and melt & pour soap as well. If you would like to take your baskets up a notch, the soap gel may also be used to make foamer soaps. These are perfect for bathrooms and kitchens.

Smelly Jellies: A perfect answer for your baskets that are for people who cannot burn candles (students in dorms, people with small children and pets, people who work in offices, nursing homes, classrooms, etc.). Smelly Jellies may also be colored, scented, and used in the same jars as the candles. As well, you can use mica for added shimmer. Incense: The sticks are very easy to use, although you can purchase cones to liven it up a little.

On Natures Garden's website there are directions for how to make each item as well as even more recipes for those who want to be more unique. These are only suggestions that I found work really well for gift baskets. Please feel free to get as creative as you would like. You do not have to use all of these products, please only use the ones that you feel are appropriate for what you know a person would like. The variety of the basket should reflect the person receiving the gift, and not the creators. I know that this is the answer to my economic crunch Christmas this year. I fully believe that not only will you and your family have a blast making these items for loved ones, but they too will appreciate the love and thoughtfulness of their own personalized basket.