Inexpensive Gift Idea: Paperwhite Bulbs

So this is a little late, but I wanted to share what I gave to my co-workers for Christmas this year. Christmas 2009 I received a paperwhite bulb from a co-worker, it was such a unique, fun and memorable gift that I thought I would spread the joy to my new peers this year.

I decided to go with the same Christmas color palette as my cookie exchange (more to come on that later... hopefully), so I used olive, teal, and cognac. I wanted to use teal velvet ribbon (how chic would that have been?) but apparently my local JoAnn's does not carry such sass... so I settled for the beautiful olive satin instead. Classic.

These baby couldn't get any more simple...

1. Buy containers, rocks, and bulbs.

2. Place rocks in container.

3. Place bulb in container, perching on rocks.

4. Wrap with ribbon and instructions. (optional)

Above are the name tags and instructions I used.

Cost breakdown:

- Paperwhite bulbs: $6.98 for 6 = $1.16 each (I bought them at a local Home Depot, also available on-line or at nurseries. I guess I missed the big mark-downs, which happened near the beginning of December by my estimations, so many stores were sold out.)

- Glass containers: Glass cups from World Market = $1.49 each

- Decorative Rocks: $2.49 for 3 containers = $.83 each (I bought rocks at an estate sale during the summer)

- Ribbon: $3.49/spool = $.29 for approximately 12 packages

So there you have it, a unique, fun, and memorable Christmas gift for less than $4.00!

Of course you can always get funky with your container, a stemless martini glass for some sass? Or colored ramekins for the cooks in your life?

And at this rate, I'll be posting my New Year's resolutions in mid-February... that is if I had any.