I am an Administrative Assistant in a Medical Department at a large University Hospital. Every year the three Doctors and two Nurses and I exchange gifts.

Mine are usually not very expensive gifts, but I put my heart into each one. Their gifts to me are generous - money, gift cards, etc. This year I am unable to afford to exchange gifts with them.

Should I just accept their gifts gracefully? Do I need to e-mail them that I am unable to give, and they don't need to? Should I make an excuse when they give me my gifts and I have none for them? This has really bothered me, but I financially cannot do it this year (I can barely buy for my family).

Thanks for any advice.

YOu don't HAVE to exchange gifts, but you could send an email explaining that you won't be able to participate in the exchange, or what about suggesting a secret Santa, where you would only buy one gift for one person and make a dollar limit like $5, or it could even be Christmas ornament exchange. What about making the gifts?

I had thought about doing the soup mix in a jar for the nurses, but I don't know if the docs would appreciate that kind of gift.

I think that's a great gift! I do the cake mix for the people at my office!

If you bake, home made items like cookies or brownies are normally a perfered gift.

If you have the jars, there is one recipe that is cake in a jar and it's ready to eat right out of the jar!

I can afford the jars (I have been saving them too)... what is the recipe, will you share? :o). Chuck, I do bake so maybe I could do some cookies or something up as well.

Sure I'll share! I use a few different ones. You can play around with the ingredients.

Low-Fat No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake in a Jar

About 15 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped

8 ounces Low-Fat cream cheese, room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ounces Low-Fat Cool Whip

About 8 4-ounce quilted jam jars

1. Coarsely chop the cookies and set them aside.

2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and set aside. Gently stir in the Cool Whip and 3/4′s of the chopped cookies. (if you want them to last longer, use the marshmellow fluff instead of cool whip, and only put it on top of the cookie mixture, don't stir it all around).

3. Scoop even amounts of the mixture into the eight jars. Top each one with a little bit of the remaining chopped cookies. Screw the lids onto the jars and refrigerate them for at least four hours, or until firm.

Chocolate Pudding Cake in a Jar

Cake:
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) cocoa
2 tsp. (10 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp. (1 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) milk
1/4 cup (60 mL) canola oil or melted butter
1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) cocoa

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 6 jars or ramekins with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add the milk, oil and vanilla and stir until smooth. Divide the batter between the jars or ramekins, spreading it into the bottom.

To make the topping, stir together the sugar and cocoa and sprinkle it over the batter, dividing it between the jars. Pour about 3 Tbsp. of boiling water over each (I find this easiest by pouring boiling water from a kettle into a 1/4 cup measure, filling it about 3/4 full, then pouring it overtop of each cake), but don't stir them! Place the pudding cakes on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, until they appear done and the sauce is bubbly. Serve warm, preferably with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 6.

CHocolate Cake in a Jar
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup butter 1/4 cup water 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 egg, beaten 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Directions
Sterilize 2 (1 pint) straight sided wide mouth canning jars, lids and rings by boiling for 10 minutes. Keep the lids and rings in the hot water until needed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)
In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water and cocoa powder. Heat and stir until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into a large bowl.
Stir in Flour mixture and blend. Add buttermilk, egg and vanilla and beat by hand until smooth. Stir in nuts.
Distribute evenly into the 2 prepared canning jars. Place the jars on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted deep into center of cake comes out clean.
Using heavy oven mitts, remove cakes from oven one at a time. Place a lid, then a ring onto the jars and screw them down tightly. Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to "ping" as they seal. If you miss the "ping", wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.


If you don't like these ones, let me know and I can dig up some more for you.

Suggest since many people are having a difficult time this year, maybe taking up a small collection with a jar placed out for those who is ABLE to give or picking one family for the group to help, would sound so much better. Just a thought, I rent mobiles and you would not believe the people needing a place to live. This is something I do free for a lady on Hospice. The mobiles are in sad shape I'm shocked at how many people are fighting to rent them.
So things are tough out their maybe doing something as a group for a needy child would be better.
I know it may not be the usual thing, but it seems to me it is always better to do these things if we can. This way if someone in the office can't give money then no one knows who gives what. I really think it is sad to feel pressured. I know this feeling and I bet everyone else has been there as well. Turn the goodness toward some family and maybe cook them something, or the jar, the cake is a good idea.

Step mom who likes soap and candles.
If you wait until last you will find out at flea markets Candles and items really great and wrapped and new there.
Not to mention CHEAP, so it would not cost the normal. Then another idea Make your own soaps. Using a cookie cutter
with your own cheap colored soaps melt the soap in the microwave and then pour it into cookie molds use small oil around edge so it comes out once cool. They can be any size hearts or round and colors. Then just wrap them up in clear wrap with a ribbon and put into
a small jar or small x-mas bag. Hope this helps.