Hello Everyone! Yes here we are again! It is the time to shop and get those Christmas gifts. It is certainly an expensive time of the year and the gifts can all add up to a fortune. Well there are ways to cut costs.  You can make thing yourself and save a lot of money as well as having a bit of fun at the same time. There are lots of things you can make but here are the top ten money savers.
　　お金のかかる時だから...　

1. Cookies- bake your own cookies and wrap them in clear plastic. These make great gifts and most people love food. You can also decorate them with icing of different colors.

2. Cakes- bake a traditional Christmas cake or Christmas pudding. I know these are not popular in Japan but if you have a homestay student with you then this will be a real treat…or a lonely English teacher!

3. Frames- make a picture frame and stick a picture of your class or family. You can get everyone to sign the picture or the back of the frame for a lasting memory. You can make the frame out of thick cardboard or wood and paint it with spray paint from a hardware store like Doit.

4. Make sweets- You can make so many different types of sweets such as fudge or Turkish delight. Then you can also dip them in chocolate for a really special treat.

5. Chocolate strawberries- for a healthier treat you can half dip fresh strawberries in white and dark chocolate. These are so beautiful when you are finished especially if you leave on the green stem.

6. A voucher- You can give someone you love a gift certificate for hugs or kisses or an evening out. You print or write the certificate as follows:

註：　 jolly:： 陽気な
　　　　fudge：ファッジ:キャンデーの一種
　　　　Doit：ホームセンターのドイト
　　　　Turkish Delight：トルコ菓子:砂糖をまぶしたフルーツゼリー
　　　　green stem ：青いヘタ
　　　　gift certificate：ギフト証明書

This is a special gift certificate for (Name). This certificate entitles you to a dinner with me on whichever day you choose. I will pay for dinner and drinks and all you have to do is come with me to a surprise restaurant. This certificate is valid for one year from the 25th of December 2002. Love and Christmas wishes, (Your name)

7. Make a Christmas wreath for the door. It is a custom in most houses in the US to put a wreath on the door. I am not sure where this custom originated from but it used to be made out of real greenery but now they are mostly plastic. It is a great gift and you can make it from a wire coat-hanger some straw grass or flowers. You can let your imagination go wild!

8. Christmas decorations- yes this is a great one for those of you who are experts at origami. You can make so many Christmas decorations for a Christmas tree. These make a superb gift for any foreigner friends as they will be delighted that you have made it yourself. This is the year of homemade gifts!

9. Make breakfast- You can make breakfast for someone and give it to them as they wake up. We call this ‘breakfast in bed’ and it is a popular thing to do for your mother or wife to give them a break from having to cook for everyone.

10. The last suggestion but not the least (‘last but not least’ = means there are many more suggestions) is a picnic. Yes I know it is winter in Japan so this is not a great thing to do……but go to a spa….then you stop at a picnic table…..wearing lots of sweaters and a big coat …you jump out of the car. You have a small burner or a flask filled with very hot water. You have two cups of instant noodles and put the hot water into them. Then you make a cup of coffee with the remaining hot water. Don’t forget to pack the hashi and napkins! This is a simple winter picnic lunch　　註　spa：温泉
    

みんなに優しくしてやろうネ！　
　The most important thing is to plan and don’t be by yourself this holiday season. If you know 　someone who is by themselves and has no family then invite them over and make it a warm and friendly occasion. It is a time when people feel depressed because they have no one to share with so think about making someone’s Christmas and New Year a happy time. It will give you a warm feeling inside to share and also you will have done a good deed for another person.

Remember if you do it for them then they will feel better and may do some good deed for another.

今年１年ありがとう！来年もまたよろしくね！
All the best to you all and thank you for being with us for the year.
We here at Ajet World wish you the most happy of seasons and the best year for 2003.I feel sure it will be a good year for us all!
Take care, keep smiling and something good will happen to you!
Love and wishes,

Ajet Blondy