Handmade: Coupon Books

"What is the best gift you've ever given someone," asked one of Santa's elves as he and Olive spent a quiet evening crafting homemade silhouettes (see previous post) for friends and family.

With nary a pause, Olive glanced up from her workbench and replied, "coupons!"

The elf sniffed derisively, "Coupons! Pfft! Do they take skill, craftsmanship and many hours of labour? I don't think so. Hardly a memorable gift."

Olive only smiled to herself. Why upset the poor fellow (elves are, I'm afraid, prone to oversensitivity) by telling him that the most mentioned gifts she had given last Christmas were said coupons? Had not the free pedicures, offers of cleaning and coffee dates not been cashed in ever so quickly? In fact, she was sure she had seen the same ticket used twice! This year she plans to stuff stockings with ribbon tied scrolls offering movies for two, window washing and cookie baking. She would however, be wise to include a disclaimer: Valid for One Use Only!

Kodak Coupon Book

An easy-to-download set of five coupons, including dog washing, baby sitting and yard work.

fookaDESIGNS

This smartly designed book of four coupons allows for the ultimate ease in gift giving: a few choice words, a pop into the stocking and pour yourself a cheering cup of eggnog.