WOW! These are the greatest ideas:) If you're going for inexpensive, I love TennesseeKathy's idea of wildflower seeds in the envelope. I've seen where you can print these out for free all over the internet:) I also love Superiorgirls idea of cinnamon ornaments,and as matter of fact I made some last night!!! This is a recipe I used years ago,and the ornaments really last,they don't rot or mildew in the heat and humidity here. I will give the recipe. I made 48 2" hearts and 2 3" stars,only the stars kinda came out like starfish:). They will smell nice for years! And they dried out overnight. A little hint....use more cinnamon to sprinkle if it's too sticky,the cornstarch makes them too white, and really knead the dough til it cools.You have to use it within 30 minutes. Now,what I always make at Christmas time is soup in a jar. All year I collect baskets at yard sales,and if I'm lucky to find wide mouth mason jars, I buy those,too,but they're cheap enough:) And like someone else mentioned, I buy the bakery bags at the dollar store,you get 8 bags for $1. I make something called I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas Soup mix I found on the internet,and make the rice bags like Sunshine mentioned:) Those are so great! I make a square one with 4 compartments,and I make a long rectangular one with 4 compartments. I use mine all the time! I found these on the internet for a get-well package. You could use leftover turkey at holiday time to make the soup,but I always add a can of chicken so all the ingredients are there. Recipe for this in the link. I print out the recipe on nice paper,and attach with raffia. Cut out a nice circle of fabric if you want for the jar lid. If I make the rice buddy, I use the same fabric for the jar. NON-EDIBLE!!! Cinnamon Applsesauce Ornaments 3/4 cup applesauce 1 packet unflavored gelatin 1 jar cinnamon(1.9oz) I buy the cinnamon at the dollar store at 2/$1 and its over 2oz in a jar,so I use half a jar,then use more to sprinkle on when I roll them out. 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 tablespoons ground cloves Combine applesauce and gelatin in small saucepan and let stand for 3 minutes. heat over medium heat constantly stirring just til simmering. combine cinnamon,cornstarch and cloves in separate bowl. Stir in applesauce mixture. Turn onto counter and knead a f ew turns. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. use within 30 minutes. Roll dough between sheets of plastic wrap to a scant 1/4" thickness. Cut ornaments using 2 inch cookie cutters. Use a straw to cut holes for hanging. dry on wire rack overnight. Reroll scraps and repeat cutting. These are great! Also THESE ARE NON-EDIBLE!! and here's the link for the soup mix,everyone loves this soup! we add fresh celery and carrots,and everyone starts asking before Christmas if we're making it again! Crispix Puppy Chow 12 oz. box Crispix cereal 1/2 cup butter 1 cup peanut butter 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips and microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once during cooking, until mixture is melted and smooth. Place the cereal in another large bowl and pour the melted mixture over the cereal. Stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated. Pour the powdered sugar into a large plastic food bag. Pour the coated cereal into the powdered sugar and shake until it is well covered with the sugar. Pour the cereal onto wax paper to cool and dry. Store in tightly covered containers at room temperature This recipe is fast and easy and everyone loves it. I add a little more roasted peanuts. Put them in a nice little bakery bag and it's a great gift! Something else I make is a milk bath sachet. I found where to print up beautiful envelopes and I bought a stack of vellum paper at a yard sale to print them on for a dime:) I'll probably never use all the paper I bought! I make soap to go with it and a candle. Here is the link! http://www.allfreecrafts.com/homemade-gifts/oatmeal-milk-bath.shtml Hope everyone finds these recipes and ideas helpful! Here is a link that might be useful: Christmas Soup in a jar

It sounds like you've done a good job of researching and tried to correct some of your mistakes. We all do things we shouldn't when we first start out (and even later when we THINK we know what to do). I did the same thing you did on my first rose - planted it first and then read about what I should have done....The fresh manure is not a good thing. If applied too thickly it can burn the roots. Make sure that you keep your rose well watered, but not too much water until your rose leafs out more fully. Clay soil retains water so don't drown your rose until the rose develops roots and foliage that will actually need that water. Try and keep the wind away from the tender new growth until it develops a root system. A wind screen can help. Usually roots and leaves develop together, but when the bareroot has been feeding on itself in the bag(instead of the nutrients in the soil), the growth will be even more susceptible to drying out. I can't tell you if your rose will survive. They can be really tough some times. In my case on my first rose I got so worried I ended up digging it back up and doing it right. That rose then lasted a good 22 years. Good luck btw.....Maryl

LOL, Melati--I WISH!!! We'll probably have to make that direction a whole *nuther plan*--maybe next-year's anniversary! Dave--thank you so much, too!! I'm definitely going to have to have 'a plan'!! Now, tell me this *you guys* with the extensive collections you already have--what in the world do I bring you, that you DO NOT ALREADY HAVE??? I'm getting nervous!!! My 'picken's are such 'small potatoes' compared with anyone you've suggested visiting, including yourselves!! LOL btw--do NOT fear--I would NEVER ask you for a piece of your hosta! I only tease on the forum, with such boldness, (and with those I've already 'traded' with) but in 'real life' I'd be horrified to do that!! Just not the way I wuz brought up--southern roots, ya know--well, maybe you don't but trust me--they're still in 'there'!!! :o) And, if I go over a certain one you have--I AM NOT hinting for you to bring out the shovel, okay? I'm just enthusiastic about ANYTHING I see that I think is awesome, admirable, or beautiful, and for the life-of-me, I cannot refrain from letting my appreciation be known!!! :o/ So--DO NOT--DO NOT let my enthusiasm make you squirm nor compelled to dig up a perfectly beautiful clump, destroying it's symmetry for the rest of the season, JUST to give me a piece of it, cause I'm excited by it's maturity and beauty!!! Seriously--I will, undoubtedly, LOVE them ALL!!! And, I can wait to get whatever it is I may be 'blown away' about, someday--but--I may be taking copious notes, if you don't mind!! ;o)

I like the idea of the books for the GKs. I love to give the gift of books, and am known for either books or B&N GC for all occasion gifts. lol We purchased books for my nephew about sharks and some other animal (can't remember which animal the other was) that had small scale see-through 3D model of the featured animal in the book. When you turned the pages, it pictured different significant organs, etc. and cool facts about why each animal had differing skin and the like, as well as a child's level explanation of the part each animal played in the wild. Very cool books, but I cannot for the life of me remember where I found them. I am thinking it was NOT a book store, but someplace like Sam's club. My nephew loved those books and found taking the model apart and learning about marine life. My FIL has always had a boat (yacht), and we've spent loads of time seeing many out of the way places. At times it is hard to keep kids of a certain age occupied while at sea. These books were unlike anything I've ever seen and I spend alot of time in book stores. Any event, your post about the kids made me think about these books I found for my young nephew, but it has been at least 5 years now. I've done a google search and have come up empty. They make a great gift for children who are interested in animals. If I can find the name of the books or publisher, I will post since they would make great gifts for any child.