Making Money for the Holidays

Have you run out of money after buying only half of your Christmas presents? Or you've still got to get new exercise books for school? Or do you just want a totally new, groovy look?

When you've run out of money the best thing to do is to home make things. I know my relatives are always really pleased if I make them a Christmas present, and my friends have admired my school books! Below are some suggestions for making presents and being totally individual!

• 1) Are you any good at baking? People absolutely love homemade cakes and sweets and cleverly wrapped up, these will look great!! (See recipe below!)
• 2) Make a voucher saying you will do the washing up for a week, or wash the car twice. Make the voucher to suit what the person would like. For instance Mum could have two days breakfast in bed!
• 3) Buy some really cheap note books and decorate them with pictures cut from magazines and cover them with sticky back plastic. Make them to suit peoples tastes, or your own for your school books. It's the best way to brighten up your French grammer.
• 4) Kites are easy to make. Tie die kites are totally cool and look great up in the corner of your room.
• 5) Chokers are cool. You can get prestrung beads or jewels, like pearls from a clothing store. Twist two or three strands together, sew them to jewelry hooks on the end and you have an instant gift.
• 6) Picture puzzles are easy to make. Take that poster of the Spice Girls or your favorite rock group. Glue the poster to cardboard or heavy construction paper. Mark a grid on the back. Cut out the rectangles. Instant puzzle!

I'm sure you can think of many more. Perhaps you could have a stall and sell things to get money. If you put the money you earn in a bank account, you'll earn extra money too!!

Alexandra.W's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Want to earn some money this Christmas? Try selling homemade Chocolate Chips cookies. Making the cookies: Things needed:

• 110 g (1/4 lb.) butter
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) sugar
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) brown sugar
• 250 ml (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 250 ml (1 cup) self-rising flour
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp.) salt
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp.) baking soda
• 185 ml (3/4 cup) chocolate chips or drops
• 125 ml(1/2 cups) chopped walnuts or peanuts or hassle nuts or raisin
• 1 egg

How to bake:

• 1. Preheat oven at 375 *F (190*C)
• 2. Cream butter sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add eggs.
• 3. Sift flour, salt and baking soda into mixture and beat.
• 4. Add in chips or drops or walnuts or peanuts or hassle nuts or raisin.
• 5. Roll mixture on flat surface.(make sure the surface has some flour over it. If not the mixture will be "glued" to the surface)
• 6. Use shape cutters to shape the cookies.
• 7. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden brown.
• 8. Cool and serve.

Packaging: You can either:

• a) Pack it in a plastic bag (add some decorations so it looks attractive)
• b) Pack it in a paper bag (make your own paper bag and decorate it so it looks attractive)
• c) Pack it in a box (make your own box and decorate it so it looks attractive)

Alexandra.W, 14 Malaysia

Credit!

Thanks to Verity O and Alexandra.W, 14 Malaysia for writing this article. And thanks to Cat for editing it.