The perfect gift for those you find difficult to buy for would be a cotton or canvas shopping bag as plastic bags are being phased out at supermarkets.

Here are some ideas for a great frugal Christmas.

One oily ragger writes, “During the year I have accumulated lots of reward points which I am giving as gifts. In addition to the vouchers, I will make a food item for each person so they will get a edible handmade gift, and a recycled card. That’s what I call a frugal and stress free Christmas!”

We reckon gift cards are a great way to go, especially when a suitable gift for that someone is not obvious. The great thing is that many oil raggers have squirreled away reward points during the year, which can be converted to gift cards. So no cash outlay, and the lucky person receiving the card can use them in the post-Xmas sales to maximum advantage. It makes so much sense. Just a reminder that you need to allow a week or two for the vouchers to arrive in the post – so get redeeming!

We have also been having a think about what to do with all of those presents that are simply not loved. In days gone by the prezzie currency used to be a bottle of wine – if not wanted it was simply given to someone else. Nowadays we notice that fewer people are drinking alcohol, so wine doesn’t always make the grade when trying to make an impression – unless it’s really expensive and the person receiving it knows it’s expensive! We think the new currency is a bottle of olive oil – a good quality cold-pressed boutique variety, produced locally. Locally produced honey is another great idea, and, even better, honey comb – yum!

But here are some suggestions to deal with the problem of unwanted presents:
• Sell them and save the money or use it to buy something you need.
• If you do give the present to someone else be careful that you don’t give it to the person that gave it to you! The easiest way to keep track is to keep the card it came with – or write the name of the giver on the parcel.
• Return the gift or exchange it at the store, but you will need the receipt or an exchange card.
• Donate the gift to a relative/friend or to a charity shop.
• Use it for some other purpose. For example, if someone gives you an unusual shirt you could put in the “fancy dress” box.
• Swap the gifts with others who also received “unwanted” presents. Here’s an idea: Christmas swap meetings – everyone gathers around on Boxing Day and exchanges stuff they don’t really need!
We have a challenge for you. Do you have any ideas for generic gifts that suit the person who is impossible to buy a present for? The oily rag community and millions of frantic Xmas shoppers would love to hear from you! We will post your suggestions on our oilyrag.co.nz website as soon as we receive them!

One great idea is a basket of fruit and veges – and eggs if you have hens or ducks – from your own backyard? Add some home-baking, and, hey presto, you have a perfect gift!

Annual report. We are pleased to say 2018 has been another bumper year for frugality. We have received many hundreds of tips from readers and the Oily Rag Club now has over 7,000 members. It’s amazing that people have been practising frugality since the beginning of civilisation but oily raggers are still able to come up with new and interesting ways to turn penny-pinching into serious savings. On a personal front, we have been busy planting more fruit trees and tending to the garden, which is productive all year round. We are also figuring out ways to recycle building materials and refresh furniture because we are in the middle of a house renovation which is a challenge.

Best wishes for a fun and frugal Xmas! Frank & Muriel Newman.

My ‘go to’ recipe when I have to take something is Forgotten cookies.
Basically tiny meringues
180 degrees
Beat 2 egg whites and pinch salt until foamy.
Gradually add half a cup castor sugar.
1 tsp vanilla
Then whatever eg chopped almonds, chopped dark chocolate etc.

But for Christmas make one lot add red food colouring and strawberry flavour and swirl, one lot green likewise, lime or lemon flavour. But not vanilla.
Sprinkle silver or gold tiny balls or other sprinkles.
Put on foil, teaspoon sizes.
Makes about 30 per lot.
Pop in the oven and turn it off.
Leave overnight or for several hours.

• Sell them and save the money or use it to buy something you do need.
• Give them away as a present to someone else – but be careful not to give it to the person that gave it to you! The easiest way is to keep the card it came with, or write the name of the giver on the parcel.
• Return or exchange the gift – but you will need the receipt or an exchange card.
• Donate the gift to a relative/friend or to a charity shop.
• Use it for some other purpose. For example, if someone gives you an unusual shirt you could put in the “fancy dress” box.
• Swap the gifts with others who also received “unwanted gifts”

Even if the gift is totally inappropriate, it should be gratefully received as there are always opportunities to benefit. We know of one oily rag family that are not wine drinkers but they happily receive it as gifts because it is like a “gift currency”.

With summer comes the annual abundance of fruit, which means lots of free fruit from your oily rag orchard and cheap produce in the stores. Here are some suggestions to make the most of the season’s bounty.

For a special peach pudding, take 450g peaches, simmer in a little water and sugar until soft, then drain and place in a shallow heatproof dish. Sprinkle over 50g toasted almonds or sunflower seeds and leave to cool. Whip 300ml of cream until it is thick, and spread evenly over the fruit to completely cover it. Sprinkle 100g soft brown sugar evenly over the cream and place under a hot grill until the sugar melts and caramelises. Serve at once.

A reader writes, “The favourite breakfast of our grandkids is American style pancakes, which we embellish with summer fruits. We have lots of berries from our garden so we top the pancakes with cream or yoghurt and strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries.”

To make the pancakes all you need is 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of milk, 1 egg, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, two teaspoons of baking powder, a tablespoon of melted butter, and a pinch of salt. Mix the egg, milk and butter, and add to the dry ingredient mix. Blend to form a creamy batter, then pour about a quarter of a cup into a hot, lightly greased frypan. Cook until bubbles break the surface, flip, and finishing cooking. Pile the hot pancakes on a warm plate, with a dot of butter between each.

We like this dairy and gluten free banana ice cream recipe sent to us by a reader from Napier. “To make banana ‘ice cream’, cut up ripe bananas into chunks and freeze them. Take them out of the freezer and straight into the food processor and pulse till smooth and creamy, then serve. You would never be able to tell that it was just frozen banana – it has a beautiful creamy consistency. I also add other fruits when in season – strawberries go very well with the banana. My kids are dairy and gluten intolerant and they think this banana ice cream is fantastic.” It’s a great way to use those overripe bananas and home-grown ones if you happen to live in the warmer areas.

And here’s a final Christmas treat for children – and adults! – from KJ of Whangarei: Santa-hat strawberries! “I cut the bottom off each strawberry to remove the leaves and stem (the green bits). Dip the bottom into melted white chocolate then dip into coconut. That makes the fluffy white rim of the Santa hat. Repeat for the tip of the strawberry to make the fluffy white pom-pom. My kids love them.” To melt the chocolate for dipping, break a block of white chocolate into pieces, and put into a metal bowl above a pot of boiling water.

Let us know your favourite Xmas treats so we can share them with others – and tell us what low-cost pressies you are giving this year.

Bon Appétit – and Merry Christmas from the oily rag team.

The interview was with Jean Mansfield, a specialist cheesemaker from Waihi, who has written heaps of books on the subject and holds cheese making workshops. She explained that some yummy cheeses like feta and halloumi can be made within a matter of hours, and from ingredients bought at your local supermarket.

If you are not familiar with halloumi cheese, then it’s certainly one to try. Jean’s recipe uses 4 litres of fresh or whole milk, 2ml microbial rennet, a tbsp cooled boiled water, and 1 tsp of plain salt. This will make 1kg of cheese in 30 minutes – with a 1-2 hour pressing time.

Halloumi is commonly used on the BBQ – when cooked it forms a crusty golden brown exterior but is soft in the centre. We noticed a swanky café had a gourmet lunch of a slice of halloumi over a field mushroom set into puff pastry and baked. It was a +$12 item, which can be made in any oily rag kitchen.

The cheese interview is well worth a listen. Go to radionz.co.nz and search “Jean Mansfield” and there you will have it. Besides having tasty fresh homemade cheese recipes, there are great ideas for special Christmas presents – including jars of home-made feta cheese, cubed and sprinkled with fresh herbs, in olive oil.

There are loads of other Christmas ideas for food lovers and gardeners.  Giving a tree or plant will be of lasting benefit, and may encourage others to see the value of an oily rag orchard or garden.

Citrus is an obvious tree to give. They don’t mind being in pots so are a great idea for those who are space-challenged – or have a spare sunny spot on their patio. For oranges, try a Washington Navel which has a seedless fruit that ripens in late autumn to early spring.

For plants, why not a cherry tomato? They are sweet and kids love them. They too suit pots, and if you plant them now, they will be ready to fruit around Christmas time.

Many varieties of herbs make excellent gifts and look great sitting on a sunny window sill. For something a little bit different try lemon grass – it makes a refreshing tea, but has many beneficial properties and is often used when cooking poultry, fish, and seafood. Or what about a red hot chilli pepper plant in an attractive patio pot!

Baked goods can also be great presents. Perhaps a bakery basket for a family or sweet treats for the kiddies – fudge is always popular.

M.G. from Hastings says, “Our wider family got together and decided to limit Christmas gifts to a few dollars per person. That way nobody is too disappointed when they don’t get anything flash. So what can you give for a few dollars:

• Photos with a message printed across them, from digital machines.
• Photo frame, bought or home made.
• Plants grown from seed or cuttings.
• Homemade biscuits, cakes, drinks, etc
• Personalised pens made by printing names (or something more imaginative), on stickers in a small font. Also, make a pen holder to go with them.
• Glue give-away fridge magnets to the back of a small notepad, maybe attach a photo or calendar to the top to personalise it. You now have a handy shopping list to keep on the fridge.
• A family favourite is chocolate. Look for a mould that has about a dozen deep individual shapes. Slowly melt chocolate in the microwave to coat the sides of the shapes. When they have set fill with a cold ganache, made by heating 100mls of cream and dissolving 100grms of chocolate into it. This can then be flavoured with peanut butter, liqueurs or honey.
• Kids love to get a plastic glass full of lollies or lolly kebabs.”

We think all things made with thought and attention will be appreciated far more than gifts bought in a panic on Christmas Eve!