So this year I don’t have much money to spend on gifts (I’m afraid I spent all my money this year on trainers, races, doctors, and eye surgery…sigh).

Fortunately I don’t have a ton of gifts to buy being single and all.  I also have made a deal with my trainer- no cheats carb-wise or sweet-wise with at least 4 days of exercise a week, and I can have the entire time I am home (9 days) off!  This doesn’t mean I will go crazy but just knowing I can take a breath and not be so strict is super motivating.

This fitness goal combined with my budget created a challenge for my friends gifts.  Where I would usually give a plate of cookies and homemade candies I had to come up with something else?  Here’s what I did:

Included in this little package is:

1 honeycrisp apple (from Harmons.  THE BEST APPLE EVER!)

1 good quality navel orange (also from Harmons)

2 apple and 2 berry Clif Fruit Ropes (I buy them in bulk from the Clif Bar’s website)

What do you think? Would you be disappointed or grateful to get something instead of the traditional Christmas sweets? My friends seemed to enjoy it (in fact, one of my visiting teaching girls was looking forward to my monthly honeycrisp apple!)

I personally learned from making these gifts that anything looks better wrapped in cellophane with a nice bow on it.  Nice to know…:) I’d love to hear what budget and diet friendly gifts you come up with this year. Please share!

Ok.  Its way late.  Better go to bed!