Cranberry Apple Chutney
2 medium apples, chopped
1 lemon, peeled and quartered
1 bag (12 oz / 340 g) thawed cranberries
1 cup raisins
4 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brandy
1 box powdered fruit pectin

How can we apply this axiom to the hunt for Christmas prezzies?  By visiting your local thrift stores of course, but expand that search at this time of year to include Christmas Markets, Craft Sales and Bazaars!  Often the seniors centers and churches have the best sales and selection of vintage items.  Since they are volunteer-run, they usually sell items at a much lower cost than thrift stores, who have to pay their employees; and the hand-crafted items are generally of exceptional quality.

Take a look at who's on your Christmas List

Book lover:
As long as you know the genre they enjoy, you really can't miss by buying 1/2 dozen paperbacks - there is sure to be one they haven't read - and your outlay is low, low, low.  Insert a hand-made bookmark.

Music lover:
There is a huge sub-culture of music lovers returning to vinyl records.  These types of venues often have stacks of old records.  Again, as long as you know their preference, you can pick out several records for just a few dollars - make sure you take a good look at them and avoid any with obvious warps or scratches.  Your audiophile will appreciate the superior sound quality of vinyl records versus digital reproductions and you can't beat the artwork / photography on some of those old album covers.  If they don't fancy the recording, they might find the cover is worth framing - especially if it is kitsch!

Foodie:
Back to the books! Always lots of old cookbooks at your local Christmas Bazaar. Pair one with a vintage Pyrex mixing bowl, a couple of wooden spoons or potholders from the handcrafted aisle, and you'll still come out spending less money than buying some trendy new gadget at your local cooking store.  Or buy a couple of bags of spices that are mentioned in some of the recipes.  Don't forget to take a good look around - sometimes you'll find kitchen items from trends that have come and gone and come back in again.  Like a fondue pot or an ice bucket ... okay, maybe don't buy the fondue pot but try to resist that retro ice bucket - if you can!

Pet Lover:
Look for hand-made catnip bags and doggie "poop bag" carriers.  They are significantly cheaper than those available at the over-priced pet stores that are cashing in on your love of the fur babies!

Ladies:
There is always lots of vintage china at church sales.  Find a pretty teacup and saucer (if you're lucky, a vintage tea strainer/ball) - buy some tea to go with it and you have a wonderful gift.  Don't forget the jewellery!  You might find a wonderful aurora borealis necklace from the 1950s or funky vintage Avon sets from the 1970s.  You'll be amazed at the well-made costume jewellery from the past ... and amazingly low prices too! And so much more unique than purchasing new.  Don't worry about used earrings - just give those posts a good clean with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or even plain old white vinegar! Buy some little organza drawstring bags from the dollar store and you now have beautiful presentation for your jewellery gift or pack up the tea things in a re-usable decorator cardboard box - also at your local dollar store.

Ingredients for cake:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup gold raisins
1 cup currants
1 cup mixed peel (glace mix)
about 1/4 cup milk

Ingredients for topping:
2 to 3 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup butter
milk
vanilla

Absolutely essential ingredients:
Brandy, cheesecloth, tinfoil and a sealed container.

Instructions:
Pour brandy into a small mixing bowl. Soak cheesecloth until saturated.  Lift cheesecloth and gently wrap around cake, stretching to fit and turning to cover well.  When completely covered, wrap in tin foil and seal in container.  Repeat process, once a week, for up to 6 weeks.

Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg.  Sift the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl.  Add to the wet mixture, a bit at a time, blending well.  Fold in all the fruit.  Add enough milk to create a very thick, but also very sticky mixture. 

Grease two 8 inch cakes tins very well.  Fold in the cake mixture and press down into sides.  Slap and press the top of the mixture until you create a tight fit in the pans. 

Bake at 300° for 1 1/2 hours. Remove, cover with parchment paper (to prevent burning) and bake for an additional 1 1/2 hours.