Rosemary Trees

• Rosemary trees closely resemble Christmas trees in terms of their spiny needles. Cut a small sprig of rosemary and plant it in a small planter surrounded by potting soil. Wrap the planter with holiday fabric and a bow to enhance the feeling of Christmas. Your recipient can snip off the fresh rosemary and add the herb to her cooking dishes, or replant it in her garden during warmer weather.
  
  

Homemade Pasta

• If you have an affinity for making your own pasta at home, you can turn your hobby into Christmas thank you gifts for people in your life. Simply make a style of pasta such as spaghetti, rotini or macaroni, allow it to dry, and then package it in cellophane wrappers. You can even create your own holiday labels on the computer and wrap the top of the cellophane with a Christmas bow. If you are really proficient, you can attempt different flavors of pasta such as tomato, egg or spinach. Additions to this gift include providing nonperishable cheeses, cheese graters and pasta sauce. Consider housing the gift in a pasta strainer.
  
  

Scented Sugars

• There are many scented gifts that you can give at Christmas time, such as potpourris or bath oils. However, one often overlooked baking ingredient is scented sugars. Purchase decorative jars with airtight seals. Select items such as coffee beans, vanilla beans, rose petals or citrus peels to flavor the sugar. If the scented items have a high water content, like flower petals or citrus peels, allow them to air dry for a day first. Then fold these items in around white sugar in each jar. Seal the lid and give the jars as gifts. The longer the scented ingredient stays in the sugar jar, the stronger the scent and flavor will become. You can also experiment with using brown sugar. Just make sure the scents and flavors complement the natural taste of brown sugar.
  
  

Alcohol

• Alcohol is a great Christmas thank you gift because you can keep it on hand at all times. Simply buy a few extra bottles and store them at home. Then, as friends drop over or a coworker surprises you with an unexpected gift, you will have something to give them in return. Another idea is to personalize the label on the bottle. This is commonly done at boutique wineries. You can create a Christmas label detailing the year, a special Christmas message and your name. Then your friends will remember who the wine is from when they drink it. Personalized wine labels usually require a minimum purchase of one case. However, at a price point of under $20 as of 2011, it can be a classy and inexpensive way to say "thank you" to a loved one or coworker.