It's hard to believe another holiday season is quickly approaching. As thoughts turn to gift giving, it's important to remember the family budget. A fun, easy, and inexpensive gift idea is to present friends or family members with jars of ready-to-bake homemade cookie mix.

It's as simple as gathering up any uniquely shaped jars you've had tucked away, layering the ingredients in each container, and attaching the recipes with a festive ribbon. Be sure to use see-through containers so the layers are visible.

The three cookie recipes that follow are from the Successful Farming Christmas Cookie cookbook ($19.95 plus shipping and handling at www.farmhomecollection.com). Each of these mixes fits in a standard 1-quart canning jar. If you choose to fill a container other than a canning jar, measure it first to be sure it will hold 4 cups.

This holiday season, package up your favorite cookie recipes for uniquely fun, affordable gifts.

It's hard to believe another holiday season is quickly approaching. As thoughts turn to gift giving, it's important to remember the family budget. A fun, easy, and inexpensive gift idea is to present friends or family members with jars of ready-to-bake homemade cookie mix.

Prep: 5 minutes; Oven: 375 degrees F.; Bake: 10 minutes per batch