Creative Christmas Gift Ideas:
Christmas gifts don't have to leave you in debt
Did the quickly approaching Christmas season sneak up on you? Have you just learned that you should have been saving for Christmas gifts year round? Did you simply forget to budget for Christmas gifts this year?
If you're feeling torn this year because you want to stay out of debt while still giving your loved ones gifts they'll like, don't worry. We've got some fantastic creative Christmas gift ideas for you:
- Compile a themed gift box. For example, if you know a family who enjoys watching movies together, get them a movie or 2 (or a rental gift card), bags of popcorn, favorite candy bars or a homemade dessert, and some little things related to the movie. It will be something they can enjoy together—and maybe even invite you to join!
- Frame artwork and memories. If you have youngsters in your family, get some of their artwork and nicely frame it for the adults. They’ll get excited about seeing their creations on display, and the artwork will be a nice reminder of them when they’re not around.
- Host a dinner party and provide your guests the recipes in a festive booklet. You could also incorporate a white-elephant gift exchange with a price limit per gift into the evening. Everyone will have a great time and remember it for years to come.
- Offer to run errands for an elderly relative, neighbor or friend. This will mean more to this person than you know, especially for the elderly. Better yet, ask them if you can pick up any Christmas gifts on their behalf. They would love to have someone brave the busy mall for them.
- Give free babysitting. Know a couple or a single parent who could use an extra hand with the kids during the holidays? Offer to keep the kids one evening and let the parents get some shopping done or have a date night.
- Bake some tasty treats. If you know someone who's expecting a lot of company or is feeling overwhelmed, offer to help out by baking a few things. This will save the person so much time and will allow them to focus on other things to get ready for company. Homemade food is always a hit!
- Visit a shut-in, hospital patient or nursing home resident. Many times these individuals are over-looked during the holiday rush. Bake some cookies, frame some pictures, or write some notes to give when you drop by for a visit with some of your family or friends.
- Help a local school teacher with a special Christmas event for their class. Teachers are overwhelmed this time of year and having an extra adult around to help out would ease some of the stress for them.
- Give to a charity. If the adults in your family can agree, choose a charity to which your entire family will give money and/or time. Rather than giving gifts to each other, you'll be touching the lives of people who are truly in need while spending time with your loved ones at the same time. It’s a win-win situation!
Creative Christmas gifts don’t have to leave you looking like a cheapo. Remember, it’s the thought and effort that really count. Think of your skills and how you can incorporate them into gifts others will enjoy. Why not take a little extra time to think about your family and friends and give them something that will inspire and enrich their lives for years to come.
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Share your creative Christmas gift ideas here!
Like the movie theme - have a dinner theme. Get an inexpensive basket, fill it with pasta, sauce, cheese, bread, etc. and have an Italian theme dinner basket. Great family/couple gift. —Joyce in GA
Make a personalized calendar with pictures and family dates. Help tear-down a busy mom's Christmas decorations and clean after the holidays. —Sarah in Cincinnati
Ask family members to send you their favorite recipes and compile a family recipe book for each family member. It's a great gift and will make sure your family recipes are preserved for future generations. My family's was printed and binded so that new pages may be added. —Whitney in MS
The year my grandfather passed away I dealth with my grief by composing a poem about his life. When Christmas came I was going through a divorce and had practically no money. I made copies of the poem for each family member and framed them in very inexpensive frames. These turned out to be the most treasured Christmas gifts ever! —Retha in MO
Nearly everyone has a videocamera and editing software is cheap or even free to download. Offer to put together clips of a special event such as a wedding, birthday, or family gathering and put it on a DVD. In addition, you can do the same with picts. organize them and actually PRINT off the CD or download of your phone and put together a neat themed photo album. You might also record a video or read a book and send the audio to a grandchild or grandparent. You will be preserving some family history by having the audio on CD or your computer if the loved one passes away. —J in KS
We made yule logs last year. We kept several extras on hand for unexpected gifts. We took a nice log from our wood pile, cleaned it a bit, wrapped red ribbon around the middle, hot glued some berries and fresh greens and a bow. We printed out the history of the yule log on nice paper and attached it. About $1 each. Everyone loved them. A nice hostess gift as well. I think I found the idea online. Also, we made several wreaths from the bottom branches we cut off our Christmas tree. —Bo in MI
This Christmas I have decided to do scrapbooks for gift giving to family members. Many dollar stores have nice scrapbooking items for cheap and you can always make some, too. You can either use photos you have or just build the scrapbook pages and leave room for the receiver to fill in the photos! Be creative! —Phyllis in OH
We have a small online photography business. This year we plan on giving copies of our prints, matted and framed to some family members who have admired our work in the past. We already have the prints and mats on hand from a bulk purchase we made for the business earlier in the year. Just assemble, wrap and give! —Chris and Tina in OR
My cousin and his wife will celebrate their second Christmas as a married couple this year. Last year, I took a picture of them and this year I'm framing it and giving it to them as a present. —Angie in AL
For that "half bathroom" get a candle, soap, and spray in a basket with a nice bow, and you have something everyone needs to keep the bathroom nice and fresh. You can also add hand towels/napkins as well. —Kristina in TX
Take pictures of your kids and make up a story that goes with the pictures. Put your story and your pictures together in an inexpensive photo album. This is lots of fun to do with your family and a great unique gift. —Sarah in OH
My mother worked in HBA at Wal-mart for years. Personal care items are expensive, so she and I decided to gift each other (and our hubbies) with the things we're going to need anyway. We list the brand names of everything we use: shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. then trade lists. I'll buy all the stuff on her list, and she'll buy the stuff on mine. We wrap all these goodies up and everyone oohs and ahhs over cotton balls and chap stick! No wasted money, no useless presents! We're both simply spending the same money we would have spent anyway, but now we have Christmas presents. Of course, each person does get *something* they really want as well, but it works great. And it makes for LOTS of present to open on Christmas morning! Thanks for all your great ideas and advice! —Toni in GA
Stamps for elderly, childcare coupons for young couples, think practical houehold budget savers. I would rather have my favorite coffee than a tin of popcorn I wont eat. —Jennifer in MO
Our family decided this year that since we have all teenagers, that instead of giving each other the $20 gift cards that we would give a shoe box gift. This idea was inspired by the Operation Christmas child shoe box gift from our church. Every person would put whatever they wanted in a shoe box, weather it was new, used(didn't want it anymore), or thrift store, etc... we would then place a number on them under the tree and everyone would draw a number. I can't wait till Christmas morning! —Julie in MO
Glass marble magnets! Easy and can be personalized. Purchase small clear flat glass marbles, they are found at Wal-Mart in the craft section near the floral supplies or at any craft store. Purchase strong flat magnets, clear silicone glue, and super glue. Print photos in "index" or "collage" format so they are small, or use designs and images from magazines, junk mail, etc. Use the marble to check the size of the picture. Use the silicone to glue the marble over the image. Let dry for close to 24 hours and then cut out the marble/image. Use super glue to glue magnet to the back of the marble/image. Use empty altoid tins or candy tins to present the gift. I am making a set for almost everyone on my list this year! —Susan in PA
Get a group of friends (Sunday School Class, Club, etc.) together. Each person bakes one kind of cookie making enough so every friend can receive 1 dozen. So if there are 6 friends participating each person bakes 6 dozen of their cookie. Then get together and exchange cookies. Each person then has 1 dozen of each variety of cookie to share with their families or to use in gift baskets. —Vicki in KY
Give a gift certificate for a meal of the month. Make a homemade meal once a month for your parents, single mother or anyone else. —Shawn in SD
My college aged daugther has offered to organize my photos (2 boxes) and put into photo albums, which will be a big job. She is good at organizing, and will get this done much quicker than me. This will be a great Christmas present. —Cindy in TX
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