Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas
Cheap Gift Baskets, Christmas Sweets, Personalized Ornaments
Dec 17, 2008
With the economic recession putting a damper of gift giving, budget conscious consumers can still find unique Christmas gifts costing just a few dollars per recipient.
Bake Homemade Christmas Gifts
Christmas sweets make wonderful presents. Pick a favorite Christmas recipe like Cranberry Walnut White Chocolate Fudge and turn your kitchen into Santa’s workshop. Make a large batch of Christmas cookies, baklava, biscotti, or even rice crispy treats embellished with holiday sprinkles.
Add a little Christmas plastic wrap and ribbon and you are ready to deliver a delightful present. A few different treats in a themed gift basket with some Nutcracker Suite tea or mocha java coffee makes for a beautiful presentation.
Make Handmade Christmas Ornaments
Books like Christmas Customs: Handcrafted Ornaments [Creative Publishing, 2001] are loaded with handmade Christmas ornament ideas like Moravian stars, Christmas roses, potpourri balls, and jingle bells. Find a book with detailed illustrations and step-by-step instructions.
Another quick, cheap Christmas gift idea is to buy inexpensive ornaments from a discount store and personalize with a gold or silver paint pen. If the store bought ornaments are too simple, consider embellishing with ribbon, glitter, or novelties. Buy a few extra, in case a slip of the hand results in an unsightly smear.
Make a Christmas Gift Basket
It is not hard to make a cheap gift basket that is sure to please. Visit a dollar store early in the season and buy a suitable container like a wicker sleigh basket. Get enough to make baskets for all the families on your Christmas list. If the basket seems plain, add a bow made from holiday ribbon.
Scour the discount aisles of stores like Target for inexpensive Christmas gifts like lotion, candies, candles, and ornaments. Get enough stocking stuffer-type items to almost overflow each basket. Wrap each gift individually in festival foil paper, add some curly ribbon and place in your discount store basket.
A beautiful gift basket can cost less than $15 dollars. Add a personalized ornament as a gift tag and some homemade Christmas candies. Prepare a few extra inexpensive gift baskets for unexpected holiday visitors. Consider making baskets for your favorite mailperson, teacher, coworker, or neighbor.
Inexpensive Christmas Gifts Convey the True Meaning of Christmas
If your Christmas budget for big ticket items is meager, search for used gifts such as books, power tools, jewelry, and electronics. A few phone calls and legwork may even turn up secondhand sources for top Christmas gifts. "Used gift ideas" lists some of the best secondhand gifts for men, women, and children.
The holidays can be stressful on a tightened budget. Remember, it is the thought behind the gift and not the dollar amount. It really means more to spend some time making a gift or searching for the perfect low cost present than just walking down a store aisle and grabbing some expensive gift to cross someone off your list.
A simple Christmas can help you remember just how much love and friendship matter more than shopping.
Tip: Start early for the best selection and remember to stock up on holiday ribbon and wrap after the season.
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