Here are my 10 gift-giving ideas that are creative and inexpensive, they should help you avoid the holiday hassles, to:
1. Set a deadline and knock it out: I'm giving myself 'til the 14th to have everyone's presents wrapped up and ready to go. Then I have the rest of November and all of December to just focus on selling my own stuff and spend time with friends/family.
2. Use what you have to wrap: I love using brown packing paper and drawing on it, unique paper or magazines, colorful newspaper, toys, drawing my own gift tags, sky's the limit. You don't have to spend a cent and it's fun, too. The gifts will certainly have solidarity.
3. Wrap the presents you already have saved: a lot of us already have presents saved up in the closets. Don't forget them again!
4. Use the thrift stores/antique malls: I've been picking up bits I know friends/family would enjoy from the thrift stores all year. You can usually find something for everyone for a low price. Just remember to clean or repair it to perfection and present it beautifully!
5. Prioritize spending quality time: I'm mostly reserving the bulk of my gift giving for my nieces and nephews, the presents are for the kids, after all. For the rest of my family I'm focusing on spending quality time. A coffee shared with a long-missed friend is way better than any material gift.
6. Make Things: Print photos you've taken throughout the year, frame them, and send them to loved ones. Paint pictures, get crafty. I have travel and family photos I need to print for the family asap...
7. Cook Things, Share: I'll be making and sharing healthy goodies. Printing healthful recipes would be nice, too.
8. Non-Material Gifts: Memberships (museums, clubs, gyms, bulk grocery stores), classes, magazines subscriptions, etc. can be more enriching than conventional material items.
9. Give a Service: Offer a service your good at to loved ones. Design cards/portfolios/websites. Help them design their room, write, take photos. A creative gift with loads of value that will cost you time, but not lots of up-front money.
10. Bonus: Resellers/artists/retailers, use items from your stock. I have items put aside for friends and family, like owls for my niece who collects them.
What are you doing to save money on gift giving this season? Got any crafts you'll be working on. Time to get busy!
My family and I love to make things and give as presents. And we love to get creative with our wrapping paper and presentation. Sometimes I try and buy some of the gifts ahead, but this year - it's all last minute with me.
ReplyDeleteThis year I'm determined to avoid last-second gifting and wrapping! Wish me luck...
DeleteWow, you are so on it!! I am inspired :)
ReplyDeleteDooo eet. I'll follow-up with recipes perhaps :) I have a friend who makes a vegan granola for her family and ships it in upcycled jars and I may have to steal/share the recipe...
DeleteI find have it all written out who's getting what helps to keep track of things and making sure you're not going overboard with the buying.
ReplyDeleteP.S- earlier this week I wrote a post about thrifty tips for buying for non-vintage lovers this Christmas.
Oh I'll have to check out the list. My roomie falls under the non-vintage-lover category :)
DeleteI would really like to finish holiday shopping early this year. I hate leaving everything until the last minute - or getting all the gifts but realizing that I have no wrapping paper and tags!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, that tends to happen to me every year no matter how much I try. Not this year, dammit! Already got started on wrapping...
DeleteI love making gifts-crocheting something for my sister right now. The key to making gifts is to get started early.You don't want to be up at midnight Christmas Eve trying to finish up gifts- that's the worst.
ReplyDeleteI have that same chipmunk.My kids call it the demon chipmunk because of its eyes,lol.
I've heard it called that before! But...it's a cute little demon :) Agreed on getting the crafts done early!
DeleteWe decided on giving mostly money to the kids - 3 adults now and I teen - she will get part gift part cash. I am so not crafty but might attempt to make something for my Mother. More than likely she will get a thrift gift though - she likes antiques and I am sure I can find her something in my second hand shopping. Hubby and I are getting a dog as our gift to each other (costly as we have to get something that is nonallergenic and there are no rescue dogs here of that nature). For my Motherinlaw I am making a food gift and have ordered a photocalendar of pictures from the last 3 years - she is getting dementia and can't remember anyones name so that should help.
ReplyDeleteAw, those are all wonderful gifts. Are you getting a poodle mix? My guy and I would love a dog but we're going to wait, I'd love a greyhound rescue. My neices and nephews are easy, they want all of my pokemon toys and goodies :) I was gonna sell them on eBay but they're only this age and desiring of the Pokemon toys -now-, good to give it before they outgrow it.
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