Inexpensive (but great) Christmas gift ideas

Shopping malls have started overflowing with hordes of eager shoppers willing to buy everything and anything that catches their eye. This can only mean one thing: Christmas is almost upon us, which means it’s time to spend a lot of money on shopping – only to feel the pinch in January. It also means it’s time to start buying gifts for loved ones.

While it’s okay to splurge on a present for someone you love, it’s important to realise that sometimes you can whip up something just as great without digging too deep into your pockets. Check out some of these inexpensive gift ideas to help you come up with a meaningful gift that will save you some money – and put a smile on the receiver’s face.

Gift Box

If you can’t decide on a single thing to buy for someone, a gift box might just do the trick. After all, who doesn’t like to be gifted with a bit of everything they are fond of? Get a box and pack it full of inexpensive things that you know the recipient loves. These can be anything from bath products to sweets, books, and and even aftershave. With this kind of gifting, it’s important to keep in mind the size of the box. The bigger the box, the more you’ll have to spend trying to fill it up with different items. To save yourself from the embarrassment of giving someone a big box that’s almost empty, rather get a smaller box that you can easily fill up. Similarly, don’t forget to wrap up the box – preferably with your recipient’s favourite colour.

Special Dinner

Sometimes the best Christmas gift can be something as simple as a special dinner. Sure, you can’t put dinner in a box and wrap it, but you can always make it an extra special and memorable experience. The most important thing is to prepare your guest’s favourite foods or dishes that have some significance in their life, or your relationship with them. There’s nothing like a deliciously sentimental meal to create a lasting impression.

Personalised Gifts

A present must be as unique as its recipient, and nothing makes this more possible than a personalised gift. Personalisation seems to be in vogue, with more and more people enjoying the thrill of owning something with their name on it. So whether you’re looking for an elegantly engraved bottle of wine, a personalised mug, or even a T-shirt with that special person’s name on it, there are many different ways to put a smile on your loved one’s face. Headphones, pens and lighters are some of the many items you can etch the recipient’s name on.

Personal Favour Voucher

Have you ever thought of creating personalised vouchers as a gift to a loved one? The great thing about this is that it’s easy and cheap to create. All you need is some paper, scissors, pens or a printer, and a stapler or a piece of ribbon. To get started, make a list of specific favours that you can offer to a friend, colleague, parent, or even your better half. As soon as you have decided on, say, ten to twenty favours, you can start creating the vouchers by either printing them out or writing them by hand. These favours can include things like completing daily household tasks (making dinner or washing dishes) on behalf of the gift receiver, or even personal favours like massages, and coffee or breakfast in bed. After each voucher has been created, bind all of them together in book-form with a stapler, piece of ribbon or even glue. The gift receiver can then trade these vouchers at any time and you will have to perform the specific task.

Experiences

There’s a slew of studies out there that suggest that experiences can make one feel happier and more content than material gifts. So, go ahead and treat your loved one to an experience they’ll remember forever. Sure, there’s a certain joy that comes with owning a new pair of sneakers, but it will wane over time. On the other hand, tickets to a sporting event, your favourite musician’s concert, or even an outdoor hike or picnic will create memories that your loved one will never forget.