With the holiday season just around the corner, most of us are probably making our Christmas gift list. Gifts, however, can be fantastic without the extra cost. The secret is to match them with your lucky gift recipients. To help you out, here are some Christmas gift ideas that won’t break the bank but will make anyone break into a smile!
Homemade Goodies
Affordable Christmas gifts for the tummy always make us happy. And if you are a fabulous home chef, then you can whip up delicious holiday gifts from your kitchen. All you need is to find an easy recipe (so it’s easier to make in several batches) and inexpensive ingredients. You can even combine it with complementary items for an extra thoughtful gift. These Christmas gift ideas should get you started:
- For the entertaining enthusiast. Cook homemade jams, marmalades or preserves, then wrap them up with store-bought cheese, nuts, crackers or dried fruit. These will make a great-looking cheese board or grazing platter. Your friend will only need to find perfect wine!
- For people on-the-go. If you know someone who needs to beat the morning rush, a pack of homemade granola is the perfect gift. Bag it with some fresh milk so he or she won’t have to skip breakfast.
- For bread lovers. No one would say no to home-baked bread, especially if you’re giving them as a gift with homemade herbed or sweet butter!
Recipe Kits
Now, if you are not exactly a good cook or short on time, you can always let your gift recipients do the cooking! All you need is to pack your secret ingredients with some recipe cards. Here’s a fun selection of kits you can do:
- For the licensed to grill. Homemade dry rubs, marinades or condiments mostly require mixing skills. Plus, as we Aussies love our barbecues, anyone will appreciate meat seasonings as gifts.
- For movie fanatics. If your friends love having a weekly movie night, you can take care of the snack department for them. Send them packs of popcorn kernels and some popcorn flavourings, so they have something to munch on while binge-watching.
- For busy mums. Help mums save trips to the grocery store by sending a pasta night kit. Cookie or soup mixes in glass jars are also excellent Christmas gift ideas. Just measure and layer your dry ingredients, seal, tie your recipe tag then send!
- For the home brewer. Shop for vintage spoons at garage sales. Then fill each with instant coffee, melted chocolate and garnishes of your choice. Let it set and voila! You’ve just made some instant coffee mixers. Hot chocolate mixers are ideal gifts for kids, too. Alternatively, you can also give mulling spices packed with a bottle of inexpensive red wine.
Handmade Crafts
DIY Christmas gifts may not cost a lot, but they bring out our creativity. And if you have craft supplies at home, don’t let them go to waste. Turn them into unique and exciting gifts instead. Here are some ways how:
- For the cold intolerant. Hand-knitted soft blankets or scarves are just as warm as expensive ones. You can make them chunky and extra snuggly, too.
- For kitchen beginners. We all know someone who struggles with cooking. If you know his or her favourite food or dish, find their recipes online – the simpler, the better. Then compile them in a personalised recipe box. They’ll be keen to attempt cooking what they love to eat!
- For happy hour peeps. Turn ordinary beer mugs or wine tumblers into something special by glass etching. You can also do this for baking dishes to impress the home bakers in your life.
- For that organised friend. Hand-sewn pouches or toiletry bags are great gifts for people who want a place for everything. Make them in their favourite colours, then fill each with supplies like hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes.
- For the kids (and kids at heart). Find the ingredients to make homemade clay or slime then pack them in a gift box. Putting these all together on Christmas morning will be a fun activity for your little gift recipients.
Personalised Hampers
Ready-made Christmas baskets or hampers are super convenient but can be costly. Holiday shopping at the department or grocery store will give you lots of more affordable Christmas gift ideas to put together. You can even wrap or pack them in reusable gift containers. These inspirations should make your gift hunting easier:
- For the super hard-working. During this trying time, everyone deserves some pampering. So, find a wire basket and fill it with essentials for a relaxing bath. You can make pedicure or grooming kits in glass jars or afternoon-tea baskets, too. The best part is, prepping any of these is stress-free!
- For your best friends. Make a themed hamper for people you know very well. For example, pick out yellow food and accessories for a friend who loves all things bright and sunny. A friend who loves the sea will surely appreciate a pair of flip-flops and travel-sized items in a beach tote.
- For the gourmands. Anyone will love to get a basket full of his or her favourite food item for Christmas, be it chocolate, coffee or fruit. For the kids, how about an ice cream gift box filled with waffle cones, caramel sauce, marshmallow and sprinkles?
