The Festive Fivers competition is back!

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  • Name of present: Gardeners' Plant Marker Stones
    Whether it's bought or homemade: Combination of both
    Total cost: Approx £1 for a few stones
    Details (where it's from, how to make it etc):
    • Collect some flat stones from the beach
    • Paint pictures of or the words of the fruits and vegetables your gardener friend often grows on the stones
    • Leave to dry
    • Varnish if necessary
    • Tell the recipient to place these in the soil next to the relevant plant to show what is what and for a better looking and personalised alternative to standard labels

    I'm going to do this for my Dad this year.
  • meanmum
    meanmum Posts: 610
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Name of present: Personalised collage
    Whether it's bought or homemade: Bit of both
    Total cost: around £5 for a professional print (see MSE photo offers for deals)
    Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): you need plenty of photos relevant to someone (of special people or places), or can go & take some, then make up a collage print using one of the photo printing sites. It takes a bit of work choosing the right photos, but that's what makes it special. You could do just photos of the last year (I did one for my parents rather than a photo calendar, as they liked to see all the photos all year!), a memory of a special holiday, or even throughout someone's life for a special birthday (sorry, off topic).
    Using black & white photos can work well, as can some of the special effect photo apps. You could frame it if you can spend a bit more (or can find some cheap offers on prints & frames, or have a suitable frame already)
  • A thoughtful christmas present is to make up and label presents with the letter on each package...causes lots of guessing and can last all christmas day. The gifts can be a mixture of homemade and everyday useful..... e.g. biscuits for "b", xmas bauble for "X", photo for "p".... needs a lot of thought but is really well received and children can contribute.... even "zest" of lemon can go in a cake...so you see its easy when you get going!
  • Name of present: Personalised e-reader case
    Whether it's bought or homemade: Homemade
    Total cost: Around £5
    Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): Sew a case for someone who loves their e-reader! I made one for my husband, and my sewing skills are limited. You need small pieces of cotton quilt batting for the padding and an elastic band (buy), some nice main fabric for the case and simple fabric for the lining (fabric scraps, old pillow cases/curtains, shop samples...), and a sewing machine with some thread to use. I "embroidered" my husband's first name on the front. Making this case was a bit fiddly, but he loves it and takes it everywhere (since last Christmas!)
    A link to the offer if it's online (where possible): I used this tutorial as guidance - change the dimensions to fit your e-reader: thimble.ca/?p=3204 (put www. in front, forum won't let me post a link)
  • Make a 2013 calendar with your own photographs for each month of the year. This is a great present for anyone, particularly grandparents.
    Just upload your photos and add any personal special dates. Cost is 99p but, with postage and packing it's just £4.85. It looks great and so much more expensive than it actually is.
    I uploaded a special photograph for each month of the year, added a caption and also added some comments and icons on special dates of the year (birthdays etc.) all included in the price. My comments and icons were in black and white. You can add them in colour but this will add to the cost (40p per icon, I think). The photographs are in colour.
    they have up to 28 days to deliver but mine has been dispatched after only a week.
    Go to vistaprint.co.uk/offer826
  • Name of present: Tressure Hunt
    Whether it's bought or homemade: Combination of both
    Total cost: Approx £5 give or take.
    Details (where it's from, how to make it etc):

    My ex boyfriend had an inner child that came out, especially at Xmas. So one morning I got up very early and hid little funsize chocolate bars round the house, with notes/clues attached to them with an elastic band :mad: which he had to guess where the next pressie was hidden to get to his big present.

    When he got up out of bed I gave him a envelope which explained everything. Lets say it kept him busy for a looong time whilst I made the chrimas lunch. I remember one clue because it took him 'forever' to work out said 'its big, blue and we'd be lost on a sunday without it'? It was the JML dry buddy, our central heating wasnt working so on a sunday when he washed his clothes for work the buddy was a life saver. So after he did all his clues and got to the main pressie it was in a 'huge' box. But the present inside which tacky, it was a blow up doll (unused) which I won by auction off ebay.

    Lets say it didnt go down well because he was expecting something expensive. Which I did have for after lunch BUT thought that would be fun and was. :T
    • Name of present: Piccie Prezzie
    • Whether it's bought or homemade: Bought
    • Total cost: £4.74
    • Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): Buy a funky photo album from Wilkinsons or similar (£1.75) and pair it with a disposable camera ~ eBay have super-cheap ones for approx. £2.99 (could even buy a joblot and give this fab prezzie to all the creative, small people in your life, for an even bigger saving!) Children will have great fun getting creative and taking their own pictures to fill their album. I've even given this present to a 3-year old, who LOVED it!!
    • A link to the offer if it's online (where possible):
  • Glpark01
    Glpark01 Posts: 202 Forumite
    Name of present: Personal photo calendar (im doing this for my secret santa with photos of her son that i've borrowed from her facebook)
    Whether it's bought or homemade: both
    Total cost: £2.25
    Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): one of these from ebay and order the prints from jessops as part of their 40 free prints when you sign up and collect in store so no delivery charge.
    A link to the offer if it's online (where possible): calendar and photo offer
  • Tinks32
    Tinks32 Posts: 286 Forumite
    edited 31 October 2012 at 9:50AM
    Fir Cone Bird seed Feeder
    Homemade
    Total cost £00.50
    Collect some fir cones, (the bigger the better) the best time to do this after strong winds, before the squirrel's get there before you!
    Twist some wire around the fat base of the fir cone.
    Dip in some melted lard
    Roll the cone in mixed bird seed, for extra special treat poke some raisins in some gaps.
    Leave in a cool place to set.
    When you give the bird cone feeder advise the recipient to hang in a shady place for the birds to enjoy!
    I normally make a huge batch to keep me and my loved ones going all through the winter.
    If you don't ask, you don't get! ;)
    • Name of present: Sock Monkey's!
    • Whether it's bought or homemade: Homemade
    • Total cost: £0
    • Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): Use an old pair of socks, cotton and a needle and follow the online pattern to sew your sock monkey's! They make great homemade presents for people of all ages! - Why not expand and make a pig or elephant? :j
    • A link to the offer if it's online (where possible): makeasockmonkey.co.uk
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