Win £200. Festive Fivers Competition 2008: The best Xmas pressies for under £5

jemal

Buy as many packets of vegetable / flower seeds as you can for £5 - try the cheap shops as they sell them less than rrp - put them in a brightly painted plant pot and wrap them up - -the results can last all year if you look at the planting guide and save the recipient money. You might even get some given to you if theres a glut !!!

:T :T :T :T :T

spikeysoul

• Name of present? PersonalisedKids baking set
  
• Do you make it or buy it? Both!
  
• Total Cost? £1 (+ items from store cupboard about 50-70p extra max)
  
• Details (the more the better) Home Bargains is doing a kids sized wooden baking set of a wooden spoon. spatula and rolling pin for £1. We have used a soldering iron to write the names of the children on the handles of the baking implements. I have included a written recipie and a bag of dry ingredients (from my cupboard) that need an egg, some milk and some marg added. (Cheating a little as their parents have to provide this and help with the baking but already oked)
• I obviously havn't made up the ingredients bags yet, but I always have the ingredients in so this will not be difficult. It also takes a little skill with the soldering iron but hubby had been practicing on scrap wood, and you end up with both a quick and gone present (the baking) and one to keep (the equiptment).
  

lauraexplorer

• Name of present: Personalised Waterproof Songbook for Singing in the Bath
• Do you make it or buy it: make it
• Total Cost: paper + printer ink £1-ish, laminating pouches £1.99 for 25 from Wilkos (http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/0240627), Binding Rings £1.19 for 4 (http://www.ryman.co.uk/Essentials-Binding-Rings-Pack-of-4-25mm-25mm-0743015060.asp) so £4.18 if you make just one songbook or £2 if you use your supplies to make 4
• Details: Use the web or your local library to research the lyrics to your loved one's favourite bathtime tunes. Type up, prettify/personalise with clip art, fonts etc. (don't forget to design a stylish front cover). Print off, laminate (double-sided lets you get even more for your money), hole punch in one corner, bind together. Et voila! They can belt out those show tunes/ power ballads/ opera classics to their hearts' content without having to hum the verses when they've forgotten the words, making the most of those fabulous bathroom acoustics. Hours of good clean fun guaranteed!
• PS If you don't have a laminator most employers are happy for you to borrow the office machine on your lunch break if you ask nicely and bring your own pouches.

Sharon87

Name of present: Personalised CD

Make or buy it? Both

Total cost - Less than £5 (depeding on what materials you already have/how many you make)

Details - Make a compilation CD of songs you know you're friend/family member loves, then pop it into a cd case, with a personalised cover. This could be a picture, or a montage of pictures, or a design or just writing. Just don't forget to add a song list! Also if possible, on some printers you can print a design onto disc so it looks professional! You can also add a track you know they love, but find embarassing, and leave it out the song listing, or put something like 'mystery song'.

I'm doing this for my parents this year, as I'm skint and have lots of time and spare CD-Rs that I never use anymore!

Lady_Mac

Name of present: Recycled xmas present
Make or buy it: Neither
Total cost: FREE
Details: Every time you get given a present you know you'll never use or dont even like, just keep it and save it for somebody else. This could be a present from last month or even last year. Keep the present in it's original packaging and re-wrap and give it to somebody else. BEWARE not to return it to the original sender:beer:

charmion32

NAME OF PRESENT - Squash Book

MAKE IT OR BUY IT? - Make It

TOTAL COST? - £5.00 or less

DETAILS - You will need;

Two pieces of 4" x 4" square card/chipboard
Four 4" x 4" pieces of patterned paper (cheap xmas wrapping paper)
Three 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" pieces of cardstock
Embellishments
Scissors
Glue
Photographs of the family

There are online tutorials on how to do this and is very easy to do. Once you have made your squash book you can decorate it as much or as little as you want (or can afford).
I did one for my fathers birthday of photos of me from being a little girl til present (not so little girl he he :rotfl: ) he called me up in tears he loved it so much and it has it's pride of place on his sideboard. Friends and family alike are always amazed how beautiful and unique these squash books are for presents. Also if you just want something personal for yourself...babies first year or wedding etc. they are ideal.

Goodluck and I hope you get as much enjoyment not only making but the giving of these very special squash books!

Mudshake25

Name: National Lottery 'Lucky dip' ticket or scratch card presented in a money wallet.
Buy it
Total cost: Under £2
Details: A lucky dip for Saturday 27th December, sealed in a fancy money wallet. Or a Christmas themed scratchcard sealed in a money wallet.

Lesley_G

Name of present.....diamond earrings/austin reed cufflinks/stud earrings/miss behaviour fragrance/shoe box/cabouchon gifts plus other gifts
Do you buy: Buy
Total cost: 50p per day, overall outlay approx £20 for the newspaper, plus p&p.
Details: I am collecting tokens from Daily Mail every day, some gifts you need to collect 40 tokens and others as little as 10 token, all you have to do is send in stamped addressed envelope, this ranges from98p to £2.50 depending on gift.
I dare say there will be some more items coming up over the next couple of weeks.
So I get to read a paper, do the codeword and get some freebies for 50p a day!

Lesley

french_lou

I did this one year as I was a poor student and still wanted to show my mum I appreciate her.

Name of gift- slave tokens-

Make it or buy it: Make it

Total cost: Free (use spare crafts bits like card or print them out) or if you want to make it personal buy some nice card etc so £2 at most

Details: Make a book of tokens split into time slots (however much time you like) which the person can redeem by you helping them out doing something for the set amount of time. You can use a pin to make it a tear out book and personalise it for each person. Mine was all to do with the fact I hate housework and it was nice for my mum to know I would help her with no complaining for the 10 hours I gave.

miaoww

Name - ironing voucher
make / buy - diy
cost - time
details- print off a voucher / cheque offering to do a bag of ironing (may be worth stating size of bag if you dont like ironing)
(I hated ironing til I trailed the pressure iron on buzz - so may do this for my friend this year