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

bev777

:T :T name of present.7 pairs of pants 3 pairs of socks 1 book 1 tube of smarties.did you make or buy it.bought it.the full cost.£4.details.pants and socks £1 primark book £1 woolworths smarties £1 asda.:T :T such a great present for a child of any age.

sarahemma

:j There are quite a few create your own CD discs that you can buy all from £2.99-£4.99, I've brought my daughter the Calendar one from Staples. She is arranging pictures of all her and her cousins and will make a Calendar for Great Nan, Grandad, Mum and her 2 aunties. So we'll all have an all year round present. With a bit of ink and paper added for the amount of calendars she intends on making it's definately a bargain. I paid about £15 last year for one personalised one just for Grandad. So we'll be saving money. If you dig out old photos and scan them into to your pc and use them you can make a very special memories calendar for just about anyone you know.

sgoard

Name of present: Rosehip and Apple Jam (or any other jam if you have a supply of free leftover fruit!)

Make it or buy it: Make it

Total Cost: Apprx 97p for a bag of perserving sugar

Details: We are lucky to live opposite a small wood which has lots of briar roses, so this year when some friends came to stay with us we took the children over to the woods and went rosehip picking - we managed to get 8lb in about 30 minutes all for free! We happen to have a large bramley tree in our garden too so I actually used some windfalls from that for this recipe but you'd be surprised how many people have fruit trees in their gardens and need to get rid of the glut in the autumn so ask around you should be able to get loads for free. For this recipe you have to strain the mixture but you don't need an expensive jelly bag or rack and old clean teatowel or pillowcase fixed to un upturned stool is fine and as long as you have saved all your old jam etc jars you shouldn;t need to buy any of those either. I decorate them with old scraps of wrapping paper and ribbon to cover the lids and make labels and they are always really appreciated.

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer: I used this recipe - very simple: http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=60 but there are loads of other jam recipes onthe internet and it is such a simple process I can't believe I haven't tried it before!:D

Name of present: Green Tomato Chutney (or any other type if you have left over veggies!)

Do you make it or buy it: Make it

Total Cost: Not much for Malt vinegar, dried fruit and salt - maybe a couple of quid but usually it's stuff you already have in the larder!

Details: I learned about making chutney from my Nan who was always very good at using up leftovers. As a family we have always been keen vegetable gardeners and I am also lucky enough to have an apple tree in the garden so at the end of the season we tend to have stuff left over - Apples, onions, plums, tomatoes, aubergines, chillis etc - all can be made into chutney so as not to waste it. As before for the jam save your jars throughout he year and scraps of wrapping paper and ribbon for the packaging and that won't cost anything either. There are loads of recipes on the internet I usually make my chutney by using a variety of recipes ncluding some of my Nan's old ones and making them into one depending on what I've got but Delia Smith's green tomato chutney always works well as does her Old Dower House one. The chutney is always well received by family and friends and I have had special requests for larger jars this year! -am about to try out a new recipe for cheese biscuits to go with it this year too!

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer: It's not delias but they're all more or less the same and can be adjusted depending onthe ingredients you have to hand - very cheap and simple! http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/greentomatochutney_8201.shtml

joanna_foy

name of present: Memories box

make it or buy it: make it

total cost: Less than £3.00 or cheaper depending on how much paint etc you have already in the drawer!

details: Use an old shoe box or get one from a shoe shop or friend paint it and stick on some stickers etc or whatever you want you can specifically make it look christmassy ie: add some christmas paper or ribbons or just decorate it nicely. Next make a label from some card or stick label saying memory box and stick on top. Give the box to nana or grandad etc as place to keep all those things kids paint, make etc or just photos of the family etc and tickets from trips out.

joanna_foy

name of present: carol concert or play

buy or make it: make it

total cost:£1.00 for the paper and pencil

Details: Find a christmas carol on line and copy down the words teach them to the kids and then invite the family round. Grandparents like nothing better than watching the little darlings perform and everyone loves a sing song. As an alternative you can get the kids to make up a play or do a christmas one ie:the nativity and show that to the familyalso good when everyone is bored after eating christmas dinner. You could tape it aswell for the cost of CD/videotape and give that to a grandparent as a lasting memory

joanna_foy

name of present:craft kit/modelling box

buy it or make it: make it

cost: only what you've already spent and £1.99 for some paint and £1.00 for some glue.

Details: Go to your local supermarket and ask for a big cardboard box. Don't throw away or recycle and old plastic bottles, paper bags or boxes, toilet roll insides, bottle tops etc put them all in the box along with the glue and paints. You now have a ready made craft kit for the little ones to make whatever they like from it. Junk model away!

sweetnskint

name of gift: freshly caught fairy
make it:easy for all.
need:one ornament fairy,nice jar,glue,twigs/pebbles or similar,small piece material for cover,string and tag!
for: people needing luck/people who love fairies.
cost:one fairy £1
all about presentation.you glue the fairy to the bottom of the jar.add few twigs or light stones glue all to the base neatly.cover the jar with fabric and tie with string.add a tag saying please take care of this fairy,she will bring good luck.lovely unique present for someone who could do with a bit of luck or just someone who loves fairys.(can adapt contents to please).

Juliav_2

Fab pressie for parents, grandparents, auntys and uncles and children!

• Name of present- HOME MADE WHEAT BAG
• Do you make it or buy it? MAKE IT
  
• Total Cost? UNDER £5
  

Homemade wheat bags. Great for all those struggling to heat their homes and who love to get into a warm bed. Is great for use throughout the year to ease period pains, aches, pains and sprains!

INGREDIENTS
Scrap of strong thick material - it cannot stretch (needs to be 18" wide min)
you can buy this anywhere, or cut up old duvet covers, jumpers or go out to charity shops. There are some beautiful materials out there and if you want to make a few you can buy one metre of it and it would make a couple.

Sewing machine or good ole needle and thread

Flax seed or wheat (cheap and available in supermarkets)

Essential oil (optional) do you have a pot of lavender oil laying around?

DIRECTIONS

Cut a square about 18" each side and fold it in half so it's inside out. It will be oblong shape. Stitch down one short side and the long side. Make sure your stitches are close together and strong if you are doing it by hand so the wheat doesn't fall out.

Next, turn it the right way in so the seam is on the inside. You will need to buy some Flax seed or Wheat. They need to be the whole kernel. Fill the bag about 1/2 way, then stitch the one side that is left, sealing it tight.
At this point, if you desire, you can use essential oils to sprinkle on the material for aromatherapy.
You will need to microwave it for about 2 minutes.
* Please note all microwaves are different, so please "test" it a few times for more or less time to see what works for you. Please use caution when first using it - as it might come out of the microwave very hot. It stays warm for a couple of hours. You can also put these in the fridge/freezer if the cold is better for you.
If you want, you can make these any shape you like. For example, a horseshoe for your neck or a heart for a child to hold when going to sleep etc. You can make these as big or as small as you desire. Just remember that you are going to need as many seeds as it takes to fill 1/2 the bag. Usually about 1lb is enough for the 18" bags.
These heating pads make great gifts for yourself or for others. They can be reused time and time again.

Juliav_2

• Name of present? PERSONALISED PLACEMATS
  
• Do you make it or buy it? MAKE IT
  
• Total Cost? £2
  
• Details
  

All you need is:-

A child that loves to draw or a bundle of great photos showing great memories, a selection of your childs favourite characters

A piece of A4 paper

and finally a little bit of time.....

Directions

Using your A4 piece of paper either get the kids to draw a picture or a picture of the receipient, or stick down photos from the year, or character cut outs.

Go to your local staples branch (or your best alternative) and get it laminated.

Very cheap, well under a fiver and a fantastic personalised gift that will be regularly used throughout the year.

Juliav_2

• Name of present? HERB KITCHEN GARDEN
  
• Do you make it or buy it? BUY IT/MAKE IT
  
• Total Cost? £5
  
• Details
  

You need to buy

A cheap colander (poundshop, charity shop, your supermarket value colander)
Few packets of herbs (they are cheap at the moment)
A few lollipops/straws for the signs

Take your colander and line the inside with a black bag (cut to shape) or a normal carrier bag to make a water/soil tight lining.

Fill with a little mud from the garden/compost. Plant the seeds.

Keep each herb seperate in a different place within the colander (for example coriander in one area and basil in the other).

Get your lollipop/straw or suitable alternative and make a sign stating the herb that is planted in each area.

The end result is a great feature for a kitchen, full of herbs useful for day to day cooking. It is moneysaving for the recipient, encourages fresh ingredients for cooking and is just a fab feature in a kitchen.!!