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

AdrianR_2

• Name of present? A 'Free Software' Computer disc
  
• Do you make it or buy it? Make it
  
• Total Cost? Less than a £1

There is so much good quality software out there that this present will keep the recipient enthused for a very long time.

Simply, it is burning a CD/DVD with legally free software. It looks nicer if in a jewelled CD case and a printed CD cover, cost for that is minimal.

For Windows users, one of the best is the OpenDisc project. There are a couple of variations to suit different needs. This is a list of software on one disc, in the education section.
Office and Design

OpenOffice.org - Fully compatible office software for your school work
Dia - Make technical diagrams and flowcharts
Scribus - Create professional looking posters and magazines
GanttProject - Plan your school projects with this project management software
FreeMind - Collect your ideas with this mind mapping Software
PDF Creator - Make PDF documents from any program
Sumatra PDF - Read PDF files quickly and easily

Internet

Firefox - A safe, secure and fast web browser
Thunderbird - Manage your emails better than ever - Reclaim your inbox!
Pidgin - Talk to your friends whatever instant message client they use
Kompozer - Create web pages easily, without having to code
RSSOwl - Keep up with your favourite internet news feeds on your desktop

Art and Graphics

GIMP - Edit digital photos and create graphics
GIMP animation - Create animations
Inkscape - Make professional looking vector graphics
Blender - 3D graphic modeling, animation, rendering and playback
Tuxpaint - Drawing program for children ages 3 to 12

Mulitmedia

VLC - Play music, videos and DVDs
Audacity - Record, edit and mix music
TuxGuitar - Compose your own music
Avidemux - Edit movies and add special effects
Infra Recorder - Burn your own CDs and DVDs
CamStudio - Record your actions on a computer
Really Slick Screensavers - Great looking screensavers

Science and Mathematics

Nasa Worldwind - Discover the earth and other planets
GraphCalc - A graphical calculator
Guido Van Robot - Learn how computer programs work
CarMetal - Cool mathematical modelling tool
Maxima - University standard computer algebra system
Celestia - Explore the universe in three dimensions
Stellarium - A planetarium on your PC

Games

FreeCiv - Control the world through diplomacy and conquest
FreeCol - Discover the ‘New World’ and build an empire
TuxTyping 2 - Learn to type like a pro
Tux of Math Command - Test your mathematical skills
Winboard Chess - The classic game of chess

Utilities

GTK+
7zip
Abakt
Clamwin
HealthMonitor
Workrave

Advanced Internet

Httrack
Tight VNC
Filezilla
Azureus
WinSCP

This software is legally free to copy and distribute, so you can make as many presents as you like, and so can the persons you give it to.

But this is just the potential start. Open Source software can offer a complete Operating system too. If your PC runs anything before Windows XP it is at significant risk of viruses, external attack and out dated software. Those who could not upgrade to Windows Vista, could upgrade from XP to more cutting edge Operating System. Linux
comes in many forms, and is available for diferent spec machines.

Some distributions can run without even installing them. This means that if a Windows PC has suddenly stopped booting, you could stil uso the computer and get off your vital data.

This is a big present! In fact you could give many of these discs and still be under the fiver.

Here are some links
http://www.theopendisc.com/ for Windows users
http://linuxmint.com/ Linux OS
http://www.ubuntu.com/ Linux OS

~*Plushroom*~

Name of present: Autographs
Do you make it or buy it: Neither – you send off for it.
Total cost: Cost is dependant on where the celebrity’s address is and if you want to add a frame.
Details: Write to your loved ones favourite actor/musician/sportsperson/etc and ask for an autograph for them because they are such a big fan. You can find an address for almost anyone famous online so it’s really a matter of picking who they would really love an autograph from.
Remember when writing to the person to be polite and ask nicely, and always include a stamped addressed envelope (Or an envelope with international reply coupons for those overseas) for them to send you an autograph back. Obviously you can’t guarantee when/if you will get it, but many autograph sites will tell you if over people have received one and roughly how long it took.
Once you have it you can either give it as is or buy a frame (You can usually get those plain clip frames in Poundland which look great for autographed pictures).
Cheap, thoughtful and certainly a unique gift.

Name of present: Retro sweetie stocking
Do you make it or buy it: Make and buy
Total Cost: £3-4
Details: Firstly either buy a stocking (Again, Poundland are good for these) or make one. If you want to cut costs look online for free fabric samples – not only will you save on fabric, but you can make a patchwork stocking that looks rather old style. Once you’ve got your stocking pop to the supermarkets – Asda and Tesco are particularly good for this, buy their value old-style sweets – like mint imperials and dolly mixtures which are around 30-40p a bag and place into little paper bags (Which you can make yourself from online patterns. Go for striped ones to get that old style sweet shop look. Place as many different varieties into the stocking, including value toffees, liquorice, lollipops, as your budget allows into the stocking and then give as a gift. Chances are you’ll have enough to make at least two stockings if you use many different bags of the value sweets and no-one will know that your retro gift cost very little. Always good for those who get nostalgic about their childhood or to show your kids what you used to have – who knows, you may even convert them to old style sweets.

Name of present: Family album
Do you make it or buy it: Both
Total Cost: around £1
Details: Buy a photo album; you can pick these up cheaply at Poundland, charity shops and pharmacies. Next pick out all the photo’s that mean something to the person you are making the album for – so if it’s for your parents choose photo’s of you and them, them and your kids, etc. If you have old photo’s that aren’t in digital form simply scan them in so that you can get them reprinted. Next use snapfish.co.uk to print out the photos, if you are a new account customer you will get free prints and if you recommend others you will get more photo’s for free. You won’t even need to pay postage if you can go pick them up from a Jessop’s store so this could end up being a pound or les if done right. This is very good for grandparents or family overseas as it gives them something that makes them feel closer.
Link if online offer: www.snapfish.co.uk but look on the freebies board for extra print offers first.

Name of present: Hand print paper
Do you make it or buy it: Make it
Total Cost: £2 for paper and paints.
Details: If you have small children and you have a family member who likes to craft this could be a lovely stocking filler. Take a day with your children to print handprints onto plain/coloured/patterned paper. Encourage them to try different patterns and designs with their handprints. Then let these dry or perhaps sprinkle glitter on before drying. Place in a folder/box labelled family craft paper/special craft paper. Now they have some very unique papers to use for wrapping, tags or cardmaking/scrapbooking.

Name of present: Christmas candles
Do you make it or buy it: Buy and make
Total Cost: £3
Details: Buy some plain candles and some Christmas ribbon (You may even have some of this left over from present wrapping. Small stumpy candles work very well with this make as you can use a wide piece of ribbon to almost cover the whole candle. Measure how much ribbon it takes to go all the way around (Including a little extra for gluing), and then wrap around the candle, gluing the two ends together as neatly as possible. If you find it hard to make it neat take a few small but pretty twigs from the garden, dry them out and attach with a little string to the end where it was glued. You could also add dried leaves if you have some that are robust enough to withstand it, holly would look fantastically Christmassy.

Name of present: Christmas star
Do you buy it or make it: Make it
Total cost: £1
Details: Make a largish Christmas star from wired, wrapping it around itself into a 3d star shape – like the Christmas tree stars you buy in stores. Then name a star in someone’s name at freename-a-star.com (I think that was the name of it, I can’t remember as its weeks since I posted that site in the freebies board) and print off a certificate to go with it. You can edit the certificate on your computer to get rid of the free title part and then wrap with the star itself. Add a tag explaining that as their gift was so far away you wanted to give them something to remind them of it.

ALKEYB

My Neighbours Daughter Walks My Dog When I Cant Do It So I Thought I'd Be Nice And Get Her Something Small For Xmas - As A Thankyou.
I Searched On Ebay - Got A Jewellery Box (£1.65);anklet (£0.99) And A Batch Of Necklaces - About 8/10 Of Them (£0.99) -obviously Postage On Top - But Not Bad!!

ailsamf

• Name of present? Birdhouse
  
• Do you make it or buy it? Both
  
• Total Cost?£3.98
• Details (the more the better) £1 Wooden birdhouse bought from Poundland, Plasti-Kote spray paint from B&Q £2.98. Great selection of colours available to suit anyones personal taste . Evenly spray the birdhouse in a well ventilated area , leave to dry . Wrap the birdhouse with Wallpaper - this is a great way of cutting down costs of wrapping paper. You can buy cheap end of stock rolls of really nice wallpaper in B&Q. It's thicker than wrapping paper and great quality that looks very expensive.
  
• Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

Triggles

Name of present: Remembrance letter
Make it or buy it: Make it
Cost: Less than £1. Paper (special decorative paper if you want) and envelope

This is something I plan on starting this year to give to my son. He's 2 right now, and won't appreciate it at present, obviously, but as he gets older he will be able to look back and enjoy them, especially years from now when he's an older adult and we have possibly passed on.

I'm writing a letter to my son - it will have references to highlights of his year - teething, walking, special toys, words and phrases that are his favourites, holidays and birthdays, family happenings.

What started me thinking about this was that my parents gave me a letter I'd written to them about my daughter when she was very young (22 years ago), and it was full of references about things she was doing and milestones she'd reached. My daughter absolutely loved this letter and keeps it now. I wish I had done this for her. Many years from now, when I'm gone, she'll have this connection and remembrance of her childhood and how much she was loved, in my own handwriting. She thinks it's very precious, so I'm hoping to create this for my son as well. I may even take an idea from the book "The Christmas Box" and put the letters in a small box for him. It's a bit of an ongoing Christmas present, really.

felicity546

Name of Present: Family Memory Box
Do you make it or buy it?: Make it
Total Cost: As much as you wish to spend but most things are pretty cheap (mines cost £3)
Details: I made this one year for my mum. Im 26 with a daughter of my own but my mum still insists I "make her something" for her Christmas and birthdays. I purchased a large wicker basket. These can be picked up in loads of stores really cheap. Au Naturelle is a good place. Failing that go to a pound shop, buy a toiletry set and just use the basket and keep the toiletries for yourself! I have a brother and sister, so I placed lots of little things that would remind her of us. We live in Scotland and my mum lives in Ireland so this is also a really good gift for family members that live far away. I made up a CD with all the songs that remind her of us. A blank cd is around 20p, maybe cheaper. I also put in the foods that she craved when she was pregnant with us. Luckily it was cheese spread, melon and mint aero so all that came to £1! I had some photos and other things that didnt cost anything that I added too but this is something that people could use their imagination and use all kinds of things. It could also be used for any friend or relative and the price you pay is completely up to you.
Merry Christmas! :j

red_hot_ginger

Name of Present: Personalised T-Shirt
Make/Buy: Buy bits and make
Total Cost: £3.69
Details:
We have 3 grown-up-and-married daughters and happily spend quite bit of time helping them out with DIY jobs, some large and some small.

Last year, for my wife's fun present, I bought a plain white cotton T-shirt from ASDA for £2.99.

I bought 10 A4-sized iron-on transfer sheets on eBay for £4.50 including postage, which works out at 35p each!

You may remember the A-Team on TV? Well, I used my computer to create an A4-sized "M-Team" logo (our surname begins with M) incorporating a head-and-shoulders photo of said wife under a banner which read "Call the M-Team" and transferred that to the front of the T-shirt.
On the back of the T-shirt I put another A4 transfer, listing all the things she's done to help the family, such as wallpapering, babysitting, gardening, demolition (yes, she's an enthusiast with a sledgehammer!), decorating, agony aunt etc.
Cost:
One T-Shirt £2.99
Two transfers £0.70
TOTAL £3.69 plus (nominal) ink for ink-jet printer

martin_eley

• Name of present? Brillo Pad Bike
  
• Do you make it or buy it? Buy It
  
• Total Cost? Pence
  
• Details (the more the better) Kids want a new bike to replace the one left outside in the rain. Buy them a Brillo pad for Xmas and get them to clean their old bike.
  

:rotfl:

nuttyrockeress

Name of present? Photo ornament
Do you make it or buy it? Buy it
Total Cost? £3.98
Details (the more the better)
This is a tree bauble/ornament which you personalise with a photograph. These are currently on 3 for 2 at Boots.com - so 3 different presents - possibly for 3 different people for under £5.
Use your favourite picture and give this as a gift - the recipient hangs it on their Christmas tree and it can be reused year after year or each year they can update the photographs - also brings back happy memories of the person/persons on the photo when they unpack their tree decorations!
Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer
This is from Boots - admitted if you buy on line you will need to pay postage but buy in store for free!http://www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10052&productId=50237&callingViewName=&langId=-1&catalogId=11051

tryingtoruletheworld

Name of present? Erm, not sure what to call it! A box of love?! :rotfl:
Do you make it or buy it? Both
Total Cost? About £3.00, depending on the materials you use
Details (the more the better) This is something my mum made for me when I was younger, not long after my Dad died, and I have kept it ever since! You need a really small gift box, about 2" square, or you could make one out of an old cereal box. You then wrap it up, really nicely with a bit of ribbon and any decorations you like. Then put a little gift card on the front with the following written inside:

(Name of Person),
This is a very special gift
that you can never see
The reason it's so special
it's just for you from me
Whenever you are lonely
or even feeling blue
You only have to hold this gift
and know I'll think of you
You can never unwrap it
please leave the ribbon tied
Just hold the box close to your heart
it's filled with love inside

We don't really tell each other how we are feeling and stuff in our family, we are quite an old fashioned lot! But this is one of the nicest gifts I have ever received, and definitely costs less than a fiver!