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

Brucie_Bonus_4

Name of present? A wooly hat :rolleyes:

Do you make it or buy it? Make it

Total Cost? FREE!!

Details (the more the better) last year i had spent my xmas pressie budget but still had to get presants for my friends. So, i remebered that my Mum had a huge box full of wool - leftovers from over the years - and i am quite good at knotting hats so i decided to use this wool and knit all of my firneds hats!

This was great as i could personalise each one to suit each person. To knit a hat you don't need much wool and i decided to knit beanie style hats as they are quick and easy.

I personalised them by using buttons, old flower hair clips, broches plus pom poms i made out of the wool! Basically anything i had around the house.

They turned out great and i even made one for myself! It really was a fab idea as they suit anyone of any age - everyone needs a hat in the winter!

robyd

Name of present: Gold nugget
Make it or buy it: a bit of both
Cost: under $5.00

Details:
This is one of the most romantic present ideas I think there is.
Buy a mask and snorkle from a pound shop and track down your local river, make sure you have warm clothes and a towel...you'll need them!
Take the plunge into the water and start scanning the river bottom for nuggets of gold, this may take a while but believe me when you see the look on your loved ones face it will warm you all over!
My idea was to thread a chain though a hole I made so that it could be worn as a necklace, a friend of mine collected enough to make a weding ring for his wife to be!!
Always go with one or more friends for safty and choose a section of river that is safe to swim.

Happy Christmas everyone!

lb364

Name of present?
Photo DVD
Do you make it or buy it?
Make it (but buy the DVD obviously, I have no idea how those are made!)
Total Cost?
From 12p! (According to Google shopping)
Details (the more the better)
Buy a writable DVD (DVD-R, DVD+R etc) then create a slideshow using old photos scanned in or photos taken in the last year depending on the theme. Add some of the receipients favourite music and some effects if you have the technical know-how, burn it onto the disk and write a personal message on the front with permanent marker.

I did this last week for OH's birthday and he loved it, my theme was photos of all the prizes (from MSE comps forum :money: ) we've enjoyed together (meeting Kylie photos while 'Wow' was playing; going to see the Feeling while 'i love it when you call' was playing etc.) So much fun to make as well

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer
http://www.iconuk.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=2488

http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/Tutorials/HowToVideoSlideShow.aspx

missworks2jobs

Name of present: Elf Stocking
Make it or buy it: mostly buy
Cost: under £5 - as cheap as you like

Details: Buy 2 squares of red felt from your local craft shop and one of white (about 25p each) Cut & sew into a small stocking shape and use the left over scraps to make letters to spell the persons name.
Fill with mix up sweets (usually sold at petrol stations or newspaper stands, supermarkets and corner shops) and other small goodies
things like drumstick lollies & chupa-chup lollies
10p bags of jelly sweets
pack of bubbles (£1 shop or supermarkets)
a lottery ticket or scratch card
market or bargain shop hairslides/bobbles
miniature bottle of bubble bath/moisturiser (free samples or trial/travel sizes bought from shops)

places like Home Bargains and the kids party section of the local supermarket often have party bag fillers near the birthday card section

Linnyg

• Name of present? Cross Stitch picture
  
• Do you make it or buy it? Bought then made
  
• Total Cost? £2.25 + approx £2 for frame
  
• Details (the more the better) I found a lovely Winnie the Pooh cross stitch kit in a charity shop for £2.25 which I am making for my baby nephew to have on his wall and hopefully appreciate over the years. Even if you can't find a cheap kit you can buy a load of aida cross stitch fabric and thread from a craft shop for a few pounds. Then get a book of cross stitch patterns from the library or make your own design on squared paper and then stitch it, in which case you could personalise it for whoever you are giving it to. It is quite time consuming but if you have some time on your hands and fancy a nice relaxing hobby then it is a good gift idea!
  

lb364

Name of present?
Lucky dip tin
Do you make it or buy it?
Buy it
Total Cost?
£2 pp (based on a gift for 5 people)
Details (the more the better)
This idea came from the usual office problem of whether to buy individual gifts or not but could also be a fun way to give gifts to yours or other families.
Buy a tin of sweets (Roses etc are about £5 now) and enough small gifts for each person for under £1 (a nail varnish, a pen or silly novelties from a pound shop) wrap them individually (use pink and blue paper or newspaper and magazine pages if they're male/female orientated gifts) and mix the gifts in with the sweets. Pop the lid back on, enclosing an explanatory note if required and you have an original (and fun) gift :beer:

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

lb364

Name of present?
Personal crackers
Do you make it or buy it?
Buy it
Total Cost?
58p per cracker (but could be bought cheaper from independant shops)
plus whatever price gift you want to put in
Details (the more the better)
Simply fill these crackers yourself with a gift personal to the reciepient, a fun way to give small, inexpensive (unless you're feeling generous!) gifts.
Examples of what I've put in them in the past & what I'm planning this year:

• Cheap skull keyrings (for my goth relations)
• Small purse/diary pens
• Inexpensive silver charm
• Cheap pair of earrings wrapped in tissue
• Photo keyring
• Personalised message of love or friendship
• Photo fridge magnet (made by sticking photo on card on cheap magnet from craft shop)
• Mini torch keyring (2 for £1, poundland)
• Glasses fixing kit (49p from supermarket, possibly morrisons)
• *cough* condoms *cough*

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer
http://www.moonstonecraftsupplies.co.uk/childrens-cracker-making-kit---makes-6-249-p.asp

http://www.tescophoto.com/wpp/tesco/buygifts_main.jsp?cat=topsellers&type=keyringheart

lb364

Name of present?
Keepsake card/s
Do you make it or buy it?
Make it
Total Cost?
Pennies upwards depending which materials you choose
Details (the more the better)
These can be made for the OH or anyone you want to inspire/cheer up.
Get some credit card sized pieces of paper or card (I cut those flashcard sized ones I had left-over from college in half) write on them something you love about the person, a poem or inspirational quote and decorate with coloured pens (e.g. draw a heart in the corner or put the person's name on the back) and laminate (sticky back plastic on both sides - Blue peter tip!) if time and costs allow.

I made 6 of these for OH last year and they're still in his wallet, he says they cheer him up when he's having a bad day at work

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

If you're not feeling very inspirational, try this site:

http://www.inspirational-quotes.info/dreams.html

Or romantic:

http://www.lovepoemsandquotes.com/LovePoem01.html

lb364

OK, I promise I'll leave this forum in a sec, but I'm fulll of ideas today

Name of present?
Big girls dress-up box
Do you make it or buy it?
Make it
Total Cost?
Free (unless you want to buy a nice gift box)
Details (the more the better)
Kids always love dressing up in mum's clothes/jewellery/make-up so instead of throwing out old clothes etc. put them all in a box (covered in some sparkly paper or a bit of glitter) and put the little girl's name on the top. If she's old enough you can even include some bits and pieces to customise the clothes with (cheap ribbons to tie round, fabric paint etc)

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

lb364

Last one, I promise!

Name of present?
Sock bouquet
Do you make it or buy it?
Both
Total Cost?
£2+
Details (the more the better)
I got one of these made by a local florist last year and then bought another with baby socks in for a christening, she said it was very easy to make. Get some cheap cotton socks (the thin ones in whatever colour you want) roll them up tight as you can and secure with tape add a green leaf made with paper and a stem made with rolled paper or a pipe cleaner. You can make one or a whole bunch and they can also be made with lacy knickers for a more delicate effect!

Where possible please add a link if it's an online offer

A better idea of how to make, although they don't look as realistic as mine

http://www.creative-baby-shower-ideas.com/baby-sock-rose.html