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OS Christmas presents

emv
Posts: 343 Forumite

Hi
I need some Christmas present ideas so that we can have a frugal Christmas. I have 3 little ones (don't need presents for them as we have lots up in the loft for them from baby sales & jumble sales) but it may provide some ideas as the kids can make things. We have an apple tree & have started to make some chutney. Need present ideas for grandparents, aunts & uncles and grown-up friends...
Any idea gratefully received!
Vix
I need some Christmas present ideas so that we can have a frugal Christmas. I have 3 little ones (don't need presents for them as we have lots up in the loft for them from baby sales & jumble sales) but it may provide some ideas as the kids can make things. We have an apple tree & have started to make some chutney. Need present ideas for grandparents, aunts & uncles and grown-up friends...
Any idea gratefully received!
Vix
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Comments
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I remember one Christmas some friends of ours were having to be very thrifty about presents, and they made sweets for everyone. They gave us home-made truffles dusted with cocoa powder, and dates stuffed with marzipan. They were delish!0
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Have a scoot over to the special occasions board. Loads and loads of hand made xmassy ideas over there0
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Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].:rudolf: Sheep, pigs, hens and bees on our Teesdale smallholding :rudolf:0
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Oh wow - this could mean that you have great fun with your kids AND keep them busy during school holidays!!
Personally I'd do one present for Men and another for Ladies - so you only have to make two lots. Then as you're making Chutney why not try making some oatmeal biscuits or cheesy straws to go with them for the men.
For the ladies you can make truffles, fudge list is endless. If the people that you're buying for are family they will probably be thrilled with snaps of the children as a calendar. You can get them made for you on the high street - not sure how much. Or you could make your own - choose 12 snaps, draw out a calendar (reasonably small - but big enough to write on), write in special dates - their birthdays - the childrens birthdays etc (this is just for fun!) Then stick to cardboard / paper.
You can make your own wrapping paper - get a roll of kids drawing paper from supermarket and then get some paint (in a bottle). Cut a potato in half and cut a Christmas shapped stamp (star, bell, tree) out of potato. Get the kids to decorate - and you could make matching gift tags too.
For ideas on what you can do - look on the internet for things to keep the kids busy at Christmas, then just have fun! Might be a good idea to get reinforcements to help tidy up though!!
Best of luck xxxxx2014 will be all about ME!
( well that hasn't happened!!!)
Mortgage free. Will be debt free in Nov 2014. Credit card £2500 -
This is a bit of a brain dump...
Something simple like a framed pic of your kiddies/family would go down a treat with most people I think. I have bought empty snowglobes from Home Bargains for 99p this year and going to add a photo of my boys and give to relatives.
Your little ones could decorate a piece of card and you could add a tear off tab calendar. You can print your own for free here... http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=408048
Could make bookmarks. Just use a strip of card and decorate, maybe add a tassle of ribbon at one end. You could personalise them for the individual? Would get several out of one sheet of A4 card.
Decorate a notebook. You can buy little notebooks in Asda for 15p, stick a piece of thick paper or card on the front and decorate it.
Plant bulbs in pots and decorate the outside with some ribbon or wrapping paper. Home Bargains has bulbs at good prices at the moment.
Can't go wrong with homemade mince pies but you have to make them very close to Christmas to keep them fresh, or you can make them, freeze them in the tin and then bake at Christmas.
Buy a cheapie mug (Asda sell white ones for about 25p) and fill with sweets or hot choc sachets and wrap in cellophane.
Homemade body scrub... http://www.marthastewart.com/article/natural-beauties-body-scrub?lnc=bd5e1eec2c7ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=collage_crafts_celebration-crafts
Candles in teacups... http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/teacup-lights?backto=true
Make your own CD of songs... http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/gifts-for-everyone?&lpgStart=1¤tslide=23¤tChapter=2#ms-global-breadcrumbs
Make a reindeer using soap and a flannel and a few other bits... http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/ys/CRAFTS/Ratrein.htm
Make a special Christmas decoration using free printable template... http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=39ecce908332f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&backto=true or this one using old buttons... http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/christmas-ornaments?&lpgStart=1¤tslide=20¤tChapter=1#ms-global-breadcrumbs or this one using pine cones and some mixed spice... http://www.craftbits.com/project/scented-pine-cones
I have used brown parcel paper for wrapping paper and as well as being cheap it actually looks really nice. Ikea sell red curling ribbon for 30ish pence and this looks nice against the brown paper or you could stamp images onto the paper.
Sorry, I've rambled for ages, hope that gives you one or two ideas
:wave: If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain :wave:0 -
Pots of gold -gold covered choccy coins in a jar (old kitchen jar would do) with a gold ribbon on top
Pots of snowballs - snowball shapes sweets(bon-bons or something like that) -whatever coloured ribbon you have
I've haunted our local charity shops for unwanted gifts like bath stuff, nick nacks etc.
You could get a whole load of bits and bobs, pop them in a shoe box (free from shoe shops) and cover the box with wrapping paper
I've done some 'bah humbug jars' -just empty kitchen jars filled with humbugs
Brain gone numb now but I know there's more. Have a look at the Crafting for Christman thread.........there's loads on there
Good luck and well done for a 'frugal christmas':TI would be unstoppable if only I could get started !
(previously known as mary43)0 -
Couple of my own ideas for makes for the grandparents:
Mug of sweets: Buy cheap plain white mugs, get the kids to decorate with glass paint. We will then fill with home made chocolate truffles, wrap up in cello.
(or you could get a pic of the kids printed onto a mug by photobox, tescos or another photo shop)
Home made Xmas potpourri: the kids gathered pine cones. we dried out orange slices carefully overnight in a low oven. added cinnamon sticks, nuts in shell (dont eat!)sprinkled over orange and cinnamon essential oil. place in cheap baskets, wrap up in cello.
HTH0 -
I am going to do the women in the family a little box of handmade cards for all occasions
For the boys in the past i have done etched glasses and muffins made from flanels
little sewn plushies filled with lavender to hang in the wardrobe
cute bags of sweeties
i have lots of ideas on my blog, i am trying to do a post a day!! just google "a day in the life of a craft fairy" and you will find me!0 -
home made bath salts are lovely, particularly if you make them in two colours and then layer them into a jar. I make them by mixing epsom salts in a big mixing bowl with some essential oil (lavender or geranium are good but you can use any oil you want) and a bit of whatever food colouring you want. You give them a good stir until the salts have absorbed the oil and the colour is uniform and then put them into nice jars and tie up with some pretty ribbon. I layer the salts up in two colours which looks nice sometimes.
Home made brownie mix is also nice - look on the gooseberry patch website where they have loads of great ideas. I bought a couple of gooseberry patch books on amazon really cheaply and they have loads of ideas for really lovely home made gifts. I make up dry mixes for brownies, cookies, muffins and make pretty labels with instructions (usually just add egg and oil and mix then bake).Jane
ENDIS. Employed, no disposable income or savings!0 -
Bumping this post so folk can get some more ideas for a cheap(er) christmas!
Excellent post rainmac! :T:T:TI don't want to make money, I just want to be wonderfulMarilyn Monroe0
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