What are your cheapest but thoughtful X-mas gift ideas??

Question

We are having a tough year and would like some tips and ideas on what would be great but inexpensive Christmas gifts?

Answer 1

Listen, forget about the gifts, go out and sing Xmas carols, help the needy, go to church. Don't let the induced shopping absorb you, stick to the real meaning of the Nativity of J.C. Just think of what happened then in Bethlehem. Did the shepherds go shopping or did they prepare a banquet? No, the praised the Lord while the angels sang hallelujahs. The gifts that the wise men gave the holy child were those of nobility and had special meanings. They, surely, didn't get him cheap stuff just to get over with their mission.
Nowhere in the Bible are we compelled to exchange gifts in order to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
If you really want to spend money on gifts, sit down and make your budget: count the pennies you've got and divide them by the number of gifts you intend to distribute.

Answer 2

I have had hard times during the holidays before & just made soups for people. I still do it even when times are not hard. Chicken noodle, lentil, black bean, white chicken chili with a garnish of sour cream and homemade salsa, beef stew. People appreciate things like this as they often do not have the time to cook much during the holidays. If you make enough, you can have some for your dinner, also. Cookies are easy and make some xtra for yourself. People love this kind of thing. I know. I do it all the time, not just for the holidays. When my friends find out I am making a certain something, especially soup, they ask me I have could make an xtra large pot so they can have some, too.

Answer 3

My signature gift this year is antibacterial lotion. My hubby was hospitalized with serious infection this year and as a result everyone gets antibactrial lotion to protect them. I found some great scented and unscented ones for $1.99.

I'm also going to Harbor Frieght to buy their 5 in 1 car tool. My mother in law had an accident wherein she was broadsided and trapped in her car until a passerby broke out her window and got her out. The car tool has this element that makes it easy to break out a window if you are ever trapped in the car. Thoughtful gift when the life you save may be your own and it only costs $4.99.

Answer 4

hand made stuff is the best. IF you can do it. otherwise stuff/things that your friends and loved ones need.

i always keep an ear out through out the year to see what they need or wish they could get... then i work on it the whole concept of it until i'm sure they can't afford to get it or they don't have the time OR merely forget to do it.

things they need like clothes... broken things they can't replace... free visits to places like spa's and barbers.. :D

gift cards... things like that.

free subscription services for phones and cable.

stuff from ebay that's gone way cheap due to the seller either can't spell or they don't know what they have.

or i make things by hand.. somehow that gets the best response.. that's probably because i'm an artist and my buds think that when i die it might be worth selling! LMFAO! fooled them! ha ha i'm a nobody!

well enough of being silly.. but things folks mention through out the year is a great help.. most things that are brought up in passing are generally pretty cheap things that are easily aquirable.

always keep an ear open.

Answer 5

A homemade Card with a long letter in it, saying how you feel about that person, what they mean to you, how they have bettered your life and how thankful you are they are there for you. Tell them you Love them. Also in the card, put little calling card size piece of paper saying it can be redeemed for, well whatever you want to say. One day of free babysitting, one car wash, one afternoon of yard work, you get the idea. God Bless and Merry Christmas

Answer 6

ALWAYS go with the homemade gifts. There are certain ideas that one can do without being especially "crafts-y''. What I always do is one of the fleece blankets. It is cheap because you can go to any fabric store and ask for fleece remnants. If the amount needed for a blanket is too expensive, I recommend going with a pillow or scarf. These are VERY easy to make, and ANYBODY can do it.

Answer 7

The greatest gift of all is love and compassion. Food is allways a good gift. That amish friendship bread is a great gift. because once given if used properly, it keeps giving for life.

Answer 8

Jars filled with all the ingredients needed for a recipe....like brownie mix.

Homemade soaps....go to your local craft store for mold and ingredients.

Coupons for your time....for babysitting, a dinner, etc.

A photo album full of memories, with blank pages for those to come.

Homemade cookies and candies!

A knit scarf...learning to knit is easy, and yarn can be inexpensive.

Answer 9

the picture in the frame is great. if it's for family maybe find a cute picture from the "early years" have it printed in black and white and frame it. (same if you have old friends)
Or what about if you found pictures of your parents when they were younger and framed one of those for them? I love stuff like that. If you can knit or crochet its always nice (but time consuming) to make things for people... do what you can, people understand. I honestly, don't believe it's about the money.

Answer 10

ok, I don't know why you put this in the Valentine's Day category, but here is what me and my sister used to do for my dad. I don't know if you're looking for kid ideas or what, but we used to make "because I love you coupons" and we would make little things that said like, we would wash dishes, or cut grass, whatever he usually did that we could give him a break from, and when he wanted us to do it, he used his "coupon" and we did it. My dad also made them for his gf, much different though I'm sure, lol.