Apologies to anyone who is getting tired of holiday gift threads.
Thought it might be fun to share the really inexpensive stocking stuffer, the really inexpensive extra gift for a family member or to include in your family or work “Secret Santa” or a really inexpensive co-worker gift.
I’ll offer two up off the bat.
The Gift of A Podcast. Cost: FREE
Love a podcast and think a friend or family member would enjoy it? Go to this website and you can print off a paper invite for them to check the podcast out! Tells them how to find it and how to listen! You can decorate the paper to make it more festive. :)
https://giftofpodcast.com/
Framed Print. Cost: 1 piece of printer paper/ink + Dollar Store frame, $1
Wow, this is a MINDFIELD!!!! The girls in my family love botanical prints. My daughter shared this website with me - I printed one off, put it in a "brass" dollar store frame I had in my office and now I have a BEAUTIFUL print every time I look up from my computer! Here is an example. You can search for any image you are interested in:
https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/search/index?utf8=%E2%9C%93&keywords=botanical
As i mentioned in another thread - my Xmas gift for DH is a very corny letter and “getting out of jail free” card - Like I won’t get mad at him for the way he loads the dishes, or forgot to take out the garbage on garbage pick-up day, or any other stupid things he may do/say lol.
Not a Christmas present, but definitely could have been: When I left home it was to join husband at his overseas duty station. My mother got my very tired babyhood teddy bear, washed and re-stuffed him, and sent him my way.
My D gave me a homemade coupon book one year when she was in elementary school. Still one of my best gifts ever as it included coupons for all kinds of extra chores without griping, plus hugs and snuggles ; )
Christmas cookies and baked goods are always fairly economical. My step sister in law always makes Swedish pecans and gives them out in cute little bags.
For little kids, coloring books are always inexpensive. You can pair them with crayons or markers or colored pencils. I bought a neighbor’s kid two Hello Kitty coloring/activity books with a pack of markers for her birthday. Each book also included a sheet of stickers. It all cost less then $15.
Framed pictures are another not too expensive gift.
Some gifts may help people save money. For example, if someone has an old single setting thermostat in their house, giving them a timer thermostat could help them save on heating bills.
My D made a lovely CD of many of the songs she loved that she thought (correctly) That we’d love. We cherish it.
Making a meal is always appreciated and generally cheaper (& healthier) than dining out.
Washing or detailing a car is greatly appreciated and would be costly in time and money to have done by a service/business.
Playlist of some great YouTube videos (maybe including some wonderful carpool karaoke of Corbin).
Designing photo calendars are lovely — not free but not overly expensive. Custom photo items are also priceless but sometimes there are great coupons if you shop around—got a 50% off Shutterfly coupon when I got an order from Macy’s and a coupon for free 20 page photo book and free metal ornament from Shutterfly when I flew Hawaiian Air, HNL to LAS.
that playlist of youtube videos is a cool idea. not sure how to make one.
my favorite gift each year is when the “vacuum fairy” comes to my house. My mom pops in and does her magic once in awhile and we all LOVE it. In turn the “cookie fairy” visits my parents house; I make my dad cookies.
sharpie markers in lots of colors or cool gel pen sets are fun treats.
Spotify playlist too. Make them for your kids of music that was popular when you and your husband were their ages - kids love to discover even new “old” music!
Speaking of the thermostat , our local gas company(?) was offering very good deals on lots of good energy saving products like thermostats - there were some really deep discounts!
You could preview videos and write them all out and save them in a word document and send them over after they’ve gotten the nice document saying — I’ve previewed some great videos I think you’ll love as much as I did. Here’s the links—let me know if you’d like them emailed in a word document too.
My parents are retired. They don’t like to cook much any more since it’s just the two of them. We make several batches of soup and then freeze individual servings. They love it. I also make venison jerky and bake fruitcakes like grandma used to make. They enjoy the novelty.
They make us homemade granola in jars and get honey from the local apiary. We use it all. The simple things seem to make us happier these days.
Our family has a tradition of giving cheap, odd and humorous gifts. A few REALLY cheap gifts that have appeared (or will soon appear) under our tree have been:
Re-gifts (kid finds a forgotten toy, book, or knick-knack in the back of closet-- or has a gift from a co-worker or friend and decides it is perfect for a family member.)
Packing material–some styrofoam pieces have “funny faces” in them. Paint in the eyes and mouth, give the creature a name, wrap it up and everyone gets a laugh.
Childhood photos re-created by adult kids.
Piece of wood that was sliced off the bottom of Christmas tree trunk with picture drawn on it.
Set of 4 crystal glasses–$3 from thrift store.
Cuff links --50 cents from discount store.
Childhood junk (trophies, souvenir shirts, etc.) that adult kids left at parents’ house that might surprise/bring happy memories.
Unique/odd food items with funny labels.
Homemade jams and dried fruit.
DD helped me make a bunch of Grinch ornaments for her friends. Using coupons at craft stores, they each cost less than $2.00*. I used my Cricut machine to cut vinyl to make the face, but sharpies or paint work fine too.
Google “DIY glitter Grinch ornament” and you get the idea.
*Edited to say: they were being sold for $15 at our school’s craft fair fundraiser.
The kids used to make me photo slideshows, set to music (the year we were watching “Providence” TV show, they picked the theme song “In My Life”). Loved that!!
small, fun items:
battery tester (the super simple little Radio Shack one from my dad years ago still gets use)
One of the funniest gifts was a Chia pet that got recycled every year for probably 10 years. It got to be a contest how to disguise the box or hide it every year. We put it in large boxes or hid it in other gifts. Kind of like playing “Old Maid”.
Not if you have to ship them. Right after college, my sister and her then-boyfriend, who were living far from both of their families, made this mistake.
For those who have a Stonewall Kitchen store around, they are now selling “seconds” in the store at less than half price. They will tell you what’s “wrong” with it. Some are just label issues (a wrinkle or two) some jams are too thin or too thick or something might have an extra ingredient not on the label, but they are all still good. I picked up a big jar of rhubarb blueberry jam for $2 the other day. Would never have known there was anything wrong with it. There were several big displays, not just a few jars, and quite a variety of items.
I bought 10 personalized magnets for $10 plus shipping at Shutterfly or Tiny Prints (not sure which company) back in late October when I saw the email ad. Made some of D’s wedding to give out, and some of S’s graduation pics with his GF. And made one for my H. They are large size (about 4 x 5.5) and stick well to fridge. Very happy to have these to put in their stockings.
