What kind of gifts are you giving to family this year....Looking for inexpensive idea

[thechristmasnut]

This year were on a very tight budget... Dh got laid off the end of august hes the soul bread winner in our house. Im a SAHM and baby sit my neice a few days a week for a lil extra money...

So with five kids and a large family this is going to a a very tight Christmas so Im looking for nice but more on the inexpensive side gift ideas....

Im thinking of doing gift baskets with home treats for all of our family....

What are you doing for your family and does anyone have any inexpensive gift ideas

 

[luludou]

I've crocheted some stuffed animals for my nieces and made some bird ornaments for some friends.

I'm also giving inexpensive dvd movies ($5 at walmarts), with a pack of popcorn and some pocorn spices (you can make these), with some small candies.

 

[CanadianJingles]

Framed family photos, I think, can be another inexpensive gift. If you have (or a friend has) a digital camera, you can take photos yourself with the timer and get an inexpensive frame to go with it. I know I would be thrilled to get updated photos of my sisters with their families.

Last year, for my sister and her family, I scanned photos of our great grandparents, grandparents, parents, our siblings and our children/nieces/nephews and printed them on my parents' photo printer. I bought a collage frame on sale. Five generations of photos. I think there were 8 photos total.

For kids, books are always good. I've found a lot of inexpensive books on the book orders. If I mark on the order it's a gift, my DS's teacher won't send it home and will contact me to pick it up. (Also a good option to stock the gift closet for birthday parties.) There are always $2.99 books.

 

[Belles]

Brothers&Sisters: Christmas Breakfast Basket / Musical DVD w/photos of last Christmas
Friends: Homemade Cinnamon Apple Jelly and Sour Dough Bread

 

[StressLess]

Extended family is getting calendars ( a dollar at Michael's). My brother, sister, and I got pictures done ( haven't done that since we were kids) to give to aunts and uncles. In the past, I've gotten the purse sized lotions/sanitizers from Bath and Body Works, or the trial sizes at Target, Wal-mart, and Walgreens and the holiday plastic bags (20 for $1at the Dollar Store) and added a few Christmas chocolates. My aunts usually trade scents, so I usually just decorate two baskets- one with candy and one with lotions so they can choose what they like.

 

[luludou]

I forgot me & mom are making family calendars on the computer. Just printed in color so it doesn't cost much at all.

We are also making family recipe notebooks for the teens.

I am making felt ornaments for the kids to be brought by the elves.

I also bought DD a recipe book 'gently used' for a few dollars.

 

[thechristmasnut]

Thanks ladies for the great ideas...

 

[MrsSoup]

Most of the time we don't do gifts for extended family. We take care of our children and each other and that is fine with us and our families. With a family of 5 it can get extremely expensive just trying to gift all of us, let alone extended family. I would recommend taking a break this year and just worry about yourselves. Do baked goods like cookies and breads for gifts instead. I'm sure family will understand and no one should expect anything especially if your DH just lost his job.

 

[wadeallie]

This year one of the main gifts I am giving is a calender book with birthdays and anniversaries added. I found inexpensive calender books for $3 at Walmart and I cover them with scrapbook paper and inside I added small scanned pictures of family to mark the birthdays. My dad is diabetic and he uses a calender to mark his 'sugar' levels daily so this works for him as well as reminds him of birthdays of dgchildren.

This idea would also work to turn inexpensive journals from the Dollar store or Michaels into anything from recipe books to crafters journals (ie: quilt journal, cardmaking journal, etc)

 

[CanadianJingles]

Most of the time we don't do gifts for extended family. We take care of our children and each other and that is fine with us and our families. With a family of 5 it can get extremely expensive just trying to gift all of us, let alone extended family. I would recommend taking a break this year and just worry about yourselves. Do baked goods like cookies and breads for gifts instead. I'm sure family will understand and no one should expect anything especially if your DH just lost his job.

Good point.

On my side, I have five siblings, all who have spouses or will be spouses. We pick names and buy for one couple and our parents. We don't buy for aunts/uncles/cousins/etc.

 

[chrisaholic]

My DH is one of eight children. A few years ago we started doing h'ordorves (spelling?) for two for the married couples. We put them in a Ziploc Christmas container. One brother brought his container back after Christmas so that he would be sure to get more the next year! Other members of his family have give cookies and other baked goods, and some have give inexpensive homemade christmas ornaments. Remember that it is the thought that counts!

 

[JayOkie]

I was thinking the same line as Mrs. Soup. Take care of the kids. My grandkids have no objections to getting gently used books....I shop yard sales, library sales, etc year round with that in mind (checking for scribbles, etc, of course). It's geting late in the year for yard sales in my area, but they can be great sources for clothes for the kids. Goodwill, etc. are reasonable, too. Depending on how many 'extras' you give gifts to, the baking can add up in a hurry so take a close look at that.


A friend told me the Christmas her 5 remembered most when doing "remember when" was the year they were the most broke. They purchased toothbrushes, socks, etc.....things the kids really needed, wrapped individually, & if I remember right, placed a few on the tree someone donated. So, a big stack of expensive items isn't necessary.

The family picture is a great idea....I'd love an updated one from my kids. If you knit, crochet, sew you probably have a stash of yarn or fabric. These can provide some gifts, too.

I, too, am out of work & have had to do some thinking re: gifts. But I'm doing ok. And so will you.

 

[Cindylouwho]

Can you cut down your own tree? Here in the Northwest we can buy a permit to go out and cut our own. That saves a chunk right there and its a fun family outing. That's our plan this year since I'm hoarding the budget for presents. Also looking super hard at the grocery budget.

But to answer your specific question: I'm going to be baking. TONS!! Also, I'm looking at things that everybody gets something out of: like board games. For kids, I'm trying to think of activity sets I can create. Like a box of giant bubble-making supplies, a box of Easy Bake Oven supplies, a box of Snowman accessories & Snow Toys etc. Still working on ideas, but that's the direction I'm going.

 

[luludou]

For kids:
Stuffed animals to make
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976912754

- Hand puppets
- a box of dress up clothes (used clothes to play dress up)
- fleece scarves - mitts - ponchos,
- paperdolls and toys (printed on the computer),
- an artist basket (crayons, papers, scissors, stickers, buttons, glue, etc...),
- If you sew, make clothes for dolls or bears
- Make playdough and add some cookie cutters
- Sew pillows for the kid's beds
- Felt board http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalfun/ht/Felt_Board.htm
- Treasure soap http://frugalliving.about.com/od/doityourself/ht/Treasure_Soap.htm

Here's a link on how to make home-made inexpensive gifts more fun for kids..
http://factoidz.com/how-to-make-inexpensive-christmas-gifts-more-exciting-for-the-kids/

 

[luludou]

Here's a nice link with lots of ideas
http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/homemade-christmas-gift-ideas.html

 

[Nutcracker]

What we also do is to make coupon books for kids and adults. Like "one coupon for a day at the park" one might be one afternoon with just Mom. For adults it might be chores or special breakfast in bed (cereal or toast LOL!) The list can be endless. I was one of 7 kids so special one on one time is still a big thing even though I just have two boys.

 

[creativemom]

for kids:
Pajama party in a box
"toe jam" kit for doing nails etc. with their girls and
Weekend getaway (invites for my middle/highschool age cousins to come over for a weekend)
time with Mom/Dad (wood kit, paint etc.)

Adults are much more difficult.
Probably photo books for my parents/grandparents
Sister: we are going to see Mama mia together
bro---??
Sister's BF: hmmmm he's tough.

 

[printersdevil]

Snicks at Magical Holiday Home posted this link. It has so many potentials for inexpensive gifts with lots of punch.


http://www.cricut.com/messageboard/tm.aspx?m=4633525


Ooops, I think that was from Snicks at Our Home for the Holidays site! I get my two great sites mingled sometimes. I love them both and have great cyber friends at both places!!!!

 

[Pam Spaur]

This year, things are tight for my two sons. I suggested just getting for the three grandkids, instead of drawing names among the adults and everyone buying for the kids. The only bad thing about that is: one son has no kids, and the other one has two. DD has one. So the son with no kids...costs him more. However, that's where I stepped in and asked him to do me a favor. I had bought two games this summer and started collecting tools for the oldest DGS. Asked DS if he would take them off my hands. He was fine with that. He will add a few little tools to the tools, maybe a tool box. I still buy for everyone. And I will as long as I can. However, I will not buy as much as last year. I was plumb crazy then!

This year I am going with gift cards for the adults, and one or two small gift items. I watch for sales for the guys some shirts. When I can get them for $2-3 each, that makes it nice. Do you sew? Make an apron for each of the grown up girls.

This is ONLY if you decide to do something for each person. I go along with MrsSoup: YOUR kids and your spouse should come before anyone else. Then, maybe a goodie basket or plate for other family members, if necessary. You can get the baskets and plates at Dollar Tree or Goodwill. Books are always a winner. How about some socks from the Dollar Tree? You can get some really cute ones for a buck a pair. I am a bargain shopper, and will be to my dying day. But this year is as much a homemade Christmas as I can make it.

Pictures are always sweet. But don't do more than you can afford. Can you repurpose some toys? Or make some doll clothes for some dollies that are already loved (if you have young ones, that is). And keep coming to us; we will over run you with suggestions! lol

 

[Cathymac]

One thing that we do to cut down on expenses is that we draw names with my brothers and their familes and my mom. Then we purchase stocking stuffers only. We have a blast buying stocking stuffers and getting creative with them on a small budget-we limit it to only $15-20. But remember-when you multiply 15 or 20 by 5 family members, it's still $75-100. But it's still much cheaper than buying gifts for everyone.

I always give Christmas Morning Breakfast baskets to my brothers, DH's sisters, my BFF and my mom. This year it'll be gingerbread pancake mix (which is only Bisquick with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger blended in), hot chocolate mix and a bottle of homemade maple syrup-water, brown sugar and maple flavoring! Easy peasy...plus I always sprinkle in some peppermints and Hershey's kisses.

Another great thing is "experience" gifts. I used to take my niece to the Nutcracker Ballet every Christmas-it was her gift. Or I'd take my nephews to a monthly movie day-there was a $1 movie theater that showed second run movies and had inexpensive snacks-the boys loved it because they got to go without their siblings. It was inexpensive, and I was able to spread the expense out over the course of months rather than all at once.

I hope this helps a little bit. I agree-just take care of your kiddos-the adults will (or should) understand.