Low Cost Xmas ideas

[G'MaDebbie]

I was just reading another thread and Lady V came up with a great idea for a very reasonable X-mas gift for $10!

$5 Blockbuster Card
Bucket of popcorn
4 boxes of candy


Anyone else have ideas like this?

[perSue]

I have done a "movie bowl" in the past.
at a dollare store you can find a large plastic bowl, buy the cheap bag of popcorn seeds (or maybe the pans you put on top the stove), some seasonings to put on top the popcorn, movie giftcard or a movie you found on special they'll like, cans or bottles of soda (small size).

i'm ALWAYS thinking of "gift package" ideas...
depending on the person, the occassion, the likes, the sales... you can make ANYthing into a package.

another idea is for a college aged kid... dollar stores or other less expensive places to get basic things like toilettries, or simple clothing (socks, etc.) or fashion accessories (cheap jewelry or hair barretts, etc.), towels, non parishable foods, gift cards, etc... they LOVE that!

it's always cheaper to make a "package" gift set than buy one... and I'm ALWAYS making one

[HisDaisy]

Another low cost basket idea is a kitchen basket.
Take a bread basket, line with a dish towel and add some kitchen gadgets such as wooden spoons, spatulas, dish clothes, etc.

Most of the items can be found at a dollar store or other discount store. I find baskets to be fun to put together and give.

[anna021]

I did a batch of cookies and a 5 dollar dunkin donut gift card, they went over really well. I had gotten some basket for .25 each at tag sales, and I made Choc chip, oatmeal raisin, and peanut butter cookies, I made up 6-8 of these. My favorite part was decorating the baskets with pretty bows and such.
Also, DD had nice twin packs of coffee last year, they came with a stainless steel measure spoon and in a cloth bag,your choice of coffees, I think they were only 12.99, nice gift for coffee lovers. I'll get more of them this year for sure.

[emily_hope]

I did the movie basket last Christmas for my coworkers. I have a list that I found on the internet that has gift ideas for under $10:

63 Gift Ideas for Under 10 Dollars

Maybe that will help.

[Starlight9803]

we've done the movie baskets, candy, cookies, spaghetti baskets (line basket with dishcloth, add pasta, pasta fork, strainer, jarred pasta sauce, parm cheese, and a loaf of french bread), fruit baskets, and the nieces and nephews have gotten craft kits (markers, paints, construction paper, glue, foam stickers, etc - most found at those great back to school sales), ornaments with their names on them (get ornaments cheap from somewhere like Big Lots, use glue and glitter or write name with permanant marker - especially good if you can manage calligraphy), "spa" kits for girls (fuzzy slippers, toe dividers, nail polish in several colors, travel manicure set, maybe a robe, lotion, etc)

[guest002]

I like the movie basket idea! Keep 'em coming.

[momof2joys]

I do gift baskets every year for the our womens gift exchange!! I have done a coffee basket: I use a free sample of coffee, buy a cheap but cute mug, a cute stirring spoon, and a powder creamer!!

I have also done a reading basket: Book, with tea, and mug, and scented candles, along with a small fleece blanket that I you can find for like $5.

I have also done a cooking basket: some new kitchen items, a cookbook, receipe (sp?) cards and a menu planner.

Bath basket: Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, fluffy towel, face mask, and a poof thing.

These are just a few ideas, I know that I have done others, I will have to think really hard and get back to you!!

[Patty A]

Gifts in a jar is another low cost gift idea. Drag out an old mayo jar, take the paper off and add a cute tag that says something like "here is your journal jar". Fill the jar with some paper prompts, these needs to be questions or ideas for what will spark an idea for them to write about. Something like what is your favorite memory of Christmas, What is your favorite song and why, what was the best vacation you ever went on, or what is your best memory as a child. These are easy to make, and can be made in small jars or big ones. For children or adults. I always add a note book and pen to the jar gift and if you get those from the dollar store you can make these gifts for as little as 2 to 3 dollars.

Patty

[Jskell911]

Last year for teacher's gifts we made:

Choc coated plastic spoons
HM Cappuccino mix
and a small Candle bought on clearence.

DS Loved making the spoons and cappuccino mixes! Cost next to nothing as wen already had the ingredients on hand, I buy plastic spoon pkgs by the dozen when Walgreens has them on sale for .39 a pack right before school, and I got the candles for about .50 at CVS.

Homemade Instant Cappuccino Recipe

Picture of Hot Cup of Cappuccino

1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup instant coffee (granules)
1 cup instant hot chocolate (powder)
1 cup non-dairy creamer (powder)

Directions:

* Mix all ingredients well. Store in an airtight container.
* Use 2 to 3 TBS per mug of boiling hot water, stir to dissolve.



Make chocolate-covered spoons. Go to your local dollar store or discount supermarket and stock up on plastic spoons. Melt chocolate in the microwave on 50% power for one minute(if you have a fixed setting, do it for 30 sec.. Stir, and continue melting in 10-second increments at 50% power until smooth. Dip spoons until generously covered with chocolate. Lay them on waxed paper lined cookie sheet to cool down. If you want to get fancy, roll in crushed peppermint candies or drizzle them with melted white chocolate.

[Gibs]

These are some really great ideas I will certainly be keeping them in mind when I get ready to start getting my gifts ready. Which will probably be soon

[prftstrngr]

We have done something very similar to the cappuccino mix only we did Hot chocolate,a cheap mug,mini marshmellows and the chocolate dipped spoon.

You can also make a snowman kit..... use a small box and get clearance winter hat, a carrot shaped piece of wood we painted orange and some stones we picked up and painted black! The kids loved it!!

[emily_hope]

Here's a link to an old thread of mine that I thought was a really cute gift idea.

[ame="http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93568"]Spiced Tomato Soup Cancakes[/ame]

[Maine Girl]

If you happen to have a supply of scrapbooking paper you can alter a clipboard. I did this two christmases ago with clipboard and i bought pads of paper at the dollar store to glue on so it was functional. Also that year i made stationary picking a photo i liked out of a magazine glue it to a piece of paper and had it copied at Staples. 8.5x11 paper made two sheets of stationary. if you have crafters in your family you can scour the internet for free patterns. i did that for my grandmother and tied them with a ribbon with a skein of yarn. This year is a $10.00/or less a person christmas for me.

[elphie]

We like to make trinket candles for many occasions. You can get candle wax at the store but you can also use bits of old candles, grate them down and make a layer candle. We have used paper milk cartons, baby food jars, small butter dishes, paper cups, etc. for molds. We simply melt the wax down and pour into the mold. When it is cooler but still pliable we put small items from the dollar store in the candle. We have included hair barrettes, a set of jacks, bouncy balls, lip gloss, and even pennies. As the candle burns the trinkets are revealed so the gift just keeps on giving. Little girls especially love these but with money inside boys like them too... and you can do the same thing with homemade soap.

If you are using bits of old candle simply use one color at a time, add a few of the trinkets, but not all, let it cool completely then add another color on top. The original color may melt a little and you will have some blending but the overall effect will be a layered candle.