With Christmas right around the corner, do you have all your gifts? There are lots of reasons why you might not have everything you need. A big one for us is simply the cost. With eight kids and a myriad of other folksā¦it can cost a lot to buy gifts for everybody.
Time is another factorā¦first you have to think of a gift, then you have to find it. The internet can make the process easierā¦at least to find a gift. But then that whole budgetary thing raises its head again. What good is it to find the perfect gift, only to discover that itās so far out of your price range to be laughable?
Or maybe you are a procrastinator for some other reason.
Honestly, Iām caught in all three webs simultaneously, so I know of what Iām writing here!
To help you out, hereās a list of loads of gifts that you can make or buy. Iāve tried to cover all budgetary ranges, because honestly I feel that pain all the time. Most of the gifts are kitchen related, but Iāll admit that I strayed a bit in some of the categories…
šBooks
Books are an awesome gift. Cookbooks are especially useful, although Iām finding that fewer people are using the actual books. I find them an amazing resource all year roundā¦even though I use the internet to find lots of recipes too. I just like the idea of flipping through a cookbook and coming up with a recipe that I wasnāt really intending to make.
If you have a bookstore in your town, please consider patronizing them. Weāve only got one bookstore left here in my little town, and I must admit Iām not in there nearly as much as I should be. If you happen to be traveling through Hutchinson, KS pop in to Blue Bird Books and take a look at their selection. But regardless of whether youāre here or in your town, checking out a bookstore can provide you with all sorts of outstanding ideas for gifts. Cookbooks are one of the categories that niche down to the smallest group of folks imaginable. Do you have a family member who loves to bake is is vegan? Thereās a cookbook for that. How about a Kosher Grillerā¦yup, got one. Does somebody on your list want low-fat, low-sugar, and gluten free. Thereās nearly an entire shelf of those cookbooks!
Quite honestly, used cookbooks are also a great idea. Sure, your recipient is going to know that you saved a little bit of moneyā¦but pre-owned cookbooks tend to come in two varieties: Those that received a lot of love, including notes on many of the recipes and cookbooks that were owned by somebody, but hardly touched. In either case, you get the book at a great value and in the former you get a glimpse into the history of somebodyās kitchen life.
A couple of my favorite cookbooks are from the early 1900ās and contain as many handwritten notes as they do typed recipes. Theyāre outstanding!
šFood Baskets
Gift baskets and boxes are another awesome gift. You can purchase a pre-made gift basket almost anywhere that sells food. Theyāre usually really pretty and are often a really good value. You can buy them locally, but you can also get them from Amazon or pretty much any other food seller. There are even companies that specialize in this kind of thing (Iām looking at you Harry & David).
On the more frugal end of the spectrum, you can make your own. We have a stash of baskets and small wooden boxes weāve accumulatedā¦Iāve even got a daughter whoās picking them up when theyāre on sale who keeps us in stock. A little bit of packing material (shredded paper actually works wellā¦add in a little colored paper and it gets really festive!) serves as the base and then you can add anything you want.
We do a lot of fruit baskets. Weāre also fans of meat, cheese, and crackers. Or pickup a couple wine glasses, a bottle of wine, and some cheese.
Get creative with what you put in the baskets. You donāt have to spend a lot! You can get a couple mugs that are on sale, some hot cocoa mix, and some marshmallows. Transfer the marshmallows into a more festive bag, and youāve got yourself a really inexpensiveā¦and thoughtful gift.
With the infinite number of ways you can customize a food basket you can range from the super practical (a breakfast basket focused on pancakes and waffles) to the elegant (personalized wine glasses, imported cheese, and a wonderful wine). Itās also really easy to make a food basket look really nice for little to no cost.
šHousehold Items
There are tons of household items that people donāt often buy for themselves. I love to burn candles, but I donāt buy them very often. Not because I donāt like themā¦I just tend to not think of it when Iām in the store. A couple years ago my kids put together a four-seasons candle basket. There were four candles (one for each season) along with a small card with a quote about the season. It was a really cost-effective gift that I enjoyed throughout the year. In fact, I just finished burning the Winter candle a couple days ago.
Hint, hintā¦kids!
But seriously, there are lots of small items that you can make or buy that transform into thoughtful and endearing gifts. What about a small plant? Everybody can use more plants! Or a white board? Maybe one that you decorate with a few of your special touches to give your friend a smile?
For a pittance you can create a monogramed planterā¦just buy a container for a plant and get a single letter from the craft aisle at the nearest store. Then glue the letter to the planter and put a plant in it. Or forget the plant and call it a pen holder.
You can do the same thing with a cork board or put a photo in a frame with your added decorative touches. Seriously, you donāt have to have any artistic talent to make a thoughtful gift. Good thing, since Iām sorely lacking in that area!
šKitchen Gadgets
If you have a little bit of money, there are always awesome things you can buy for the kitchen. If you have a griller in the family, consider Kabob Baskets. Theyāre vastly easier to use than skewers, and they allow your griller-friend to ensure they contents are cooked on all sides. Plus, if you give a gift like this you might even get invited over for a barbeque to test out the baskets. Win-win there!
If youāve got a baker in the family, cookie and cake decorating equipment is always a great bet. Not only are those kids inexpensive, but they usually come in a box that keeps all the components together. The worst part about my cake decorating equipment is that itās spread all over the cabinets and drawers. Someday Iāll get it all sorted outā¦but in the meantime Iām always scrambling to find the one cake tip I absolutely know I haveā¦and can never find! Save your baker-buddy the hassle and consider a cake decorating kit!
| Mixing Bowls | Shopping Bags |
| Indoor Herb Garden | Cake Decorating Kit |
| Cookie Decorating Kit | Cooking & Baking Equipment |
| Kitchen Gadgets |
šOther Stuff
At this very moment, one of my High School English Teachers is thrashing about in his grave because I used the word āstuffā. Sorry about that Mr. McCullough, itās exactly the word I need to use here!
If youāre entirely at a loss as to what to buy somebody, you can always go the gift card route. But you can up the game really easily.
For instance, you can buy a Netflix Gift Card. You could just give it to them in the tiny envelope and call it done. But you could also make a list of movies you think they might like and print it up in a fancy format. What about adding a popcorn bowl and some microwave popcorn. You know, make it a āmovie night kitā instead of just a gift card.
You could buy a three-month subscription to Amazon Prime for your loved one. While they donāt cost a fortune, we all know how much we spend on shipping. For somebody just out on their own, the free two-day shipping, access to Amazon Prime Video, and the other benefits might be a life-saver.
Would you like to create a really unique customized gift? Get some index cards and create Love Coupons. Just write something on each card that somehow expresses one way you love the person. For instance, 1 Night of Dishwashing, 1 Visit Outā¦On Your Schedule, 1 Win to an Argument, or something equally sappy (or cute, depending on your perspective). You can make the coupons as cute or plain as youād like. The idea is to offer your time as the gift. Weāve all got enough of that to share with those we love!
You could buy a deck of cards and create a 52 Things I Like About You deck.
Just write (or print) out 52 things and put them on labels. Then put the labels on the cards. If you really want to get fancy, punch holes in the cards and put them on a ring. Itās a really thoughtful gift that costs next to nothing!
šWrap-Up (see what I did there?)
I realize weāre getting close to the wire for Christmas, and the calendar is working against us for getting things ordered and shipped online. You can still get things in timeā¦or you can buy locally and customized to your heartās content.
Even on the tightest budget, there are tons of ways to get the perfect gift for those you care about.
So get in gear and finish out your gifts.
Merry Christmas!