Let's share our favorite inexpensive Christmas gifts!

[Perditamarie]

Great ideas here! Here are some of my faves:

* aluminum water bottle
* anything from Bath & Bodyworks
* coffee gift cards
* any size Yankee Candle
* Sacajewa gold dollars
* little Lego packs
* keurig k cups
* favorite candy, like peppermint patties

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

For kids: art supplies, bubble bath, $5 McDonalds GC, hot wheels cars, LPS

For Dh and I: cooking utensils like spatulas, ice cream scoop, food gifts, calendar, bath and body works stuff.

 

[torinsmom]

ArtsCow has some really cute personalized photo gifts that you can make pretty inexpensively (especially if you get on their email list for coupons). I'm making photo keychains for the grandparents and I might do photo ornaments, too. They are less than $5 each.

I just got my photo ornaments and they turned out SO GOOD! I put some of my Photopass pictures on them to remember our trip and then did some of our pets.

OP, get an account a Artscow.com. You have all kinds of credits for free items when you sign up. For the free items, you will have to pay shipping. If you agree to receive their emails, you will get emails about specials which include free shipping as well. They have 12 month calendars for $9.99 now.

They ship out of China, so you can't wait until the last minute. I think it took about 2 weeks to get my order.

 

[threecrazykids]

These are some really great ideas! My brother loves to cook, so I was thinking maybe a jar of spaghetti sauce, a box of pasta, in a strainer or maybe even a cheese grater thrown in.

I was also thinking about things like fuzzy socks, or even cute pajama pants for the girls. The day after Thanksgiving I can usually find those for under $10.

I actually thought about getting everyone those pottery barn stockings, they are $9-15, if the embroidery doesn't cost much, I might opt for those instead!

 

[annsteere]

To really be a HIT, not generically pretty good, a cheap gift probably has to be uniquely fitted to the receiver.

Dad grew up in Duluth. I found a coffee mug with the bridge that was the view out their front window. For 25 cents, he was delighted and used it every single day.

When DS was pregnant she loved to float in the pool. A friend gave me a huge inner tube from a garbage truck. I spent about 2 bucks to blacken the tube so it looked brand new. Big enough for a very pregnant lady to float through the summer.

I've been trying to piece together a travel wardrobe built around black. My sister gave me a black and white pashmina last year that is a perfect piece and cost her less than $10.

New son-in-law's fave snack is Frito scoops. He got a box of 12 cans of them from the dollar store and was delighted.

I got a three-pack of Mickey Mouse underwear--'nuff said.

The other option for a HIT is a gift that expresses your love or appreciation for the receiver.

I found a beautiful notebook with her favorite flower (purple iris) on the cover and wrote one treasured memory of my childhood on each page for my mother. Cost 2 bucks, value: priceless.

One of the richer men at our church one day commented that his wife rationed the Girl Scout cookies. Each family member got one box of their favorite flavor for their own. He'd stretch his mint cookies for two weeks. I notified other members of the congregation: order one extra box now and put it in your freezer. For Christmas he got more than twenty boxes of mint cookies, each with a note attached expressing how much the giver thinks of this man. Cost per family 2 bucks, value: priceless.

Last year I found a garage sale book "Why I love my Grandpa" for $1. I sent it around to the grandkids and asked them to choose a page and modify it as their own message. (For example: "He lets me ride in his car" was changed to "ride on his tractor.")

 

[GoofyGolferGirl]

I like to get unique Christmas ornaments either store bought or homemade. Every year when I decorate my tree I remember the person who gave it to me. One of my favorites was only $4-$5 if that much.

 

[FINFAN]

well, I have not given this gift yet, but this year to all my neighbors and friends who got me thru losing my Dad Christmas day last year...I am giving each family an ornament I am making. I bought the plain inexpensive glass ones from Hobby Lobby and small white feathers with glitter to put inside. One the outside I am writing "remember"...as I know each family has had a loss of their own, or someone special they would like to remember. I chose the feathers because they reminded me of what Angel wings would be like, the glitter because of the light they brought to someones life. I guess they are running about $1 each to make, and I will include a plate of baked goods.
or mayeb a holiday flavored six pack...not sure yet.

 

[olwyngdh]

I absolutely love the Hickory Farms type gifts that you can get at KMart and Walmart--some silly little food items that may or may not be edible and a skillet or coffee mugs or whatnot. I got my husband one a few years ago that had a cup, cocoa and a little battery operated whip in it, and he loved it--uses the ship every time he makes his hot chocolate since it takes care of getting unexpected lumps.

 

[luvmy3]

Some of the enexpensive gifts that I have gotten and loved
kitchen gadgets (garlic press, apple slicer, zester, things like that)
cook books
trivet/potholder/oven mittens
Vera Bradley apron
yankee candle
sentiment frame (the ones that say things like "families are forever")
willow tree figurines
snowman (for my collection)
personalized calenders from shutterfly

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

A few years ago I got my SIL's and my mother purse hooks for Christmas. I still see my mother use it everytime we go out to lunch, and she has told me that many of her friends ask where she got it. She liked it so much she gave a few to friends the next Christmas.

 

[luvtogo12]

A few years ago I got my SIL's and my mother purse hooks for Christmas. I still see my mother use it everytime we go out to lunch, and she has told me that many of her friends ask where she got it. She liked it so much she gave a few to friends the next Christmas.

I LOVE this idea!! Perfect for my sisters.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

movie certificates and a "coupon" for the grandparents to babysit while we went to the movies

 

[jacksmom]

I love anything Bath&Bodyworks! Also love $5.oo McDonalds, Chickfila, or Starbucks GC's! Love, Love scratch offs Also love any kind of kitchen utensil, cookbook or kitchen towels! Love any fancy fingertip towels and soaps for guest bathroom! Love Poinsettas or other fancy flowering plant!

 

[need2cruise]

well, I have not given this gift yet, but this year to all my neighbors and friends who got me thru losing my Dad Christmas day last year...I am giving each family an ornament I am making. I bought the plain inexpensive glass ones from Hobby Lobby and small white feathers with glitter to put inside. One the outside I am writing "remember"...as I know each family has had a loss of their own, or someone special they would like to remember. I chose the feathers because they reminded me of what Angel wings would be like, the glitter because of the light they brought to someones life. I guess they are running about $1 each to make, and I will include a plate of baked goods.
or mayeb a holiday flavored six pack...not sure yet.

Love this idea!!! Thank you!!!

 

[laurafergie]

My Uncle lovessss Coke in the glass bottles, but never buys it because you can buy Coke in the 2 liter bottles for cheap. One year I bought him a case of Coke in the glass bottles at BJs - I think it was about 30.00. He went crazy! and made those glass bottles last for months.

 

[belle41379]

I made dish cloths ($5 total in yarn for 6 gifts). I'll give 3 to each person, wrapped up with a coordination color dish soap and dish scrubber with handle. Total cost per gift will be less than $5.

I'm also putting little baskets together of lotions, shower gel, and chap stick I got from Avon. All the items were less than $2 each.

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

I have found that you can be cheap without looking cheap. A few months ago, the Mikasa website was having a deal of the day for a hostess set. It was $7.99 per set and if you spent over $99, you got free shipping. So we stocked up for Christmas gifts. The set sells at Bed, Bath and & Beyond as well as other sites for $49.99! I gave a set to my aunt for her birthday and she loved it. She said she didn't have one and could definately use it. Check the daily deals at mikasa.com

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My Uncle lovessss Coke in the glass bottles, but never buys it because you can buy Coke in the 2 liter bottles for cheap. One year I bought him a case of Coke in the glass bottles at BJs - I think it was about 30.00. He went crazy! and made those glass bottles last for months.

Oh, my kids love this, Santa has started leaving them the bottles of Root Beer from Cracker Barrell (I can't think of the brand). They get really excited over this.

 

[seashellmom]

How about the Chick-fil-A calendars. They are only $6 and they get free items the whole year. I'm sure other companies probably have something similar.

 

[unlimiteddisney]

Magazine Subscriptions!!!!! Love it. Search for deals you can get them real cheap.