With the holidays fast approaching, there is always a scramble to come up with thoughtful gift ideas for everyone on your list without breaking the bank. From Secret Santa at the office to Cousin Ned who you only see at the family Christmas party once a year, it’s hard to find inexpensive gifts while still avoiding looking cheap or chintzy.
The key to staying within a gift giving budget is to decide your financial limit for each person you need to buy for. First, make a list of absolutely everyone you will be buying for during the season. Next decide on what you want to spend total. Take that amount and divide it up amongst your list. Make sure your nearest and dearest receive most of the wealth, and try to be fair down the list. Use your own discretion, and know that the budget may shift as you begin to shop. Also, try to bear in mind that what is “cheap” for some people is not for others. When buying gifts for a casual family, friend or office party, try to get people to agree on a reasonable limit so no one will “out spend” anyone else. Most people are happy to agree to a $20 price cap.
Once you have your spending budget in place, it’s time to start your search for the perfect gift. One of the most important things to remember when gift-giving on a budget is the person you’re buying for. When you can’t blow someone away with expensive gadgets, it’s always best to brainstorm things you know about the person you’re buying for. For instance, what kind of books do they like to read? Do they have any hobbies? Is there something they’ve mentioned they’d like to try?
The Holidays are about showing people how much you care about them, not how much you spend on them. Here are some great gift ideas that you can customize for any price range and personalize for any person on your list:
Hobby Starter Kit
If you know someone who is artistic, creative, or just good with their hands, this is a great gift idea. From knitting, to jewelry making, to wood carving, to Photo shopping, it’s easy to put together a “starter kit” to get someone on their way to enjoying a new hobby.
First, purchase a good “how-to” book on starting the designated hobby. Look through it to make sure the instructions are clear, and things are well illustrated. The Dummies series is a great reference guide for just about anything you’d want to learn about. Next, purchase the basic tools to get them started. Great craft supplies can be found at Michaels, AC Moore, Wal-mart and more. Put these together in a nice box or basket and you have a unique, customized gift.
IOU Cards
While this may seem like a lame gift idea at first, it can be truly great if you put some thought into it. If you know someone with kids, give them an IOU for a couple nights of free babysitting. If you know someone who can’t cook but loves good food, give them an IOU to cook them a dinner of their choice on you. If you know someone who’s always busy and terribly disorganized, give them an IOU to clean and organize their home. The possibilities are endless.
The secret to making this seem like a really thoughtful gift rather than a last minute cop-out, is in the presentation. Take the time to make the IOU cards really creative. It’s simple to get a card template for the computer and create a unique design for the service you’re giving as your gift. If you’re at all crafty, an even nicer personal touch would be to hand make the IOUs. Local craft stores carry a large supply of unique paper, ribbons, glitter and other fun embellishments.
Comfort Food Basket
Know someone who can’t get enough chocolate? Have a friend who loves bizarre cheeses? Well, why not indulge them in the thing they love most?
When putting together a gift basket of someone’s favorite treats, the thing to remember is quality and creativity. When shopping for a chocolate friend, don’t go out and grab a Hershey bar. Go to the local candy store and get a small box of assorted flavored truffles. Include a tin of gourmet cocoa and a box of chocolate English tea biscuits. When shopping for a cheese connoisseur, don’t snag a block of cheddar and mozzarella and call it a day. Find individual cheeses of goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, and other exotic blends. Put this together with delicate water crackers or a loaf of crusty bread from the local bakery, maybe even a decent bottle of wine if your budget can accommodate it. The important thing is investing the time and effort to get an interesting assortment of items while still catering to a particular indulgence.
Gift Certificates
Most people shy away from giving gift certificates, as they often viewed as an easy way out to gift giving. On top of that, most people are uncomfortable with letting people know exactly how much money they spent on a gift. Once again, the key to pulling this gift off is creativity and personalization.
Don’t just give one gift certificate. Come up with an interesting combination and present it as a gift package. For instance, a gift certificate to a person’s favorite restaurant and a movie pass to the local theater can be a “Dinner and a Movie” package. A gift certificate to a favorite lunch spot and another gift certificate to a nearby spa for a facial could be “Pampered Lunch” package. Combined with the right IOU idea, this can be an even better gift.
Presentation is also important with this gift as well. A great card explaining the “theme” of the idea can go a long way in making the idea appear clever and well-thought out.
Thought, creativity and presentation are the most important elements to a gift that’s from the heart. After all, the holidays aren’t about spending money, they’re about spending time with the people you care about most. One of the best gifts of all is knowing you have friends and family who know you took the time to create a meaningful present, and that’s the memory they will carry with them.
