It’s getting to that time of year again; the nights out and takeaways have chipped away at your bank account and you have an ever-growing list of people to buy for. Fear not fellow poor one, these cheap and creative gift ideas prove that time is worth more than money. Try them out this Christmas and impress your family and friends!
1. There is one glass vessel of joy that will be your right-hand man in your war against intense spending. This vessel is- the JAR!
Jars are so accessible, you can get a large variety of sizes from your cupboard- coffee jars, jam jars, you-get-the-gist jars. ‘Vintage crafts’ are the big hype at the minute and nothing looks more crafty than perhaps a hand painted candle holder, sweets jar, or even a sophisticated plant pot. One specific Christmas idea is:
2. The Ultimate Christmas Cookie Mix
This one is easy and so adaptable! All you need to do to start is:
1. Grab an online recipe for Christmas cookies (don’t like cookies? This works for brownies and cupcakes too!)
2. Measure out the dry ingredients and put them in the jar, in whichever order you like (I prefer flour and sugar at the bottom and the toppings or fillings on top- but that’s just me!)
3. Now it’s just a case of writing the other ingredients (e.g. 100ml milk, 1 egg etc.) and cooking instructions on a cute tag made from an old Christmas card.
Plus, who knows, you might get to taste some of the finished product?
3. Good ol’ home-baked goods
If the cookie idea isn’t for you, why not take on some role reversal and try baking yourself! There are hundreds of online recipes for all tastes. My personal favourite Christmas recipe has to be Cinnamon rolls. All you need, especially if you’re unsure of your baking skills is:
1. Ready-made puff-pastry
2. Cinnamon
3. Butter
4. Sugar
5. Icing sugar (if you feel like being fancy and glazing them)
Moving away from the munchables- there are lots of other crafty ways to save money, such as:
4. Home-made Money Jars
The money jars pictured above were made by yours-truly to help collect money for the homeless in my local area this Christmas. However, it’s so easy to change the design so that these cute little money jars can suit any occasion, including a more personal gift for family and friends. All you need is a tin, which is something we students tend to have an abundance of in the recycling bin thanks to the mass production of soup and beans (and study-induced fatigue), and some paint. I chose to leave some gaps in the paint so the metal could still be seen and for a more rustic effect but that’s your choice. Plus, you don’t just have to paint it- make a personalised label with coloured card and pens!
5. Knitting
Winter, sadly, doesn’t stop with Christmas so why not prep your friends for cold nights with your own knitted goods? If you’re new to knitting or haven’t tried it before, don’t be disheartened! There are bundles of easy and cute knitting ideas online. My suggestion? Start with squares. You get to practice your speed and it’s easy to see if you’ve dropped a stitch, making it more accurate. What can you do with these knitted squares? Stick them together and make a blanket! Your friend will get a lovely, thoughtful gift from you and you will have acquired a new skill- super!
Fancy getting sentimental? Then try making a:
6. Scrapbook
A book full of personal jokes and memories is sure to warm the heart of your loved one. Plus, as it’s totally tailored to your memories with that person, there’s no way it can go wrong! The best thing is that ANYTHING can go into this scrapbook, as it’s usually the small things that set us off laughing. So get raiding your memory box for gig or cinema tickets, funny cards you’ve written to each other, and notes you wrote in high-school. You can also print out meaningful or mental screenshots of text messages and write little stories and memories as you go through the pages. Word of Warning: From personal experience, you will need time to make it look good and keep cost down! Look out for cheap or scrap bits of patterned paper and recycled cards with little meaning, like a 14th birthday card from your 2nd cousin. The key to making thoughtful, creative gifts is organisation. Give yourself enough time to look around Charity Shops for little stocking filler presents, books and sentimental trinkets.
Let’s get back to the spirit of Christmas and get creative!