Find out their favourite entree and cook up a storm, time and effort spent can be much more touching than money spent.
Some affordable gifts to save your wallet this holiday season.
By Ash Sabinin, Contributor
We all love the holiday season, but sometimes all those little gifts for friends, family and coworkers can start to add up too high and too quickly. I’m going to give you some of my favourite tricks to save money while still giving great presents.
A great way to stay within a strict budget is to do things with people instead of buying them stuff. Give them the gift of an experience instead of a material object. Take them out for a fun and free (or very cheap) day of adventures, walk the Seawall, visit the Vancouver Art Gallery (which is by donation on Tuesdays from 5-8 pm), check out the Bloedel conservatory for about $7 per person, or explore one of our scenic parks. It’s super customizable to the person’s interests and gives you tons of time to chat and make memories together.
Another idea is to plan a stroll or drive to look at the holiday lights. Find a neighbourhood that went all out with their Christmas decorations and take a nice cruise through and enjoy the lights and holiday cheer. Bonus idea: bring a hot chocolate to sip on and keep your hands warm!
If you want to get something for your skincare-obsessed friend but don’t want to break the bank on fancy face washes, try making your own sugar scrub. Sugar scrubs are great for exfoliation and are super easy to make, typically only using 3 ingredients: sugar, oil and honey, which most people already have in their homes. You can whip up a big batch and share it with many friends for minimal cost.
One of my favourite things about Christmas is that it gives me the chance to look through my possessions and see what I haven’t used and re-gift it to someone else who would appreciate it more than I do. For example, this morning I was ambushed with the news of an extended family-wide gift exchange, which means I need to spend another 25$ on a gift for someone I see twice a year. Then, I remembered that I have a microwave s’mores maker that’s never been opened in my kitchen and boom! Problem solved. I get to declutter my space a bit while saving money and still giving a good present. Do you have a notebook you’ve never used? Decorate it and pass it on as a journal for someone else; a ring that you’ve only worn for one dinner party can be given a new life by passing it along to a friend.
Another great idea is to make them something special that could only come from you like a playlist of songs that remind you of them or that you think they would enjoy. If they’re not much of a music person, you can create a recommendation list of books, movies or TV shows you think they would love. It’s a touching gift that shows you know them that costs absolutely nothing!
You could also paint or draw something. It doesn’t need to be an artistic masterpiece; maybe it’s something that reflects your relationship with the person or something you think they would enjoy. It’s the thought that counts, not the artistic skills. Another sentimental idea is to print out all your cute or funny pictures with the gift receiver and make a scrapbook full of happy memories. This is a perfect way to show how much you appreciate someone being in your life.
You can also bake them something, one of my favourite gifts to give are homemade baked goods. Make note that homemade doesn’t always mean from scratch! Find a box mix for cake, brownies or cookies and upgrade them with some extra ingredients like vanilla, cinnamon or sprinkles. These little additions will take your baked goods from regular box mix creations to flavourful treats made with love.
If you’re less of a baker and more of a chef, offer to make them dinner someday. Find out their favourite entree and cook up a storm, time and effort spent can be much more touching than money spent. Cooking a meal for someone is a great way to both show that you care as well as create time for the two of you to hang out or catch up.
If you guys don’t have time to meet up, another great idea is to make them A Recipe in a Jar. This idea works for many different snacks like hot chocolate, soup or cookies. Find a cute Mason jar (with a lid) and add all the dry, non-perishable ingredients and a little tag with some instructions, and you have an adorable little treat in a jar for any friend or family member.
Maybe it’s a workplace game of Secret Santa or your Christmas gift list is just too long, but sometimes all the gift-giving can get a little pricey and a little stressful. Hopefully, this list has provided you with some affordable ideas so this holiday season is less anxiety-inducing and much more jolly!
