It can be really challenging to give the perfect gift when
you‘ve got a very limited budget. But, we have some really great ideas to help
you with that.
The key to successfully finding or making a great gift on a
budget is all about preparation.
Make a list of the people you are
giving gifts to, do it in plenty of time, so if you’ve forgotten anyone, you
stand a chance of remembering before Christmas Eve, just as the shops are
shutting. It also gives you time to find the right gift at the right price, leaing it too late means you can miss good deals or have to pay extra for super-fast postage.
Work out how much you have to
spend on each person and stick to your budget, don’t forget to include the cost
of wrapping paper and other accessories, batteries etc...
Make sure you’ve the wrapping and
tagging sorted, a well wrapped gift always makes a good impression. A lovely way to wrap is to use
Brown parcel paper, it’s really inexpensive from the market, or Post Office and
usually much cheaper than Christmas wrapping paper per meter, if you’re
wrapping a few gifts you’ll need quite a bit. You can get the children employed
customising the wrapping paper with felt tips or glitter if you’re feeling
brave! If you want something a little less home spun and chicer then tie your
Brown Paper parcels with thin Satin ribbon, again buy it cheap by the meter
from a haberdashers (I DO love that word!) or from the market, again it will be
cheaper per meter than Christmas ribbon.
You’ll also need labels, you can
make your own lovely ones, from last year’s Christmas cards, just cut out cute
features from the cards make a hole with a hole punch and thread on to your
parcel ribbon. Alternatively Brown parcel labels look lovely or even draw on
your own on to the parcel with a Black felt tip.
Once you have sorted the wrapping,
list and budget, then the next step is research, you can think about the
recipients. Do any of them have specific interests that might give inspiration
for a gift or can you think of anything they really like or dislike. You can
then add the things to look for and to avoid to the list.
Take a good nosey online to
compare prices, can you bulk buy the sweeties, chocolates or other items to
save a little, check out special offers and make sure you factor in the postage
costs too - we do free UK postage so don’t worry about this if you’re shopping with
us!
Decide what you are going to buy
and place your orders or go and get it, allowing plenty of time for delivery
and wrapping when you get it.
A really easy way to give an
inexpensive and appreciated gift is to do a little gift pack, with a few small
items. This is where vintage gifts
really come into their own, they offer so much more for you money than a
standard shop bought present and their uniqueness makes them something really
special.
For girls of all ages think: vintage jewellery, sweeties or chocolate, a pretty Christmas bauble, nail polish, a
pretty pot of lip salve, vintage gloves, skittles, note cards, pocket mirror,
a purse, a pretty vintage scarf, or yummy hand-made soap.
Once you have the gifts for each
recipient wrap each in Brown Paper and stack them, tying the stack with
ribbon and add a tag.
Please note that present wrapping
is best done in from of It’s a Wonderful Life or Muppets Christmas Carol, with
mince pies and a small tipple or a good cuppa to hand.
Finally, place under the tree and
heave sigh of contented relief.
I wish you all a very merry
Christmas.
Love Sarah x
P.S. My top tip is to order an
extra gift or two in case you wake on Christmas morning with that sinking
feeling and the realisation that you forgot someone or you get an extra
visitor!
Labels: christmas gift ideas, christmas gifts, christmas presents, gift ideas, vintage gifts, vintage presents
