10 Best Bargain Christmas Gift Ideas

Everyone is feeling the strains of our sad state of the economy these days, so how do you afford a wonderful Christmas gift without breaking the bank? Easy. Check out these awesome Christmas gift ideas that will be loved and still leave you with some money in your wallet. If you can't find anything here that tickles your fancy check out my blog post on Homemade Inexpensive Holiday Gifts & Christmas Crafts, or see The Top 10 DVDs for Christmas 2010 here , for the hottest movies of the season. Or for your "techie" loved ones, check out the Top 5 Hottest Christmas Gifts of 2010 for Tech Lovers , and if your loveable teenagers still need gifts under the tree check out the Top 5 Hottest Christmas Gifts of 2010 for Teens .

So without further ado... here's the 10 Best Bargain Christmas Gift Ideas

Personalized Christmas Gift Baskets
Personalized Christmas baskets are a beautiful and inexpensive way to give a gift from the heart and still make a statement. They can be suited to the receiver depending on their tastes. Inexpensive empty baskets are readily available at dollar type stores. Even department stores like Walmart and Target are a good resource for empty baskets at reasonable prices. Nearly new baskets can be found at flea markets, yard sales, thrift shops, Good Will, Salvation Army Stores, and eBay, just make sure to rinse them in hot soapy water and let them air dry before filling, also make sure the bottoms are sturdy enough to handle the weight of what you're filling them with. Decorative items for your baskets and filling can be found at a variety of stores and even online. Here's a link for beautiful and inexpensive Christmas ornaments I found on Amazon to decorate the handles of your gift baskets, or to just add to the filling. I also wrote an article for Ehow that will give you even more awesome gift basket ideas.

Christmas Goody Basket:
Goody baskets are always appreciated and can be suited to the recipient. Just make a few batches of your favorite Christmas cookies ( see some recipes here ), and put them in a pretty tin (from the dollar store or Goodwill...washed out of course), throw in some gourmet coffees or teas, wrap it with a pretty bow, and you'll have a lovely homemade gift from the heart. Also you could make other treats to suit the receiver such as; sweet lovers baskets, make some different types of Cocoas-in-a-jar, Brownies-in-a-jar, Cookies-in-a-jar, or something similar, and fill in with homemade holiday candies or anything you think they'll enjoy for a sweet snack. There are tons of "in-a-jar" recipes all over the net, plus, they really look cool when the ingredients are layered. I've given these out for a few Christmases, and it seems they almost expect them now. See my blog post for some awesome recipes.

Hassle-Free Italian Dinner Basket or a "Kiss the Chef " Basket
Fill it with a couple jars of to-die-for homemade bolognese sauce ( here's my family recipe look at the bottom for the Italian Bolognese Sauce Recipe ), throw in a few packages of pasta, and a bottle of wine. This will definitely bring big smiles to their faces... (especially the one who usually does all the cooking), they will appreciate the thoughtfulness that went into making a homemade dinner. This doesn't have to be Italian night either, if you know they love Chinese , add some Chinese sauces and or some other cuisine, tailor it to suit the recipients. If you know they like to cook, make up a cool "Kiss the Chef" basket filled with the best selling new cookbooks , kitchen gadgets , and a "kiss the chef" apron .

Movie Night Basket
Put together a cute basket or bag stuffed with bargain DVDs ( or see this list of the Top 10 DVDs for Christmas 2010: What DVD's Are on Everyone's Christmas List ), and a box of microwave popcorn, throw in some Milkduds, and you'll have a great gift to give. Target has a section of DVDs for $5. During Black Friday Wal-Mart will be selling a wide selection of DVDs for only $1.96. You can get five DVDs and still spend less than $10! Check out my my Top 50 Feel Good Movies of All Time list for some ideas.

"Feel Better" Kit
If you've got a 'sickly soul' on your list or one who's always catching a cold, this is a perfect gift. Even if they aren't' the 'sickly' type, during the winter months so many come down with colds, flues, viruses, and other nasty ailments, it's just no fun at all. So why not put together a homemade "feel better" kit? Get a big jar and fill it with some dry chicken noodle soup (the kind where you just add hot water, I know, it's not like Mom's, but it'll sure do the trick in an emergency), some Kleenex tissues (with aloe so they're soft on that sore nose), some Vicks vapo-rub, Day-Quil / or AlkaSeltzer Cold Remedy, a cute and cuddly stuffed animal, and a cozy pair of thick socks. Throw in a "feel-good" movie from my Top 50 Feel Good Movies of All Time list and you've got a winner for those winter blues that is sure to bring some cheer.

Holiday Party Basket:
These are fun and believe me, the recipient will love it. Christmas is the perfect time to put together a New Year's Gift basket they can use bring in the new year with style. Make some homemade Baileys and/or Kahlua and put them in pretty bottles, throw in some streamers, some horns, a cd of holiday music and you're good to go. Wrap it all up in a cellophaned basket, add some New Year's decorations, and you've got yourself a great gift that won't break the bank.

Family Night Gift Basket:
If you've got a game lover on your list, put together a fun gift basket with a bunch of family games to play on a cold and blustery day. Buy a couple decks of cards, maybe a deck of UNO and some classic Bicycle cards, a few smaller games that easily fit in your basket such as miniature checkers, chess or the like, and some puzzle books (for those alone days), and a few boxes of popcorn or candy, and you have a perfect fun family night gift basket.

Fruit Basket:
Use fresh, in-season fruit and homemade preserves, jams & jellies for a beautiful fruit basket they are sure to love. Canning jars are inexpensive at places like Walmart, your local grocer, and of course in thrift stores or Goodwill stores. Preserve, jam and jelly recipes are many times listed right on the box of pectin you'll need. Here's a great marmalade recipe you might try, the citrus can be substituted with any fruit of your choice. Fill in the rest of the basket with seasonal fruit such as apples, pears and cranberries, or use fresh citrus (which is also great for fighting colds). Top the jars with cute Christmas toppers such as a few sticks of cinnamon tied with red ribbon, or dollar store trinkets hot glued to the top of the jar, or top the jars with a cute piece of Christmas fabric tied with a matching ribbon.

Winter Emergency Car Kits
Batteries, bandages, jumper cables, rock salt (for getting out of icy situations), gloves, water bottles, and other emergency items can really be a lifesaver for those stuck in a cold environment when the car breaks down. Plus, won't you feel great knowing that they'll be thinking of your thoughtfulness when they're in that bad situation? Just find a cool way to wrap them all up and you've got yourself a great gift. See this post for more ideas on what to add to your winter emergency car kit.

If you're not into cooking, or not feeling very crafty, here a few bargains I've found online that will definitely brings smiles to the recipients:

Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6
Kindle is still the most asked for gift for two years running, maybe that's because it's the coolest way to take all your books with you in the palm of your hand. Or maybe it's because people just like the newest hot gadgets, but whatever the case, I've searched around and came up with the cheapest places to find these little beauties to save both your sanity and wallets. Brand new and shipped fast, only $139 at Amazon , See here for Ebay Kindles. If you love the idea of a Kindle but still can't afford one, the NOOK WiFi eReader goes for $ 99.99 at Best Buy on Black Friday . If you don't want to get out of bed at the butt-crack of dawn on Black Friday then check out Barnes and Noble who's now gone fully official with its new $149 Nook. The 3G version has taken a price drop to $199 as well, matching the pricing indicated by Best Buy. B&N is also outing its firmware version 1.4 , which allows the free use of AT&T wireless hotspots everywhere.

ViviCam V15 Freelance Digital Camera (Black)-Price: $14.95
1.3 Megapixels1.4" LCD,Easy to UseVideo Recording Mode,Webcam Mode,Built-in Memory (8MB),2x AAA-Size Battery Powered

Vivicam V25 Digital Camera (Grape)Price- $19.95,2.1MP Resolution,Holds Up to 120 Photos,1.5" Preview Screen,Automatic Flash,Shoots 20 Second Video Clip,4x Digital Zoom,Operates on 3x AAA Batteries

Canon PowerShot A495 or any Digital Camera
This digital camera is the best for what you get, it can't do much beyond point and shoot, but it does that so well it's hard to complain. It has the best photo quality you're going to find in a compact camera for less than $100 and some fun creative modes perfect for the budding photographer on your list. It comes in some cool colors too (red, silver or blue). Amazon had the best price I found, see here Canon PowerShot A495 . Price range: $99 - $136 check latest prices.

I hope you've found some useful ideas for bargain Christmas gifts in this list. If you've got some ideas, leave me a comment, I'd love to hear about them!

Resources & More Reading:

Top 5 Hottest Christmas Gifts of 2010 for Tech Lovers
Top 5 Hottest Christmas Gifts of 2010 for Teens
Top 10 DVDs for Christmas 2010: What DVD's Are on Everyone's Christmas List

Homemade Inexpensive Holiday Gifts & Christmas Crafts

How to Create a Cheap Gift that Looks Expensive and Awesome Christmas gift ideas;

Homemade Baileys and Kahlua recipes :
Original recipes
Vegan Baileys recipe

Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6
Canon PowerShot A495

Top 50 Feel Good Movies of All Time

More Holiday Recipes :
Recipes from My Family to Yours

Collins Family Traditional Christmas Cookie Recipes

What to Serve at a Party? Easy Sweet Treats; Dessert Cheeseball Recipes; Key Lime, Turtle Cheesecake Ball Recipes and More

Swedish Meatballs; Holiday Recipes and Perfect Party Fare
Easy Mushroom Puffs; Holiday Recipes and Perfect Party Fare
Scallop Ceviche; Holiday Recipes and Perfect Party Fare
Asian Chicken Won Ton Cups; Holiday Recipes and Perfect Party Fare

3 Thanksgiving Day Drink Recipes for Both Kids & Adults
Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes; 2 Savory Side Dishes; Bartlet Pear, Granny Smith Apple & Hazelnut Dressing, and Squash & Spinach O'Gratin
Country Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes ; Granny-Smith-Caramel-Apple & Pecan Bread Pudding & Cranberry and Walnut Cake with Maple-Bourbon Sauce
Thanksgiving Brunch Recipes: Layered Turkey Dinner Brunch Casserole, Spiced Orange Pound Cake French Toast with Maple Orange Sauce