Cheap Christmas Gift Ideas

It's almost the Christmas season and money is tight for most of us. But there are so many people you want to give presents to! And that's great. Christmas is the season of giving after all. Not all of us are made of money though, so the following guide will share some tips and ideas for cheap and inexpensive holiday gifts that everyone will love. It sounds cliche, but you don't have to spend alot of money, or buy gifts at the store, to get that perfect gift for someone.

Some money saving tips if you choose to buy your gifts:
1. Shop year round. End of season sales are a great way to stock up on potential gifts.
2. Keep track of what you buy and who it's for.
3. Shop online. Places like eBay and Amazon offer great deals on many items.

Inexpensive Classic Toys- no expensive batteries required!
1. Legos
2. Barbie dolls
3. Dress up clothes
4. Stuffed animals
5. Art supplies

Childfun.com offered these cheap craft ideas that are great for parents and kids to do together:

Glitter snow globes
Get some baby food jars. Glue a small plastic snowman or other figure to the inside of the jar with waterproof adhesive. Let it dry. Fill the jar with water. Add glitter. Use plastic shavings as "snow." Fasten the lid. Melt some wax to seal the lid or use hot glue. Vary the globes by changing the figures & colors of glitter.

Here's a simple little craft that everyone will love to make and give.

You Need:

Four Craft Sticks
One Mini Craft Sticks
One Large Star Woodsie
Five Small Circle Woodsies
One Medium Square Woodsie
Green, Red & Yellow Paint
Red, Green & Gold Glitter
Tacky Glue
6" of Cord

Paint craft sticks and mini craft stick green. Paint star and square woodsies yellow. Paint circle woodsies red. Let dry. Glue three of the craft sticks into a triangle. Glue another craft stick down the middle of the triangle extending below the triangle. Glue the mini craft stick across the middle of the triangle. Glue star to the top and square to the bottom where the vertical stick hangs down below the triangle. Glue on circles. Run a bead of glue all around the tree. Sprinkle on some green glitter. Shake off extra. Dab a little glue onto the star and square. Sprinkle on some gold glitter. Shake off extra. Dab a little glue onto the circles. Sprinkle on some red glitter. Shake off extra.

Glue cord in a loop to the back for a hanger.

Dipped Marshmallows
1 bag large marshmallows
250 ml (1 cup) milk chocolate chips
10 ml (2 tsp) vegetable oil
Assorted sprinkles, colored sugar, coconut, crushed nuts, etc.
Put sprinkles into various custard cups or small bowls. You will need lots. Melt chocolate chips and oil together over low heat (about 1 min. in microwave). Have child dip each marshmallow into the chocolate (so about half of it is covered), then dip and roll in the sprinkles. Place on a cookie sheet to harden. Give away as gifts (if you know anyone who actually might enjoy eating something like this!) or enjoy yourselves.

Christmas Card Candle Holder (from http://familycrafts.about.com/od/miscchristmas/)
Materials Needed:

Used Christmas Cards (can also use stickers)
Baby Food Jar
Glue
Rubber Band
Salt
Instructions:
Cut out a pretty picture from an old card or use stickers; it should be small enough to fit on the side of a baby food jar. Cover the back of the picture with glue and glue it to the jar. Put a rubber band around the jar to hold picture in place till glue dries.
Remove rubber band. Using a paintbrush, cover the outside of the jar with glue. Sprinkle salt over all of it to make the jar glisten. Let dry.

Another simple idea that has become pretty popular is beaded safety pins:

Christmas Fireplace pattern
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/projects/blspfireplace.htm

Christmas Lights pattern
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/beadedsafetypins/l/blspchrislights.htm

Christmas Present pattern
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/projects/blsppresent.htm

Stocking pattern
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/projects/blspchrstocking.htm

One of the best sites for Christmas craft ideas, as well as other great year round projects, is FamilyFun.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Paper bag
Glue
Card stock
Marker
Pencil
Fake gems
Glitter
Hole punch
Stapler

Time needed: About 1 Hour

1. Print the star from the lower portion on the Reindeer Gift Bag template. (We used 8 1/2-inch-tall bags here, but you can alter the parts for larger bags, if necessary.) Use a pencil and a ruler to lightly mark a triangle on a green paper gift bag as shown.

2. Fold along these lines, then smooth out the folds and lay the bag flat.

3. Decorate inside the triangle with swags of glue and glitter, then glue on fake gems and circles hole-punched from white or colored paper. Allow the glue to dry, then place a small gift inside the bag.

4. Refold the bag and staple the sides together at the back, then glue a yellow card stock star to the top of the tree.

Here is the link for the above craft idea:
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11296

More projects from FamilyFun:

Art Cards
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10421

Kitchen Angel
http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/famf117gift/famf117gift3.html

Sweater Mittens
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10004

Me and You Book
http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/famf117gift/famf117gift5.html

Decorative Door Stop
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10800