Cheap Gift Ideas for Christmas 2008

Cheap Gift Ideas for Christmas 2008 - As we all well know money is tight this year, more so than past years. With November upon us and the Christmas season just around the corner many are wondering how to tackle the gift giving spirit this year. Fear not for there are many ways to make this years Christmas gift giving cheap, as in inexpensive. Here I will list 5 cheap gift ideas for Christmas 2008.

Cheap Gift Idea for Christmas No. 1

Do you belong to the Hallmark Gold Crown program? Do you use the postcards and bonuses received through out the year to purchase or receive free inexpensive gifts? Why not share these items during the Christmas 2008 season. This past year cute little bracelets and picture frames were just some of the items given away or sold cheap at Hallmark Stores through out the year. If these items are sitting in a closet or drawer unused get them out and use them as cheap gift ideas for Christmas 2008. What other stores programs do you belong to? Are there other little inexpensive items you've picked up through out the year? Get them out and put them to use as cheap Christmas gifts.

Cheap Gift Idea for Christmas No.2

Do you have a collection of cute small photo albums that you've never put to use? If so get them out and that box of photos you've been meaning to scrapbook. If you don't already have a small album available head down to your local Dollar General or Dollar Tree store. Many discount stores have cute small sized photo albums for as little as a dollar. Look at the covers of the albums; can they be altered to fit the recipient? Does a particular album cover make you think of that favorite Aunt you've been meaning to write to or a niece that lives in another state that faithfully sends you school artwork? How about the wonderful friend next door who has become like family? Now go through your photos, many times you'll find you have duplicates of several. Think of the intended recipient and you may find a theme come to mind. Maybe vacations photos to share with your Aunt or photos of yourself and siblings growing up to send to that cute little niece. How about nature photos for that nephew that has become the outdoorsy type. Creating a themed album need not be time consuming or expensive. Keep the pages simple and the journaling minimal. Several of these small themed albums could be made in just 1 weekend. You now have cheap gifts for a family member or friend for Christmas that will surely be treasured for a lifetime.

Cheap Gift Idea for Christmas No. 3

Nothing could be cheaper than recycling. Do you like to sew? Do you have a stash of fabrics just waiting to be used? Why not make a lap quilt for grandma or a bed throw for your teen's room? By using fabric you already have or cutting up and recycling old outgrown clothing you can create a fun and cheap Christmas gift. Keep the design and detail simple. Use larger squares or rectangles and mix solid colors with coordinating designs. Once you've sewn all the pieces together pick a backing material. If you haven't one solid piece large enough, no worry, just sew several pieces together until you have the right size. Use an old almost worn out clean blanket (again recycling) or that leftover fleece you've never used as your filler. Sandwich the filler between the top and bottom piece with right sides inward and sew around three sides and only half of the forth side. Now turn the lap throw inside out and finish by tucking in the opening and sewing a ¼ inch seam all the way around the quilt. Use a decorative stitch or a zigzag stitch for this step if you like. Use 2 inch sections of yarn to tie the pieces together randomly and there you have it, a cheap and easy Christmas gift for a loved one. A variation would be to sew buttons randomly over the top side of the quilt. Even a beginner with a sewing machine could accomplish this cheap Christmas gift. A teen or older child could get involved by helping to cut buttons off shirts and sleeves or measuring and cutting larger pieces into several smaller pieces. Unused cotton curtains and table cloths work great for this project also as the backing for your quilt. Those baby clothes and receiving blankets stored in the attic could be used to make a crib quilt for a grandchild and would be a much loved gift. There's nothing better than a warm cozy lap quilt made from familiar recycled materials thrown over your legs while watching TV or reading a good book. What do you have that could be recycled into a lap quilt?

Cheap Gift Idea for Christmas No.4

Many stores have gift sets available during the holidays. Baskets filled with items to pamper and delight. Another cheap gift idea for Christmas 2008 is one I've tried myself many times. Walmart, Alco, J.C. Penney's and other department stores have aisles of gift sets from which to pick from. Buy some of these sets and a few inexpensive gift bags and tissue paper and you have several gifts for the price of one. How? By opening and separating the gift sets. Do you have a brother that shaves and a brother with a beard? The bearded brother would have no use for the after shave that will inevitably accompany the cologne in a men's fragrance gift set. By dividing the contents of one gift set among two relatives you have now paid for two gifts at the price of one. This idea can be used for many on your Christmas list. Browse the stores gift sets aisle and make note of the items available then check your list to see what gift sets might be dividable between two or three people. Keep in mind the more the gift set costs the more each gift will cost, but if you know mom loves an expensive perfume and your best friend does too, why not buy that gift set and give the perfume to mom and the scented bath oil to your best friend. A $50.00 gift them becomes $25.00 each, or less if the item is able to be divided 3 ways.

Cheap Gift Idea for Christmas No.5

By mid November stores start having sales on flour, sugar, nuts and other baking items. Start stocking up on these staples now. If you love baking and everyone you know seems to have a favorite item that you make why not surprise that gift recipient with the item they love the most. Some of us have the time needed to bake multiple loaves of cranberry or banana breads, or large batches of cookies. And some of us don't. A cheap gift idea is to use miniature baking pans to make small loaves of bread and gift these. Wrap each loaf with colored Saran Wrap then label and freeze until Christmas. After baking is done write out the recipe on an index card with a personal note to the recipient and use a whole punch to punch a whole in one corner. When you are ready to give the gift just take a loaf from the freezer and attach the recipe with a ribbon. If funds allow go to your local Dollar General or Walmart store and purchase a few inexpensive loaf pans or buy a multi-pack of your favorite brand cookware. When the time comes you can give one loaf pan with each bread loaf and recipe for a cheap gift for Christmas 2008. If your daughter-in-law is always asking for your famous cookie recipe why not make a batch and gift on a cookie sheet with the recipe taped to the center of the sheet and cookies surrounding it.

Make this year a handmade Christmas or challenge yourself to come up with the best gifts possible on a budget and you can be sure you'll come up with many more cheap gift ideas for Christmas 2008.