With the holidays quickly approaching many of us may be brainstorming things to get our family members and friends for Christmas. As money savvy young professionals, we want to make sure we do this on a budget. Here are 6 affordable gift ideas for family members and close friends:
Christmas Eve basket. Instead of getting one large gift you hope they like, why not get them several small things you know they’d love? You could consider getting them a “Christmas Eve basket” full of items that will help them enjoy Christmas day even more. For your parents or siblings who spend the holiday surrounded by lots of people, you could fill the basket with pajamas, hot chocolate, candy, and a movie. For a close friend who uses the holiday to relax from stressful corporate job you could fill the basket with a large candle with a scent they’d love, book they’d enjoy, and a nice bottle of wine. If all else fails, you could always go to a bakery and get an assortment of their favorite desserts. Either way, filling a gift bag or Christmas basket with things they’d love could be a great gift that helps them enjoy the holiday even more.
2. Digital Photo frame/album for their home. Many of us love capturing family moments on our smartphones. Instead of keeping all of those memories on our phone why not display them in our home as well? I realize you may not want to go through the hassle of finding a place to print the photos so consider the alternative: getting a digital picture frame through which you can upload photos and display an 8.x10 slide show of some of your favorite photos and memories. I purchased one for my mom a couple years ago and she loved it. Instead of having to buy a frame for each photo, she had one nice frame that cycled through many different photos. Whenever I’m not in town or she misses my father, she sits on the couch and watches the digital photo frame cycle through some of her favorite family memories. Perhaps your family members and friends would enjoy that as well.
3. Custom kitchen or living room essentials. I love getting custom gifts for someone’s wedding or baby shower, but the Christmas holidays can be a good time to purchase them as well. Instead of buying your family members something you hope they like and haven’t already bought for themselves, why not get them a custom gift? If they like wine, buy some wine glasses with their name engraved on them. If they love to cook, get aprons with their name or photo displayed on the front. If it’s a close friend, you could even go to Walmart or Target and get a pillow or blanket with one of your favorite photos printed on the fabric. Whether it’s getting something engraved or getting a photo printed, you can usually find some home décor or kitchen item that can be customized or engraved to add a special touch for the holiday season.
4. Useful items they wouldn’t think to purchase themselves. What do you get someone who has all they need and can buy whatever they want? Something useful they wouldn’t think to get for themselves. As someone who has several family members with lucrative jobs, it can be difficult figuring out what the heck I’m going to get them for Christmas. Nowadays, I just think of affordable, useful items they wouldn’t think to purchase. For example, my father owns a small business and loves to read so one year I got him several of the highest rated business books. My brothers got tired of me complaining about how little sleep I got in med school so they chipped in and got me a super comfortable mattress topper so that the little sleep I did get was more restful. My uncles were always forgetting household items when they traveled out of town so my father bought them each travel kits filled with all the grooming items they’d need during trips away from home. Whatever it is for you and your loved ones, try to think of items they’d find useful but wouldn’t think to purchase for themselves.
5. Permission to reset. Sometimes the best part of the Christmas holidays is the break we get from our everyday lives and work schedule. Instead of gifts, your family members and friends may simply need help relaxing. If they love to read, consider getting them a novel they’d find interesting, a book written by their favorite celebrity, or a non-fiction piece on a topic of interest. If they have children or a stressful job, consider getting them a massage at the spa or a gift card to their favorite salon. If they enjoy fancy dinners or happy hour drinks, then consider buying them a bottle of bubbly or setting up a small dinner with food from their favorite restaurant. Sometimes the best gifts are those that help us relax.
6. Quality time doing things they enjoy. Some of our family members aren’t really the relaxing type. They are extremely extroverted and always on-the-go traveling or doing some activity in the city. For these people, consider getting them something to help them enjoy the holidays even more. Perhaps you can find discount tickets to one of their favorite sporting events or to a popular show at the theater. If they love to eat out or cook at home, you could consider booking a cooking class with a personal chef. If they are very creative, you could consider a couples painting class. If they are a lover of music, why not give them tickets for one of their favorite music artists. Sometimes the best gifts are ones that allow us to create new memories through unique experiences.
Tell me, what are some gift ideas you have for family members and close friends?