Don’t despair if you can’t afford to buy everyone on your list something fancy and expensive, there are plenty of things that you can do that cost next to nothing that will put a smile on your recipients face. After all, most gifts are just tangible ways to express to somebody that they mean something to you and that’s what matters most of all.
Here are a few gift ideas to get your creativity going.
For a single parent friend: Offer to babysit so that they can get some last minute holiday details taken care of or just to unwind. While you are watching their kids, help them to make a really special card or craft for their parent. Your friend will love it and their children will, too.
For your grandparents: Make a coupon promising to take down and store all of their holiday decorations for them. Or rake their yard or paint their shed. Anything that you can think of that can help them out and let you spend the day with them.
For your parents: Scan in all of your family’s photos and make a dvd that they can view whenever they want.
Children: Your attention is much more valuable to the children in your life than any toy. Think of ways that you can spend time with the children in your life and make a coupon for them to redeem. For example, if you bake, you can wrap up a cookie cutter and a coupon good for one afternoon of making cookies.
For your spouse or significant other: What is their most hated chore? Could you do it for a month? Is there any big project that they’ve been putting off that you could do? Maybe you could clean out their closet or iron all of their clothes or detail clean their car.
For a friend: If you have a photo of the two of you, frame it in an inexpensive frame and write a heart felt letter describing your favorite memories together and why you are so glad to be their friend. If that is a bit too touchy feely, you can always agree to go out for a beer or coffee together in lieu of giving gifts.
Here are a few things to ask yourself when coming up with inexpensive gift ideas from the heart:
- Do you have any special skills? If you are good at building websites, you could make a friend their own blog hosted on their own domain. If you are an excellent cook, you could spend an afternoon at their place helping them to make food to freeze.
- How can I make this person feel special? How can I give them the gift of my time? What would make my recipient’s life easier? How could I ease their burdens?
- How would I feel if I got this gift?
The holidays don’t have to be about expensive material goods. The most important gift that you can give your loved ones is something that represents how much you care for them. That is more precious than any radio alarm clock or heated slippers could ever be.
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