Need "I'm broke but I love you" gift ideas

[la79al]

A few years ago my dads family decided to do a goody bag exchange sort of thing for Christmas. The adults all get bags and put random stuff (candles, plants, homemade candy, jams, etc) in them to give to all the other adults. The adults all buy toys for the kids. I don't have any problems with this side of the family but I only see most of them a couple of times a year. We have some things for the only kid that we actually ever see (the other kid won't be there) but it feels ackward for me to walk in with a handful of stuff and leave needing to make several trips with armloads of gifts. We're stretching the budget for me to stay home with our kids so while I would love to do the goody bag idea, that would get expensive pretty quick. Last year I spent a lot of time and money making cookies and candies to hand out and then we never ended up getting together for Christmas. So I'm looking for ideas or suggestions on what to do. We don't even have any plans yet to get together so if they do, it might not even work with our schedule.

 

[3Gsandme]

My go-to gift is some bakery cookies (very good, about $9/dozen) packaged with hot teas and cocoas. You could throw on a pretty mug, too.

 

[jen73]

how about going to the dollar store and get some stuff for a movie bucket? can put some microwave popcorn, some candy bars and a couple of sodas. $5 tops..

 

[Priorityonecb]

If you don't already have plans to get together yet, with less than week from Christmas...I think I'd just say you had something else scheduled that day. I like the above idea though, gourmet cookies with some yummy teas/coffee/cocoa and maybe a nice travel mug. You could put that together for $20 or less and I can't imagine anyone wouldn't like to receive it. I would!

 

[MomToOne]

I freely admit to using my child in this regard. I have DD13 make something for everyone, and hand that out. One year, it was a poem she wrote ("How to be a <Last Name Here>" - it identified all her favorites things about our extended family). All I had to do for that was print it out, and put it into $1 frames from DollarTree - but you could probably find an even cheaper way to present it. That was a HUGE hit. Another year it was origami swan Christmas tree ornaments. This year, she is making homemade cat and dog treats for everyone (we all have pets). Those will just go into standard-issue cellophane treat bags from DollarTree, with a nice homemade gift tag, made by her too of course LOL

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

how about going to the dollar store and get some stuff for a movie bucket? can put some microwave popcorn, some candy bars and a couple of sodas. $5 tops..

Sometimes the Dollar Store even has the big red and white striped plastic popcorn tubs too. If they don't have the big one, they may have the small individual size ones. I do this for birthday party gifts all the time. Usually I add a DVD I got on sale to the bucket as well, but with all the movies on cable and DVR these days it's probably not necessary.

 

[wiigirl]

how about going to the dollar store and get some stuff for a movie bucket? can put some microwave popcorn, some candy bars and a couple of sodas. $5 tops..

 

[kellia]

Sometimes the Dollar Store even has the big red and white striped plastic popcorn tubs too. If they don't have the big one, they may have the small individual size ones. I do this for birthday party gifts all the time. Usually I add a DVD I got on sale to the bucket as well, but with all the movies on cable and DVR these days it's probably not necessary.

I just got popcorn tubs at the Dollar Store today! I was going to fill it with microwave popcorn, candy for a couple of families we will see over the holidays. I was thinking of doing a Redbox giftcard, too, but am not sure since it comes as just a code in an email...

I also had my kids do some ornaments for aunts/uncles. We just give gifts to kids, but I think they kids should give a little something to the adults they are getting gifts from.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

I received a small snack size treat bag with some candy and a $1 scratch off lottery ticket. Well I thought the idea was cute but after I scratched off $75 I thought it was great and I'm giving these out this year in some of our gift exchanges.

 

[DisneyBill]

Our broke college student DD just made several CDs of assorted music, and a personalized jewel case cover for some friends. Seemed like a fairly well received item.

 

[crisi]

I freely admit to using my child in this regard. I have DD13 make something for everyone, and hand that out. One year, it was a poem she wrote ("How to be a <Last Name Here>" - it identified all her favorites things about our extended family). All I had to do for that was print it out, and put it into $1 frames from DollarTree - but you could probably find an even cheaper way to present it. That was a HUGE hit. Another year it was origami swan Christmas tree ornaments. This year, she is making homemade cat and dog treats for everyone (we all have pets). Those will just go into standard-issue cellophane treat bags from DollarTree, with a nice homemade gift tag, made by her too of course LOL

Mine dyed silk scarves one year (which was probably more expensive and certainly takes more planning than the OP wants - you have to order the scarves and dye over the internet). But easy and cheap is to take glass oranaments from Michaels or Joanns and put acryllic paint inside them. Swish around and let dry (you might need a drop of water or two). You can also fill glass ornaments with curls of ribbon.

 

[MSSANDRA]

If you decide you want to do something for this, purchase things that are inexpensive but you would use or need anyway. I bought us a bunch of nice liquid soaps when there were on sale and I have a stash in case DN bring girlfriends along to any family gatherings. Did the same for fuzzy warm socks. We will use the soaps and the socks get donated to one of our favorite charities that always needs socks. Other ideas: cans of nuts, baked goods that don't cost a lot to make (pound cake halves, sugar cookies), christmas music CDs.

 

[kddisney502]

I like to give a jar of baking mix or soup mix. You can get canning jars at the dollar store and I usually have most of the ingredients in my kitchen to fill them with. Attach a ribbon and a 3x5 card with cooking instructions and you've got a cute gift.

 

[drcmk]

Our broke college student DD just made several CDs of assorted music, and a personalized jewel case cover for some friends. Seemed like a fairly well received item.

Hopefully your daughter is only copying music that the artist is making available free and not copying music illegally.

 

[OhMari]

If you have adults that drink beer, my dd gets pipe cleaners, felt and makes reindeers. You wrap the pipe cleaner around the top for the antlers and add eyes. Her adult cousins and uncles love it.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I like to give a jar of baking mix or soup mix. You can get canning jars at the dollar store and I usually have most of the ingredients in my kitchen to fill them with. Attach a ribbon and a 3x5 card with cooking instructions and you've got a cute gift.

I did something similar one year. I saved spaghetti sauce jars, then bought mini chocolate chips & mini marshmellows and a huge container of Nestle Quik. I layered it in the jars - mix, choc chips, marshmellows, mix, choc chips, marshmellows. Then I attached a ribbon and instruction card. They were a huge hit!

 

[Sagginit]

one thing we did in my family is we got together with extended family after christmas. we are all able to hit up the after xmas sales for gifts which cuts the budget down.

i like home baked goods. some people get so busy they don't have time to bake, so its nice when someone takes the time to do it for you.

what about a gift to get someone who re-gifts? the funny thing is this person got re-gifted birthday gifts from someone and was really not happy about it. it's like im getting actually things from them, so i need an actual gift, but i feel really grinchy about buying them a gift.

 

[lexysdad04]

what about a gift to get someone who re-gifts? the funny thing is this person got re-gifted birthday gifts from someone and was really not happy about it. it's like im getting actually things from them, so i need an actual gift, but i feel really grinchy about buying them a gift.

OMG lmao I can totally picture a game of tag or hot potato going on with this person and re gifting gifts

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[Deb & Bill]

One year for Christmas, we had just moved to a new town, new jobs, new house, so money was a bit tight. I wrote a history of my past Christmases, including those when I was a kid and gave them to my family members. I had all sorts of stories from the prior years, including the weather events (like the Christmas eve the basement flooded and we had no power or water on Christmas morning) and additions to the family (new SIL and nephew/niece).

Printed them out and bound them in a binder.

 

[TravelMommy]

I have been trying to convince extended family to do that for years! What a great idea to take advantage of after the holiday sales! one thing we have always given out as little, "thinking of you at the holidays" gift is the butter cookies in a tin, we can usually get a good sized tin for anywhere from $1.00-$3.00 Have a great holiday.