Christmas on a budget: My ideas for inexpensive presents

Lily Harvey

Sport, Exercise & Nutrition BSc(Hons) - First Year

Hi I’m Lily - I’m a first year Sport, Exercise and Nutrition student. I love running, going to the gym and I’m a bit of a foodie! I’m also a complete chatter box and enjoy meeting new people.

Navigating how to budget at Christmas as a student can be a nightmare. Since I was about six, I have revelled in the excitement and slight stress of buying gifts for all of my family at Christmas. Last year I was in full-time work, so buying presents for everyone was no stress. This year is my first Christmas as a student, and my budget for Christmas gifts has halved - my family is huge and still expanding!

Over the past thirteen years of gifting, the gifts that have had the most impact and even sent the recipients into tears were the ones that cost very little, if anything at all! My point is, whilst it’s nice to receive a gift voucher, some posh chocolates or expensive perfume, money is not essential for a meaningful gift. Getting creative and personalising gifts can make your loved ones feel special. And let’s face it, your bank account is probably looking pretty poorly by this point of the university term.

Pebble Painting

My first idea is pebble painting. This activity involves a little bit of enthusiasm for paint or even some glitter, but I don’t believe you have to be particularly talented in the art department to make these gifts look cute. Although my mum paints and gifts the most extraordinary pebbles, I get just as much joy looking at one my four-year-old cousin painted for me.

All you need is the pebbles themselves and some paints - cheap sets from Wilko or B&M do the trick! Snowy scenes are simple to do, and you can even attempt to paint the silhouette of the recipient or their pets. The great thing about these is that if they go wrong, it costs you nothing and you can try again.

So blast out some Christmas tunes (I’d recommend Michael Bublé) and get painting!

Christmas mugs

The next idea is a classic and can be enjoyed by all. I’m yet to meet someone who doesn’t enjoy a hot chocolate with all the trimmings!

When researching, I found that pre-made hot chocolate kits tend to retail around £6 to £20! I thought it would be interesting to see how much they cost when sourcing the kit myself. Cute Christmas mugs can be bought almost everywhere, even in Poundland.

Once you have your mug you can choose the flavour of hot chocolate, candy canes, a flake and maybe some marshmallows. The mug can be used again and there is nothing more comforting than being snuggled up under a blanket with a hot choc. I bought twelve candy canes, four flakes, three sachets of hot chocolate, marshmallows and a mug for £5.70.

This gift idea works out particularly cheap if you want to make a few of these kits, as you will only need to buy a few extra mugs - everything else can be bought in a multi-pack!

Clay decorations

Another idea where little could go wrong is air-dry clay decorations.

The process is simple - cut some shapes out with cookie cutters, make a hole at the top with a straw or even pencil, wait for them to dry and add some ribbon so they can be hung up.

They look vintage and simple, and you can make a whole set for someone's tree for very little money. These would be great for someone who has recently moved out and doesn’t have a tonne of tree decorations yet.

Amazon sells 1kg of white clay for £4. If you wanted to add colour, you could always paint on some detail or get a hold of some metallic spray paints.

Time Tokens

My final suggestion is a really special one, which I call 'Time Tokens'. Decide how you would like to give your time and the recipient can choose when they want to cash the token in.

You could babysit for a night so your mum and dad can have a night out, cook a candlelit dinner for your partner or have a movie night with a friend. This idea may cost you a little if you need to buy ingredients or treats for a girl's night, but it won’t be a lot and the token will likely be used after Christmas when you may have a little extra cash after an expensive December.

Modernity keeps us so busy that we often forget that time is the most precious gift of all. How many times have you heard someone say they wish they had more time? Giving up your own time to help someone else could bring you closer than ever, and it could mean a lot more to the recipient than you could ever imagine.

Please don’t stress over money for gifts this year, it really doesn’t have to be expensive. As corny as it is, it's the thought that counts and as long as you let those around you know you love and care about them this Christmas, you’ve given them the perfect gift. Happy holidays!

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