When you’re on a tight budget—or just flat broke!—coming up with memorable Christmas gifts can seem impossible. It may seem that while everyone else is handing out gadgets, jewels, and cashmere, you’ll be stuck giving cheap little trinkets. On one hand you want your loved ones to be moved by your gifts, but on the other hand, you simply don’t have enough in the budget to splurge.
It seems like a solution without a problem, right?
Wrong!
You can still give memorable Christmas gifts, even on a tight budget. In fact, most of us could be reminded around this time of year that the holidays aren’t about gifts and gobs of money. The holidays are about family, hope, love, and faith. The most expensive gifts aren’t usually the most memorable either. The most memorable Christmas gifts are the ones that require a great deal of insight and thought, and come from the heart.
In many cases, the most memorable Christmas gifts don’t even have to cost a thing! So, here’s a little list for all of you frugal givers who are all looking for memorable Christmas gift ideas…
1. Framed Photo
A photo enlargement is generally only a couple of dollars at your local drug store, and you should be able to find an affordable frame at several stores, including thrift stores. Do keep in mind the recipient’s decor when giving framed photos, so your gift matches. Grandparents and parents will always cherish photos of the family or kids displayed in a nice frame. However, framed photos are also memorable Christmas gifts for aunts, uncles, and godparents if they’re close to the family.
2. Photo Album
Do you have too many memories to fit into one frame? Consider putting together a photo album of your favorite memories from the past year. I know that these are always hits with the grandparents in my family, and they don’t cost much to put together.
3. Favorite Childhood Memories
Bringing back a favorite childhood memory can be one of the best memorable Christmas gifts, even if it’s something as small as a box of candy or favorite book. For my daughter’s first Christmas, my father gave us a copy of If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss. It may seem like a small gift to others, but it was the most memorable Christmas gift I’ve ever received and it literally moved me to tears. When I was little, my father would read this particular Dr. Seuss book to us almost every night, and I continued that tradition with my own children with that very copy of the book.
4. Patchwork Memories
If you’re a little handy with a needle and thread or a sewing machine, you can turn an old pile of discarded items into beautiful memorable Christmas gifts. You can use old favorite t-shirts, blankets, or jeans to create patchwork quilts, throws, pillowcases, or holiday stockings. You can use old baby blankets, clothes that children have outgrown, or even beat up old t-shirts that your loved one lived in for your creations.
5. T-shirt Pillows
These are similar to the patchwork gifts mentioned above, but they are a lot simple to make and require a lot less sewing. Use an old favorite t-shirt that no longer fits or is no longer presentable, and create a keepsake t-shirt pillow. If you aren’t handy with a sewing machine or needle and thread, you could also try making a no-sew t-shirt pillow.
6. A Letter
Sometimes, the most memorable Christmas presents require nothing more than a few words from the heart. A heartfelt handwritten letter can make a big impression on a loved one during the holidays.Include it in a pretty holiday card or with a memorable photograph.
