I’m participating in the Spend-Less Holidays: Saving While Savoring the Season Blog Carnival, hosted by The Frugal Fil-Am and Dainty Mom. We’ll be sharing our tips on how to spend less this holiday season, so that we can have a more meaningful Christmas. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries.
Merry voices in the streets are already
singing Christmas carols this early. Christian families have already put up
their Christmas trees waiting to exchange gifts during their reunion. Children
are now counting the days until Santa graces them presents on Christmas Eve. Much
delight is felt almost everywhere – from the twinkling lights and gleeful songs
in malls to the extravagant decors set up in shopping districts. Almost
everybody is getting busy preparing gifts and this is just as expected this
holiday season. Since Christmas is coming once again, everyone is getting prepared
for the holy day of gift-giving.
Those who are well-off have started going
to prime shopping places like Hong Kong just to purchase exquisite gifts for
their loved ones. Workers who have received their bonuses early have already started
to stack presents for Christmas. Some who have long lists must have already
been lining up in popular shops for discounted items. While others who are yet
to receive their salaries or bonuses still await the chance that they get to
prepare for the holidays too.
Thus, the commercialization of Christmas
has indeed dictated the way we prepare gifts or presents. If not at least, this
is how most of us act during the holiday seasons. However, the essence of
Christmas is all about the thought of remembering our loved ones .The most
cherished presents are not the expensive ones but those that come from our
hearts.
So if you are on a tight budget, you can
still prepare your presents this early. Simply materialize low-cost yet brilliant
ideas that would be most appreciated by your friends and relatives. To help you
get by, here are some budget-friendly gift ideas for you.
Giving cards is the most popular among
those people who are on a tight budget. It doesn't cost much and if they
are sent via email, it barely costs even a cent. Plus, they are almost always
handy for those who are greeting too many people during holidays. This is best
given to acquaintances, colleagues and friends. It is also best given to loved
ones who live across seas.
Crafts
Many people love handcrafted items. Simple
figurines embellished with laces and ribbons are popular among teens and wives,
while wooden or plastic miniatures are most appreciated by youngsters and male
fanatics. All you have to do is purchase low-cost base figures that can be
decorated and artsy materials that you can embellish on them. You can also have
fun by personalizing them with unique features that your recipients would
most likely prefer.
Drawings
If you have the talent in arts, you can
give your friends or family members drawn portraits as presents. This gift idea
is brilliant since you can personalize it to suit your recipient’s personality.
For instance, you may do comic-style cartooning for those who love funny
sentiments, and abstract renderings for those who love paintings. Also, it does not
cost a lot since all you need to purchase are ready-made and
budget-friendly picture frames besides drawing paper, inks or paint.
Baked Goodies
If you love baking, this is your chance to
show your loved ones how sweet you can be this Christmas. Cakes, cookies,
candies and other sweet goodies are popular during the holidays. You can bake
these items, pack them in simple jars, hand-made boxes or cellophane wrappers
and your gift would surely look more delightful than those purchased in
bakeshops.
Photo Collections or Collage
Giving away photo collages or photo
collections is one sure way of letting a person know that you cherish the
moments with them. You do not need to spend thousands of bucks to do this since
there are cheap photo booklets that you can use to keep all your favorite
photos intact. Also, printing pictures does not cost a lot. There are even
photo shops that offer discounted prices for batch printing of pictures.
Check out the rest of our Spend-Less Holiday Carnival Participants!
Check out the rest of our Spend-Less Holiday Carnival Participants!
A WAHM's Life (You're Here!)
