Kate Crowhurst
Bite-Size Read:
- Christmas is a time of the year where gift-giving is inevitable.
- The pressure to spend money can be difficult when you’re on a spending budget.
- For some budget-friendly inspiration, here’s 10 budget Christmas gift ideas to help you save money this season.
Do you fear being labelled the Christmas Grinch?
When you’re on a budget, you can feel like you’re the Grinch who hated Christmas. It’s tough to enjoy Christmas on a budget when there’s a huge global pressure to spend money. And each December, we go all out on Christmas gifts.
In some countries, 1 in 5 people go into debt to pay for Christmas gifts.
It can be difficult to save money at Christmas when one-third of people have no idea what they spend on presents. But this comes at a sustainability cost, with around $10 million unwanted gifts being given in Australia.
If you want to be more ethical at Christmas, thinking deeply about your Christmas gifts is a great way to start. Thinking through these spending choices within your budget is a more sustainable approach to gift-giving than impulse purchases. And we’ve compiled some budget Christmas gift ideas to get you started.
Here’s 10 Christmas gifts for when you’re on a strict budget:
1. A travel umbrella
Have you ever been stuck in an expected rainstorm? Help your loved ones stay dry with a compact travel umbrella. Small and inexpensive, this is a gift that will last for more than just the Christmas season.
2. Baking Christmas cookies
If you want a sustainable Christmas gift, break out the rolling pin and start baking. Bake some eye-catching Christmas cookies that you know people will love. Add a Christmas card, and you have an indulgent budget-friendly Christmas gift ready to go.
3. A pair of high-quality socks
If your parents used to buy your socks for Christmas, you might be over socks at Christmas. But as adults, our sock drawers are dominated by work-ready practical cotton socks instead of comfort. Treat someone to a pair of fluffy high-quality socks that they will love wearing on the weekend.
4. A herb garden for cooking
When buying a gift for someone who cooks, you might try a walk to the garden centre. Herbs like rosemary, mint and thyme are used regularly in cooking, and yet we constantly buy plastic single-use containers of them. Buy them a few herb pots to get their more sustainable herb garden started.
5. A protective laptop sleeve
Many students on a budget throw their laptops in their bags as they depart a lecture. Help extend the life of their laptop through a handy cushioned laptop sleeve. This sleeve can fit in their bag and provides some protection to ensure their laptop lasts for longer.
6. A weighted sleep mask
Many people have trouble getting to sleep, particularly when they’re stressed. Sleep masks can be the answer to a good night’s sleep. Available in different fabrics from silk to cotton, you can put them over your eyes to block out light that stops you from falling asleep.
7. Jars of local honey
Not many people dislike honey. You can support local bees by buying a gift of honey produced in your postcode. A jar or two on this honey supports honey producers, and you can use it in various dishes throughout the year.
8. A framed photograph
Most of us now take and keep photos on our phones. Bring those photos to life by gifting a framed picture of a shared treasured memory. You could also create a photo collage, particularly if you have countless photo albums that you want to cut down on.
9. Sensory stress balls
Stress is a problem for many modern workforces, whether you work remotely or in the office. Stress balls not only serve as functional exercise but also come in a variety of fun objects and fabrics.
10. A teapot and cup set
Many of us need a cup of tea to pick us up during the day. Make it more of a treat by gifting someone an eye-catching teapot and cup. Whether they take it into the office or enjoy a pot of tea on the weekend, this is a Christmas gift tea drinkers will love.
There’s no need to feel like the Christmas Grinch with these budget Christmas gift ideas.
Simply set a spending budget for how much you want to spend and buy something that will put a smile on the face of your loved ones. This sustainable approach will ensure that your Christmas gifts are still in use or remembered next Christmas.
