Inexpensive Gift Ideas

© Beverley Paine, Nov 1999

I can't remember a time when giving a small gift to a good friend hasn't filled me with incredible joy. There are many times a year when the giving of gifts has become a traditional and almost thoughtless procedure, done from duty more than a sense of thankfulness for the enduring friendship and company the person receiving the gift continually offers. Giving gifts was never a highlight in my upbringing, but receiving them was! As an adult I am slowly coming to undo this one sided and often selfish attitude, realising that the gift is rooted in the act of giving - more often the item or activity selected as a gift is a token, a symbol of friendship and love.

Some time ago I came across a list of wonderfully inexpensive gifts to make or find. Over the years I have found this list useful, especially for my younger friends. As I come across more ideas I add them to my list and keep it in my home educating folder, so that on the days when I am tired and unimaginative but still want to say thank you in a special way I can find just the right way of saying it! I hope you find the list useful, especially at this festive time of year!

• packet of seeds and small terracotta pot
• coloured pencils in a decorated recycled tin
• biscuit cutters, small rolling pin and playdough recipe
• basket or jar of small, similar sized pebbles from beach for counting
• small tin with sewing needs in
• balls of left over wool and crochet hook or knitting needles
• make a pack of cards (for matching, happy families type games)
• make dominoes either from plywood or stiff card - animal, clock, number
• pretty scrunchies from silky materials
• decorated container of all types of balloons with lid, or jar
• packet of sparklers
• personalised calico library or shopping bag
• origami instructions and coloured construction paper to suit
• small basket of interesting shells from beach (collect your own rather than buy harvested ones - that practice is causing extinctions on reefs around the world!)
• small teddies ($1 from Cheap as Chips) with homemade clothes
• fridge magnets made from pom poms, pipe cleaners, etc, or a boxed kit to make them
• finger puppets or a boxed kit to make them
• small squares of felt, cotton and odd bits of lace, etc, instructions to make finger puppets
• bunch of flowers, or small posy
• voucher for promised work to be done by person giving voucher!
• snakes and ladders game, other simply made board games
• home made paper and envelopes
• decorated art folder
• necklace or other jewellery made from seeds
• bead stringing kit - collect wooden beads and add thin plastic tubing, string or thread and embroidery needle
• a packet of material squares or useful oddments of material left over from sewing box for making dolls clothes and dressups from
• home made playdough, in various colours, in small recycled clear plastic containers
• a personalised stationary set using a desktop publishing program on the computer
• a personalised calendar using a desktop publishing program on the computer
• a photograph frame made from any materials, with or without photo
• home made soaps, gift wrapped in cellophane in a small box or basket
• a jar of home made or favourite sweets or biscuits tied with a ribbon
• home made preserves in a decorated jar or container with a personalised label
• a knitted scarf, or beanie or gloves in a neutral or favourite colour
• a small decorated box of small, inexpensive toys or items that is sure to bring your friend a lot of joy
• a dream catcher - decorated with leaves and feathers, small beads, etc
• a small rag doll
• a kit for making old fashioned clothes peg people, with every thing needed to complete them
• small worry dolls, or a worry doll hair clip
• a small 'treasures bag' made from exotic and luxurious material, with a drawstring.