Gifts do not have to be expensive to be appreciated. Gifts that show your time and effort are just as special as expensive ones. Remember, its the thought that counts, surprise them with your thoughtfulness.
Chronicle your family history by assembling photographs, letters, and important documents.
Frame a meaningful photograph
Put together a photo album of your family, baby or friends.
Create a book of family recipes
Give children a gift of music lessons instead of another toy.
Give children a gift of sports lessons instead of another toy ie Tennis lessons
Give the gift of time. Begin with a gift certificate that offers babysitting, a home-cooked meal, or a monthly lunch date with a relative or friend.
Donate to a charity in the name of a loved one. (see here)
Give fair trade items such as tea, coffee, or chocolate.
Give homemade baked goods, cookies, cakes etc...
Create a special memory by going to a museum, sports game or concert with a loved one or close friend.
Give away one of your favorite things.
Make an emergency kit/first aid gift basket with a blanket, flashlight, gas can, jumper cables, and flares.
Give potted flowers or herbs.
Create a book of lyrics from a collection of favourite songs for a music fan, you could make a book or collection of cards the same size as their ipod.
Call an estranged friend or write a letter to someone you haven't seen in a few years.
Have a Gift swap. Get together a few like-minded friends and trade gifts.
Buy a book for someone, a recipe book for a woman (or man), a novel for someone wo has a lengthy journey in to work, a sports biography for a sports fan.
Buy some bath & beauty products wrap then in a nice scarf and secured with cute hair thingies.
Get each person an ornament that symbolizes something in their life.
Try a 10-in-one screwdriver set or other such small useful tool, some thermal underwear, a t-shirt or other garment. Wrap the tool in the clothes item and make a bow out of a tie (you could also tie them with a belt).
Fancy bottles can be had for reasonable prices, and you could fill 'em up with a bulk purchase of say, a gallon shampoo from a Beauty supply, make a fancy label for 'em, it's all in the presentation.
Buy a coffee cup warmer, one of those electric pads (USB) you can put a ceramic cup of coffee on to keep it warm.
Put together a CD of their favorite music play while jogging/driving etc... create a nice CD cover label.
Bath products. get something nice and smelly, such as body wash and matching lotion. The pound store is a great source for these. Buy a basket or colorful plastic container to put them in and add a loofah or bath scrunchie. Pretty and perfect for the girls and women.
Pretty jars from yard sales filled with sweets and/or nuts are generally acceptable, if you are recognized to be on a seriously low budget.
Create your own, Digital camers gift pack, Digital camera, memory card, frame, photo album, you can also print out a "Digital Photo Internet shop" advert to enable them to upload the photos to a online photo album, and order prints.
Buy some Jeans/trousers plus a belt. You can roll the jeans up and tie with a belt, then place them in a large tube. Attach the belt to the jeans/trousers, fold and place in a box, if you wrap them in some tissue paper, they will look very classy.
Similar to above, if you are buying a shirt, maybe compliment this with a tie, add a tie pin as a finishing touch, again wrap in tissue paper and place in a gift box.
