Affordable Gift Giving and in time for Christmas!

Anything in a jar!

Clear glass jars, stuffed with goodies, are the ultimate DIY gift. Whatever you’re jamming in a jar this Christmas, be sure to ramp up the festive look with ribbons and tinsel tied at the top, and a sweet hand written label (buy ready-to-write labels or glue your own to the jar with PVA or glue stick). Here are our 5 fave DIY gifts in a jar:

Home-made pet bickies

We all lo-o-o-ve our pets, and love to spoil them. Which is why a jar of home-made cat or dog biscuits is the ultimate gift for a loved-one who is looking for new ways to treat their moggie or pooch. Check out the following sites for DIY dog and cat biscuit recipes, and cook up a storm. Load your pet bickies into clean glass jars, along with the recipe, so your giftee can make the next batch themselves (and also check out the ingredients). Make the gift even more special by adding a mouse or bone-shaped biscuit cutter.

Bath night in

We all enjoy a relaxing bath with luxurious accompaniments, but few of us ever go out and buy the treats for ourselves! That’s why a collection of these goodies, in a clear glass jar, are so appreciated. Keep the cost of this gift to a minimum by making up several jars in one hit. To help you do it, purchase little cellophane bags, so you can divide up, and label, ingredients such as bath salts, mini bath bombs, and little soaps (tie each bag with pretty ribbon). Include shampoo, conditioner, and face mask sachets, and a small, scented candle. Collect little empty essence bottles, and fill them with bubble baths and lotions (don’t forget to label!).

Keep-it-in-the-car, jar

What is it you always need in the car, but can never find? Once you have your list of answers, fill a jar with these items, and gift it to the one who has everything (because the jar will be kept in the car, make it a screw-top plastic jar rather than a glass one). Items may include: nail file, sticky tape, postage stamps, pencil and pencil sharpener, note pad, sticking plasters, pack of tissues, cough drops, parking money, spectacle cleaner, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce sachets, spoon, needle and thread (push the tip of the needle into a small piece of rubber or cork, for safety), hand sanitiser, mini torch.

Lovin’ the pre-loved!

Sometimes, an item we’ve loved so much, is the very best gift we can give. Especially if this special kind of gift-giving is pre-arranged and reciprocal. So, check out the idea with friends and family, and if the enthusiasm is there, make this the Christmas for doubling the love. Pre-loved gifts may include:

Books and glossy mags

Whether they’re favourite novels (dog eared from much re-reading), cook books splashed with cake batter), or glossy magazines in pristine condition, tie them with ribbon, and gift them to the ones you know will appreciate the topics!

Garden tools

Gardeners know the value of super-useful tools. In fact, they often talk to each other about them. If you find yourself with a spare, or no longer have a need for a favourite tool, clean it up and gift it on. Wooden tools (such as dibbers and paper-pot makers) can be boiled to bleach them clean. Wood and metal tools can be sanded, oiled and repainted. Or simply wash them, and gift in their gorgeous, worn condition.

Kitchen appliances

The younger generation loves vintage, and now baking has become more popular than ever, this is the perfect time to hand on the Kenwood, or the wooden handled egg beater you inherited from your mum (have an electrician check out the safety of older items, and make sure the gift will be well received by the recipient too!). Any tiny dents or missing spots of paint will only enhance the significance of a pre-loved piece, so wrap up the goods, and include a hand-written recipe (or if you want a laugh – a baking disaster memory or two!).

This Christmas, don’t let gift giving break the bank, and encourage others to adopt the same policy!