Creative Christmas Gifts & Gift Ideas

Maybe you’ve got a really big family (Octo-mom anyone?).  Maybe you spent all of your money on your kids and you need something for your wife that costs less than an extra value meal at McDonald’s.  Whatever your reason, we’ve got you covered with some great, cheap gift ideas.  Read on…

Creative Christmas Gift Ideas for Under $5

#1: DIY Gift Ideas

If you’re looking for a Hail Mary and you’ve got some spare time, you could try one of these DIY gift ideas.  People are usually so impressed that you spent some time on them that they won’t care that you deliberately spent next to nothing on them.  WARNING: These projects might require A WHOLE HOUR to complete.  For me, if I have to choose between making gifts for family and watching TV, I generally elect to do both.  In which case, I generally injure myself and fail to complete the project.  In which case, I go further into credit card debt buying a last minute CD Rack.   Anyways, here are 4 DIY gift ideas that anyone can do:

1. The Photo Collage. Buy a piece of poster board for $1.99, print out a bunch of photos (at school or the office or your best friend’s house), cut them up and assemble them on the board.  Most people, particularly family members, will be touched by such a thoughtful gift.  Also, they’ll be so starstruck by pictures of themselves from 5 years ago (“I used to have hair!  Do you see this?  Look at this!”, they’ll think it’s the best, most unique gift they’ve ever received.
2. Bead Necklace or Bead Eyeglass Holders. Roll over to your local hippie bead store (you’ve smelled that place before, admit it) and pick up an assortment of beads and a string.  Slide them on the string and tie the ends.  Whallah!  Original gift.  CAUTION: It’s a little tedious.
3. The Dreamcatcher. It’s a piece of wood with some feathers hanging off of it.  Come on.  Provided you’re not trying to watch TV at the same time you’re gluing it together, you probably won’t glue your fingers together.  By the way, does anybody know how to unglue your hands?
4. The Family Video. If you can dig up your old family videos and put them together onto a DVD, it makes an amazing family gift.   If you don’t have any old family videos, but you do have a video camera, you could start taping your family members at Thanksgiving and editing footage together during your spare time.  As far as Christmas gifts go, this one is very time consuming, but ultimately more rewarding than almost any other gift you could give.  Costs include DVD’s and cases (which, as I noted before, can easily be “borrowed” from friends.

More Unique Christmas Gift Ideas for Under $5

Creative Christmas Gift Ideas #2: The Fruit Basket

All you need is some fruit and a basket.  And maybe a few red napkins snagged from your wife’s company Christmas party.  Bam.  Fruit basket for Grandma and Grandpa.

Creative Christmas Gift Ideas #3: A Playboy

This is quite possibly the most exciting gift that a young man can ever receive.  It might not eclipse a PS3 in terms of awesomeness, but it’s neck and neck with a package of fireworks.  NOTE:  This really only works as a gift from an older brother to a younger brother or a father to a son.  If my Mom had gotten me a Playboy it would have been just weird.  So weird.

Creative Christmas Gift Ideas #4: Thrift Store Magic

Thrift Stores and Garage Sales are great places to look for unique gift ideas.  While most of what you find is junk, you might dig up a really cool painting, old transformer, jacket, or broken down 1971 Ford Pinto (“Please Please Please take it away from here.  Please.”).   Plus, they might give you some stuff for free if you bring them your old clothes.  Although I’ve never tried this bartering maneuver, it seems like a decent way to get a-hold of some unique gifts!

Creative Christmas Gift Ideas #5: An Afternoon at the Horse Races

At the horse track near where I grew up, tickets cost $1 and hot dogs cost $1 every Sunday.  If you’re treating another person, this allows for 2 tickets, 2 hot dogs, and $1 for long shot bets (a Superfecta costs something like 5 cents and can pay $50).  I guess it’s a little seedy, but this is a perfect gift for a college roommate or a deadbeat boyfriend.