Inexpensive Christmas Presents

Cheap and Easy Christmas Gifts for the Extended Family

Inexpensive Christmas presents are possible for extended family if you plan ahead and communicate well with one another. Cheap unique gifts and low cost holiday gifts don't mean that you don't care; they simply mean that you care about your budget as well! Read this list of cheap and easy Christmas gifts all stay at home moms can implement for their extended family this holiday season.

You know the drill. Everyone gathers at Grandma's house on Christmas Eve to open piles of presents from each and every member of the family.

There are cousins, and aunts-by-marriage, and Great Uncle Henry who can't even remember where he is. And everyone has tons of what, if we are honest with ourselves, amounts to little more than overpriced junk.

But we have to do it. We have to play the gift-giving game, spending endless amounts of money for items that will be tossed out in January or regifted the next year.

Why do we do it? It is totally possible to give inexpensive Christmas presents this holiday season. And with times being tough, and money tight, it makes more sense now than ever before to give low cost holiday gifts to extended family members.

Though most families have certain traditions when it comes to holidays and gift giving, you may be surprised to find that others in your family might be in the mood for a change, and may want information on cheap and easy Christmas gifts.

Bring up some of these ideas at your next family get-together, and see if some of these methods may work for you.

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Gift Exchanges

To cut down on clutter and unneeded spending (and regifting, and GoodWill donations), suggest that all adult family members participate in a gift exchange to save money. Instead of buying one small gift for each family member, set a dollar limit ($20, $50, or $100 limits work well for inexpensive Christmas presents, depending on your family) and buy for just one person.

Everyone places their name and the kinds of things they like or their clothing sizes on a piece of paper.

For example:

• Name: Aunt Rose
• I collect chickens
• I like bath salts and bubble bath
• I'm a dress size 10 and a shoe size 7

Then each paper is placed into a hat, and family members go around the room drawing names. The only rules are you cannot draw yourself, and you cannot draw your spouse.

The children in the family can either participate in a special children's version of the game, or you can continue your traditions with gifting to children in your family.

In our family, we draw names on Thanksgiving for Christmas. This method allows all of us to purchase cheap and easy Christmas gifts. Instead of $10 multiplied by 20 relatives, we can spend $50 on just one.

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Team Up on Large Items

Another low cost holiday gifts method is to team up with other members of your family to purchase one larger gift.

For example, if your mother has wanted an I-POD for a while, but it is out of your financial reach, consider teaming up with your brother and sister and making the purchase as a group.

Mom gets what she wants instead of a knick-knack she secretly hates, and you are able to score inexpensive Christmas presents.

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Adopt a Family

If you find yourself asking the question "What do I get someone who has everything?" in regards to buying gifts for your extended family, maybe you should consider adopting a local family in need.

Your entire family could pool their gift giving money together to purchase a Christmas or Thanksgiving Dinner for a family in need, along with presents for the children, and a larger item, perhaps a used washer, for example, for the parents.

This would not only feed the need for gifting in your family, but could also provide meaning for you this holiday season. Not to mention the values and lessons you would be teaching, by example, to your children.

If everyone in the family really got into the giving spirit, this could become its own family tradition, inspiring generations.

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Family Newsletter

Is your family spread out? Members all over the world?

Here's a cheap unique gifts idea: consider gifting them this holiday season with a Family Newsletter.

Make up a beautiful newsletter on your computer complete with pictures.

Feature a different family member each month (extended family) and give updates as to where they are, and what they are doing.

Present each family member with the premier edition of the newsletter, printed, in a box, with a note saying which month will be their featured month.

When their month arrives, make sure to gift them with additional copies for their friends and neighbors.

This way, each member of the family gets something meaningful and special, throughout the entire year, to enjoy for years to come. A great way to add significance to your family while providing inexpensive Christmas presents.

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Inexpensive Christmas Presents - Going No Gift

In some families, especially those whose economic situation might have taken a turn, sometimes it is best to simply have a talk with your family and let them know that you would like to stop exchanging gifts with the adults, even inexpensive Christmas presents.

We actually did this in our family last year, to a certain extent. I called up my mom around Thanksgiving and asked if it would be OK if we just sent cards to each other this year. She was very relieved, as it had been a particularly difficult year economically. She did still send gifts to the kids.

We did not do this on my husband's side of the family. We sent gifts, like usual, to the in-laws.

I have heard of several people who have attempted this, and have gotten a less than cordial response from the extended family. I have also heard of some families that smile and nod to this conversation, and then continue giving gifts anyway.

Your mileage may vary. Only you know what's best for your family, but honestly, holidays are about family and friends, and togetherness. They are not about a bunch of boxes under a tree.

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Related Pages

Holiday Gifts for Hubby and Kids

Holiday Gifts for the Extended Family

Holiday Gifts for Friends and Neighbors

Holiday Gift Planning Guide

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