Ideas for a Thrifty Christmas

It's that time of year again - where Capitalism has a collective orgasm - as we lose all sense of control and vomit Christmas all over everything in an explosion of commercial excess!

I'm being a little facetious, of course (but just a little...)

It's so easy to get carried away at this time of year. Everything is shiny! How can you resist?

Everyone is either telling you to spend, spend, spend - or save, save, save.

I'm on the saving side!

There are plenty of great lifestyle bloggers talking about how to have a successful, yet thrifty Christmas - I'm calling it 'Thriftmas'

#Thriftmas


I don't have children and have a relatively small family, therefore, a not unwieldy list of presents to provide.

Let the social convention commence - How much to spend on who? What's appropriate as you predict how generous, or stingy, each recipient is likely to be?

Let's just ignore all that nonsense and create gifts that are personal, heartfelt, tailored to the receiver and don't break the bank, instead!


I love having an excuse to get my craft on and make things at this time of year!

I had a homemade Christmas last year and blogged about it: All I Want For Christmas, 2015

Here are a few quick things you can do to have a crafty and thrifty Christmas... 


Quick Thrift Tips

Gift tags: Cut up last year's Christmas cards to use as gift tags. It's pathetically simple, cut out an image or word, some larger cards with lots of small images can even become several tags. Hole punch a corner and thread through scraps of ribbon.

Ribbon: Keep the ribbon scraps cut from clothing, off cuts from other projects and from presents you've received. I also take the tiny bits of ribbon off crackers once they've been pulled. Keep ribbon scraps collected throughout the year in a box (I have a drawer of them) and use them for gift tags, wrapping etc.

Wrapping paper: We waste so much wrapping paper. I saw a report online saying in the UK alone there is enough wrapping paper wasted at Christmas to stretch to the moon!

Get into thrifty habits and start saving any gift wrap you can reuse. Save any tissue paper or other large sheets of paper used to wrap purchases you've made throughout the year.

Pages from magazines and newspapers, even brown paper can be dressed with ribbon to make lovely gift wrap.

Wrap any household gifts in a tea towel so the wrapping also becomes part of the gift. Scraps of fabric can also make lovely gift wrap.

Fabrics: When I have an item of clothing that is irrevocably stained or damaged (therefore unsuitable for charity), I cut it into fabric squares that can be used for other projects. Some basic sewing skills can turn these scraps into patchwork projects, cushion covers etc. for gifts. Or, if you are giving a gift to a crafty friend, trim the scraps into fat quarters with pinking shears, iron flat, fold nicely and wrap with ribbon to give as a gift. My sister, Artist Chloe Birnie, always loves getting little fabric stacks as a gift!


Hampers: I made hampers last year and will do some again this year.

They're so simple (and inexpensive) to put together and look expensive and impressive.

As an example, last year I made an 'Indian Cuisine themed hamper' for my mum and dad. I bought a cheap balti dish then sat some sachets of Indian spices, a bag of Bombay mix, mini cans of coconut milk and a jar of homemade Mango chutney in it, padded out with shredded tissue paper, wrapped it in cellophane, secured it with ribbon and added a nice printed tag. It looked great and cost me less than a fiver!

Made from brown paper and doilies

Save baskets and nice boxes throughout the year and repurpose them for hampers. Or, make your own!

I'm making baskets again this year by weaving strips of brown paper or magazines together. Here's a handy how-to Pin.

Ideas: I have a secret Pinterest board of ideas for gifts that I fill throughout the year so when it comes to the run up to Christmas I have no shortage of inspiration.



What are you doing to save  money and create lovely, memorable gifts this Christmas?