Ultimate List of Budget Christmas Gift Ideas
- Replies 7
Note from the Editor:
This article was kindly written for the SDC by member @Iggydi.
Well, Christmas is approaching fast (faster than one would like), and I, being a Tammy Takeover sort of person, would like to give some ideas on gifts for families to enjoy.
I have given the gifts I am about to share with you to family members over the years and often get feedback on how much they enjoyed getting them and how practical they were.
Christmas is (or can be) a very stressful time, so I thought I’d share what I have made for our family members with multiple children/teenagers.
You can spend as much or as little as you like on these gifts. You can add little extras or just keep it simple. Every family is different, so you can put in what you know they like.
Suggested inclusions:
I usually buy everything on special and that saves a lot of money. I put one bon bon for each person in the basket/box.
I usually buy the drumsticks. So, if there are 2 adults and 2 kids, I buy a 4 pack if there are more kids, I buy the mini packs, which have 6 cones in them.
I love Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs, which are caramel popcorn with nuts, so if you know someone and they have a nut allergy, these aren’t suitable
Arrange everything in the basket or box and wrap the hamper in the cellophane. Decorate with a ribbon or tinsel
If you are making it for friends who are single, you can buy the box of small individual chips and popcorn or mini tins/small bottles of soft drink, mini drumsticks or ice blocks and divide between the boxes and share packs of lollies. Note: This might be a bit more expensive, but if you have 5 friends they get 2 small packets of chips, popcorn and lollies and 1 drumstick each. Add 1 bon bon for each person.
Prices are accurate as of 1/11/23 (including some specials).
Suggested inclusions:
Arrange the cheese, crackers, relish, etc. on board/platter and wrap in cellophane. You might like to add a few bon bons on the tray as well
This is based on a majority of homebrand products.
Prices are accurate as of 1/11/23 (including some specials).
Suggested inclusions:
If the brand names of these items are on sale and there is very little difference in price I usually buy them.
Presentation:
A cane basket or a box decorated with Christmas Paper, Christmas bon bons and cellophane.
Arrange everything in the basket or box and wrap the hamper in the cellophane. Decorate with a ribbon or tinsel.
This is based on a majority of homebrand products.
Prices are accurate as of 1/11/23 (including some specials).
Suggested inclusions:
Presentation:
A cane basket or a box decorated with Christmas Paper, Christmas bon bons and cellophane.
Arrange everything in the basket or box and wrap the hamper in the cellophane. Decorate with a ribbon or tinsel
Ingredients
400 gram Whittakers Coconut Block Chocolate
1 packet of Pascall Marshmallows 280gram
1 packet of The Natural Confectionery Company (TNCC) fruit salad jubes
Method
Ingredients
170g butter
60g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
170g plain flour
60g Custard powder
Decorations
White chocolate melts
Mini M&Ms
Writing gel icing black and orange or yellow
Snake lollies. I use Allens snakes
White Marshmallows
Method
Decorate
Ingredients
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces (I use 100g milk and 100g dark chocolate)
50g butter
125mls (1/2 cup) thin cream
Bottle or container that has been sterilised
Method
Combine chocolate, butter and cream in a heat-resistant bowl or in the top of a double saucepan and stir over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and well combined (see microwave tip). Serve warm.
Keep leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. To reheat, place in a heat-resistant bowl or in the top of a double saucepan and heat over a saucepan of simmering water until melted, stirring only occasionally (see microwave tip). If required, add a little extra thin cream to the sauce to make it into a pouring consistency.
Microwave tip: Combine chocolate, butter and cream in a microwave-safe, heat-resistant jug. Heat uncovered for 3-5 minutes on Medium/500 watts/50%, stirring every minute. To reheat leftover sauce, cook for 1-2 minutes on Medium-High/650 watts/70% and stir before serving.
Ingredients:
1 ½ kg ripe tomatoes, chopped with skins on after removing any obvious blemishes
500 grams brown onions, peeled and chopped (approximately 3-4 medium onions)
2 tablespoons salt
2 cups sugar, I use raw but any sugar is fine
3 teaspoons curry powder (or 1 tablespoon)
¼ teaspoon chilli powder or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 tablespoon Keens dry mustard powder
2 cups malt vinegar
Method:
Ingredients
2 Punnet of Strawberries
150 ml thickened cream
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp caster sugar
Black writing gel
Method
For wrapping, buy a box of Bon Bons (the price varies on where you buy them from and how many you want), a cellophane roll (usually around $2.50), curling ribbon/string/tinsel to tie and gift tags/stickers.
Have a great Christmas everyone.
From the Editor
A huge thank you to member @Iggydi for this comprehensive and thoughtful guide of Christmas gifts.
Do you have any ideas of your own to add? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Interested in reading more from member @Iggydi?
Check out:
Battle of the Homebrand Salted Butter: Woolies vs. ALDI vs. Coles vs. IGA
Battle of the Vanilla Extracts: Woolies vs. ALDI vs. Coles vs. Premium
We were only able to create this content because of the financial support of SDC Rewards members. If you'd like to see more of this (and a lot fewer ads!), please consider supporting us and signing up for SDC Rewards today—it starts at just 14 cents per day.
This article was kindly written for the SDC by member @Iggydi.
Well, Christmas is approaching fast (faster than one would like), and I, being a Tammy Takeover sort of person, would like to give some ideas on gifts for families to enjoy.
I have given the gifts I am about to share with you to family members over the years and often get feedback on how much they enjoyed getting them and how practical they were.
Christmas is (or can be) a very stressful time, so I thought I’d share what I have made for our family members with multiple children/teenagers.
You can spend as much or as little as you like on these gifts. You can add little extras or just keep it simple. Every family is different, so you can put in what you know they like.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Guide to making your own hampers this Christmas (with prices!)
Movie Pack Hamper (cost is approximately $20)
Prices are accurate as of 1/11/23 (including some specials).Suggested inclusions:
- 1 packet of Fantale-like lollies.
- Cadbury Pascall Caramels – $3.80
- 1 packet of popcorn (plain or popcorn that you can microwave)
- Movietime Popcorn Bag Multi-Coloured – $2.60, or
- Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs – $3, or
- Poppin Microwave Popcorn Butter Flavour – $2
- 1 packet of chips
- Thins – $2.35
- 2 large soft drinks
- Schweppes 1 litre soft drink – $1.40
- Either a gift card for ice creams (or drumsticks, home brand cones or ice creams you know they like)
- Drumsticks 4 or 6-pack or Connoisseur 4-pack – $4.75
- Can also add a movie gift card if you want
- A cane basket or a box decorated with Christmas Paper, Christmas bon bons and cellophane
I usually buy everything on special and that saves a lot of money. I put one bon bon for each person in the basket/box.
I usually buy the drumsticks. So, if there are 2 adults and 2 kids, I buy a 4 pack if there are more kids, I buy the mini packs, which have 6 cones in them.
I love Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs, which are caramel popcorn with nuts, so if you know someone and they have a nut allergy, these aren’t suitable
Arrange everything in the basket or box and wrap the hamper in the cellophane. Decorate with a ribbon or tinsel
If you are making it for friends who are single, you can buy the box of small individual chips and popcorn or mini tins/small bottles of soft drink, mini drumsticks or ice blocks and divide between the boxes and share packs of lollies. Note: This might be a bit more expensive, but if you have 5 friends they get 2 small packets of chips, popcorn and lollies and 1 drumstick each. Add 1 bon bon for each person.
Cheese Platter (price varies)
Prices are accurate as of 1/11/23 (including some specials).
Suggested inclusions:
- Cheese Board, long or round platter
- For example, Kmart’s cheese platters include: 2 Pack Mini Boards with Glass Holder ($10), Round Paddle Serve Board ($12), Wooden Serving Board with Handles ($15), Midnight Glazed Platter ($7), Bamboo Lazy Susan ($19).
- Assorted cheeses (as many as or as few as you like).
- Tasmanian Heritage Trilogy Cheese – $5.10,
- Apricot and Almond Cream Cheese – from $3.50 to $5.10,
- Old Telegraph Road Camembert 110g – $4.50,
- Mon Ami French Brie Portions 240g – $4.90
- Homemade tomato relish (recipe supplied)
- Crackers
- Captain’s Table Water Crackers – $1.80,
- Olina's Artisan Cracker Biscuits – $4,
- Kurrajong Kitchen Lavosh Bites Original – $4.30
- Crustini Italian Bruschetta toast – $4.50
- Semi dried tomatoes (bottle or fresh)
- Olives (bottle or fresh)
- Salami/Pancetta
- Grapes and/or apricots
- Cellophane
Arrange the cheese, crackers, relish, etc. on board/platter and wrap in cellophane. You might like to add a few bon bons on the tray as well
Baking Hamper #1 (cost is approximately $20)
This is based on a majority of homebrand products.
Prices are accurate as of 1/11/23 (including some specials).
Suggested inclusions:
- Self Raising flour 1kg – $1.40
- Plain Flour 1kg – $1.40
- Icing Sugar 1kg – $3.20
- Castor sugar 1kg – $2.60
- Vanilla essence 50ml – $4.00
- Cocoa 375gm – $4.00
- Butter *optional – $3.70
- A copy of your favourite biscuit and or cake recipe
If the brand names of these items are on sale and there is very little difference in price I usually buy them.
Presentation:
A cane basket or a box decorated with Christmas Paper, Christmas bon bons and cellophane.
Arrange everything in the basket or box and wrap the hamper in the cellophane. Decorate with a ribbon or tinsel.
Baking Hamper #2 (cost is approximately $20)
This is based on a majority of homebrand products.
Prices are accurate as of 1/11/23 (including some specials).
Suggested inclusions:
- 1 boxed cake mix – Between $1.20 and $7.00 depending on the brand
- 1 boxed cookie mix – Homebrand $1.20, Greens $3.50, Betty Crocker $7, White Wings $6
- 1 Brownie cake mix – $3.50
- 1 packet of cup cake cases – Between $3 and $4
- Icing sugar – $3.20
- Sprinkles – Between $2.30 and $6
Presentation:
A cane basket or a box decorated with Christmas Paper, Christmas bon bons and cellophane.
Arrange everything in the basket or box and wrap the hamper in the cellophane. Decorate with a ribbon or tinsel
Homemade Gift Ideas
Rocky Road
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Ingredients
400 gram Whittakers Coconut Block Chocolate
1 packet of Pascall Marshmallows 280gram
1 packet of The Natural Confectionery Company (TNCC) fruit salad jubes
Method
- Melt chocolate (I use the microwave 1 minute and 30 seconds on 50%). Check the chocolate and, if needed, heat for a further 30 seconds at 50%).
- Cut jubes in half or thirds.
- Make sure the chocolate is not too hot otherwise the marshmallow will melt.
- Mix small amounts of marshmallows and jubes stirring until coated keep adding until all marshmallows and jubes are used.
- Put in a rectangle container and refrigerate. Once set take out of container and cut into squares.
Melting Snowmen
Image Credit: Taste.com/Coles
Ingredients
170g butter
60g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
170g plain flour
60g Custard powder
Decorations
White chocolate melts
Mini M&Ms
Writing gel icing black and orange or yellow
Snake lollies. I use Allens snakes
White Marshmallows
Method
- Beat butter and sugar to a cream
- Sift flower, salt and custard powder together
- Gradually add dry mixture to butter mixture and mix into a stiff paste
- Scoop 1 heaped teaspoon of mix and roll into balls
- Press balls down with hand to make odd roundish shapes
- Bake in a slow to moderate oven (130 to 160 degrees) until pale golden
- Cool before decorating
Decorate
- Melt white chocolate and spread nearly over the biscuit (make it look like it is melting)
- Put marshmallow on melted chocolate at top or side of biscuit
- Put a couple of mini M&Ms just under marshmallow head like buttons
- Use black gel icing to make arms, eyes and mouth
- Cut snake lolly and put around marshmallow like a scarf
- Use a slither of orange or a yellow snake for the nose or use the writing gel
- Put in fridge to set chocolate
Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Ingredients
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces (I use 100g milk and 100g dark chocolate)
50g butter
125mls (1/2 cup) thin cream
Bottle or container that has been sterilised
Method
Combine chocolate, butter and cream in a heat-resistant bowl or in the top of a double saucepan and stir over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and well combined (see microwave tip). Serve warm.
Keep leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. To reheat, place in a heat-resistant bowl or in the top of a double saucepan and heat over a saucepan of simmering water until melted, stirring only occasionally (see microwave tip). If required, add a little extra thin cream to the sauce to make it into a pouring consistency.
Microwave tip: Combine chocolate, butter and cream in a microwave-safe, heat-resistant jug. Heat uncovered for 3-5 minutes on Medium/500 watts/50%, stirring every minute. To reheat leftover sauce, cook for 1-2 minutes on Medium-High/650 watts/70% and stir before serving.
Tomato and Onion Relish
(Yield is approximately 6 medium jars and all measurements are level)
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Ingredients:
1 ½ kg ripe tomatoes, chopped with skins on after removing any obvious blemishes
500 grams brown onions, peeled and chopped (approximately 3-4 medium onions)
2 tablespoons salt
2 cups sugar, I use raw but any sugar is fine
3 teaspoons curry powder (or 1 tablespoon)
¼ teaspoon chilli powder or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 tablespoon Keens dry mustard powder
2 cups malt vinegar
Method:
- Chop tomatoes into smallish cubes. Chop onions finely and place all in a large bowl or container.
- Stir in the salt thoroughly. Leave covered at room temperature overnight.
- Next day, place all the mixture into a large saucepan or small boiler (lid not required).
- Add the sugar then stir over a low heat until it is dissolved.
- Increase the heat, bringing the mixture to the boil. Boil for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, combine the curry, mustard and chilli powders/flakes in a small bowl then mix to a smooth paste with some of the 2 cups of malt vinegar. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Stir this mixture into the tomato onion mixture. Add the rest of the vinegar and stir to combine.
- Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat to keep it slowly boiling and leave for 60 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking. Beware of splashes, as boiling sugar is dangerously hot! It will slowly thicken a little.
- If necessary (and it probably will be), thicken the finished relish with 3 level tablespoons of cornflour dissolved in a smallish amount of malt vinegar – it should be a smooth paste consistency. Trickle this in slowly, as you stir gently in a figure eight to avoid any lumps. Boil for a further 5 minutes to cook the flour fully.
- Cool slightly in the pot and then very carefully pour into pre-sterilised jars, leave for 15 minutes, then seal with the thoroughly washed lids. I use a soup ladle into a gravy boat as it has a narrow spout for pouring.
- The filled jars should be stored in the fridge and will keep for a year. (They don’t last that long anyway!)
Strawberry Santas
Ingredients
2 Punnet of Strawberries
150 ml thickened cream
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp caster sugar
Black writing gel
Method
- Whip cream with the vanilla and sugar until very stiff. Place in a freezer bag, or piping bag and snip off the end.
- The cream needs to be whipped until very stiff to hold up the Santa hats. Be careful not to overdo it and turn the cream to butter!
- Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towel. Slice the stalk end off, so that the strawberry sits flat. Slice across each strawberry about halfway up.
- Pipe cream onto the cut strawberry and place the ‘hat’ back on. Pipe a little dot of cream onto the top. Use the writing get to make the eyes.
For wrapping, buy a box of Bon Bons (the price varies on where you buy them from and how many you want), a cellophane roll (usually around $2.50), curling ribbon/string/tinsel to tie and gift tags/stickers.
Have a great Christmas everyone.
From the Editor
A huge thank you to member @Iggydi for this comprehensive and thoughtful guide of Christmas gifts.
Do you have any ideas of your own to add? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Interested in reading more from member @Iggydi?
Check out:
Battle of the Homebrand Salted Butter: Woolies vs. ALDI vs. Coles vs. IGA
Battle of the Vanilla Extracts: Woolies vs. ALDI vs. Coles vs. Premium
We were only able to create this content because of the financial support of SDC Rewards members. If you'd like to see more of this (and a lot fewer ads!), please consider supporting us and signing up for SDC Rewards today—it starts at just 14 cents per day.
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