- Do you still have old Christmas cards form last year? Or extra cards that you can't send out because they are identical to those you sent last year? Why not re-use those cards and save some money this Christmas. Cards with simple, bold designs are the easiest to reuse. Cut around the design, be it a santa or a snowman, use a hole punch to make a hole for ribbon or thread and turn it into a gift tag for your presents. You can also use this idea to create simple tree ornaments, or even a decorative hanging mobile.
- You can wrap small match boxes or similar up like presents with gift paper glued on and fine ribbons. Attach a thread for hanging from your Cristmas tree.
- For natural, organic looking Christmas ornaments, gather pine cones whenever you come across them, dry them near a radiator or in an airing cupboard for a while and then dot them with glue and sprinkle on a little glitter. Add a thread so that you can hang them from the tree or arrange them on the mantlepiece with a sprig of holly.
- Another trick for last year's christmas cards is to cut them in half, and use the piece with the image as a postcard instead. Just try to remember who sent you which card and not return your postcard to the same person whom sent it to you!
- Buy your Christmas cards in January when the stores slash the prices.
Frugal Gift Ideas
- An inexpensive Christmas gift can be made by filling a jar with colourful boiled sweets/candy, especially if you select a colour theme such as red, white and green. Certain brands of coffee's jars are ideal for these gifts; my favourite brand (Dow Egbert) has a glass lid with a plastic/rubber seal that pulls on/off rather than a screw-on lid.
- If you are strapped for cash but have a large circle of friends to buy for, why not suggest doing a Secret Santa? Put everyone's name on a piece of paper and each person gets to draw out the name of the person they have to buy a gift for. Set a budget to make it fair and ensures no-one feels pressurised to spend too much. You could even select a theme that the gifts must follow; useful, funny, travel, etc.Tie a festive ribbon around the neck of the jar and voila, a wonderful homemade gift! This idea is great for all those aunties and uncles.
by Carolyn Muir
