*This is a collaborative post
Christmas is right around the corner, and if you’re not as organised as you’d like to be, then perhaps you have a number of gifts still left to buy for people! If you’re struggling knowing what to get and a standard gift set from a shop doesn’t seem quite right, here are some great alternatives that might suit depending on your budget and situation.
Experience gifts
If you don’t want to give a standard wrapped gift, how about an experience day? It could be anything from a trip to a massage and facial spa, to tickets for a show, an afternoon tea experience, a hot air balloon ride or anything in between! It’s something you and the recipient could do together, meaning you also get the gift of quality time being spent. Have a think about what your loved one likes to do and go from there. If you’re unsure and need ideas, there are lots of companies which sell these things specifically and have pages and pages you can scroll through, or filter by age, gender or interests. If the person you’re gifting too isn’t that materialistic, or on the other hand is the sort of person who already seems to own everything then something like this would be ideal to give them.
Something homemade
Homemade gifts really are from the heart, it shows you’ve gone to the time and effort to create something they’ll really love. It could be anything from baked goods like beautifully decorated cookies or cupcakes, or it could be homemade jams, jellies and chutneys. You could infuse your own gin with your favourite botanicals, or you could knit, sew, paint or craft something. If you don’t have any special crafting skills, a great homemade gift idea is to make a hamper. Fill a basket with Christmassy crepe paper and then add a selection of smaller items the person would love. For example, things like fluffy socks, chocolate, wine, a teddy bear, photo frame, pyjamas and biscuits are all options. If you wanted to bump up the value, you could always put a gift card inside too. These sorts of things can be made fairly cheaply so are a good option if you’re on a budget.
Donation to charity
Love Christmas, but hate the materialistic side of things? Why not agree to give gifts of charity donations on each others behalf this year? Alternatively, if you want to give someone a gift and they’ve made it clear they don’t want anything then this is a good option, because while it’s on their behalf the donation goes to a great cause. There are so many appeals at Christmas time that there’s no shortage of charities to choose from, have a look through and gift to one that you think your recipient would appreciate. For example, if they’re an animal lover then a donation to an animal shelter could be the way to go. If they’re involved with homeless work or often give to homeless people then a donation to a shelter could be something that warms their hearts.
No gift Christmas
Finally, this might sound a little Scrooge like but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re all on a budget or just don’t want the waste or consumerism that’s linked with Christmas, you could always agree to no gifts. Instead, you could make each other beautiful handmade cards or write a beautiful note or poem to each other. Celebrate the day by eating a meal and having fun, playing games, watching movies and all of that. It just means you don’t make gifts the star of the show. If you and your family all have similar views on this then having a chat and agreeing to no gifts is something you all might appreciate.
Annie is a self-taught baker, recipe developer and food photographer. She has a slight obsession with tennis, motorsport, makeup, handbags and sunglasses! 
