Christmas Gift Ideas

You will need:

• Adhesives: Hot glue gun, craft glue
• Tools: Scissors & cutters, mat (work surface).
• Colour/Detailing: Acrylic paints, paintbrushes.
• Candle additions: Wicks, fragrances.
• Containers: Heat-safe jars.
• Fabric: Cotton, felt, fleece.
• Quilting: Thread, needles, pins.

Christmas is the prime gift-giving season. The opportunity to show your gratitude to everyone. There are so many Christmas gift ideas, so many people to buy gifts for, and very little time to do it. The process can often be overwhelming, but it should be fun, it’s Christmas after all. This is why we’ve created a detailed, structured guide to make it easier for you to give memorable, meaningful gifts to everyone on your list this Christmas.

This guide will cover everything from budget-friendly Secret Santa ideas to hand made gifts. It will also explore the ‘5 Christmas Gift Rules’, and how you can successfully apply them to each of the lucky people on your list. It will also help you figure out what might be the best types of gifts for each person, all whilst ensuring that you stick to your budget and aren’t forced into panic buying gifts last-minute.

Why good Christmas gift ideas matter

Good Christmas gift ideas matter because it empowers you to show people how much you care, all whilst not spending more than your budget. We all know how expensive Christmas can be. Sometimes, a thoughtful Secret Santa idea can be much better suited than a high-priced gift. It also helps you to give gifts that are specific to the people receiving them, making them more meaningful, rather than just generic. Planning ahead carefully, using a tried and tested framework, means that you’re less likely to have more time to think about the gifts. Which means no panic buying, which can often lead to purchasing generic and expensive gifts, which the recipient is less likely to appreciate. Following a framework also helps when getting gifts for different types of people.

The 5 Christmas gift rules to make gift-giving easier

The 5 Christmas gift rules that make gift-giving more enjoyable, for both you and your recipients, are:

• Rule 1: Something they want
• Rule 2: Something they need
• Rule 3: Something to wear
• Rule 4: Something to read
• Rule 5: Something to make or create

Rule 1 – Something they want

For these Christmas gift ideas, think about getting them something that they’ve repeatedly mentioned they want from you this year. Or it could be something that you know aligns perfectly with their interests, but they haven’t mentioned it to you. It’s all about the thought process; the price of the gift isn’t as relevant.

Rule 2 – Something they need

These types of Christmas gift ideas are focused on practicality. An item of theirs could have broken, or they could have lost it, and they haven’t replaced it yet. Because you’ve done your homework, you could be the one to replace it for them.

You can also think about getting them something that you know will help them in their daily life. Price isn’t a factor here, it’s more important to think, how will their lives improve with this gift. Christmas Eve boxes can be a good place to start when it comes to getting the things your loved ones need to decorate their home.

Rule 3 – Something to wear

Buying clothing, such as scarves, hats or jumpers, particularly if they’re personalized, can be a great Christmas gift idea. A lot of people enjoy receiving clothing as a gift, especially when you get them something that suits them perfectly.

Rule 4 – Something to read

If the person, or people, that you’re gifting enjoy reading, this Christmas gift idea could be the one for them. It doesn’t have to be a typical book either, it could be many other things that people read, such as comics, magazines, hobby guides or craft inspiration titles. Have a good think about the type of publication they’d like beforehand.

Rule 5 – Something to make or create

With these gift ideas, you’re giving them the tools to bring their imagination to life, or express themselves through their favourite art form. Both can be quite a positive emotional experience, they may even ask you to join in the creation process with them to say thank you. The sorts of items to look out for are Christmas craft ideas, DIY tools, creative tools and art supplies.

Why the Christmas gift rule book works

Sticking to a structured approach when thinking of Xmas gift ideas can make your Christmas gift shopping experience much more pleasant.

• Family Fairness

  Kids are less likely to feel left out because their present wasn’t as ‘good’ as someone else’s.

• Simple decision-making

  Having a structure means that you can shop in quite a relaxed manner for Christmas gifts. You’ll be much more confident about choosing what to get everyone on your list.

  It also reduces the likelihood of you becoming overwhelmed with all the options available to you.

• Meaning over money

  It helps you focus on the impact that the gift will have on the recipient vs. the price of it. The two things are not always correlated.

• Balance

  It gives you a wide scope of Xmas gift ideas that range from highly practical to highly desirable.

  It’s important to note that this approach can be used for everyone on your list, no matter their age, or relationship to you.

Types of Christmas gifts to consider

Handmade gifts

In today’s technology-first world, a handmade gift really stands out, as it takes much more time and effort than the digital equivalent. The recipient knows that you had to purposely go out of your way to make their gift with your hands. This is why it’s a wonderful Xmas gift idea if you really want to show how much someone means to you. Examples of these types of gifts include, homemade decorations, knitted clothing, handmade cards, and keepsake ornaments.

Personalised gifts

Personalising any gift adds a lot of emotional value to it. This could range from photo frames, Christmas cards, journals, scrapbooks, clothing, jewellery, footwear, and many more items. Personalizing can quickly turn a generic gift into something specific and sentimental. A good example of this is Christmas card making.

Budget-friendly gifts

These types of Xmas gift ideas are perfect if you’re looking for Secret Santa gift ideas, or in a situation where you have a restricted budget and don’t know the person well, so it’s difficult to figure out precisely what they’d like as a gift. These are generally in the range of between £10-£20. Examples of budget-friendly gifts include:

• Mugs
• Skincare products
• Candles
• Diffusers
• Chocolate
• Socks
• Hats

Experience-based gifts

These gift ideas for Christmas very much lean into the ‘memories over materials’ mantra. They are all about providing an unforgettable, intangible experience for the recipient that they’ll be talking about long after Christmas ends. Examples include activity vouchers, craft classes, and creative kits.

Creative & DIY gifts

Creating Christmas crafts for kids is one of many great gift ideas for Christmas for those who are naturally creative or would like to spend more of their time creating tangible things. You’d be giving them the tools to do some of the things they love for a long time. Some of the items to consider are:

• Painting kits
• Craft sets
• Jewellery making kits
• Sewing/Crochet kits
• Pottery sets
• Baking kits

How to plan your gifts using this rule book

Step 1 – Set your total Christmas budget

Taking into account your financial situation, figure out what a realistic budget is for your gift ideas for Christmas. Once you have that number, stick to it.

You can then allocate a rough amount you can spend per person. It’s also good to prioritise key people when planning gifts, e.g. parents, children, and spouse.

Step 2 – List each recipient & note their interests

Make a list of all the people you need to get gifts for. Go through this list and add key details you need to know so you can get them a meaningful gift. Some of the information to think about includes:

• Have they mentioned anything specific that they’d want or need?
• Have you noticed anything that they’d want or need?
• What type of things do they generally like to do?

Step 3 – Match each person to the 5 gift rules

The table below shows how you can use the formula to reduce guesswork.

Step 4 – Start shopping early to avoid stress

It’s always better to begin your shopping for your gift ideas for Christmas as early as you can, as this means you’re more likely to:

• Have more suitable options, as there are likely to be more items in stock earlier in the Christmas period.
• Get a better deal, as leaving things last minute means demand is high, but supply is low, which drives up prices.
• Have more time to hand make or personalise gifts. This sort of craft can sometimes take longer than you think, whilst being enjoyable.

Step 5 – Keep a simple tracking sheet

Keeping track of your Christmas shopping journey will help you to avoid going over your total budget, and ensure you’re sticking to your plan. For example, if you’ve focused on Secret Santa ideas, but are starting to be swayed by higher-priced items, it can be a good reminder to stay on track.

Gift giving can be nerve-racking, and sometimes wrought with second thoughts. So, referring back to this can also help remind you that you’re on the right path, because you’ve thought a lot about it.

The magic of good Christmas gift ideas

The Christmas gift rules can help you make this Christmas the most memorable one yet for everyone you gift, and the most stress-free one for you. It gives you a reliable framework that helps you to focus on the best options within your budget, whether that’s Christmas card ideas, or something a bit more extravagant. It also shows that thoughtfulness and careful planning, and not a lot of money, can make you purchase some incredible gifts for your loved ones.