I reckon the majority of people reading this are, probably like me, a poor little student. For us, Christmas is less about giving, and more about.... trying to stay out of your overdraft for as long as possible until January loans come in. This makes buying gifts especially hard, especially if you have a big family (thanks to my sister for providing two extra nieces to add to the mix).
Although you may not be able to send your mum to the Maldives, or buy your boyfriend that fancy pants watch he's always wanted, you can still give them something they'll appreciate when they open their pressies on Christmas morning (although probably not as much as the Maldives). I think gifts that have meaning are often a much better way to show your love, than buying another 'home is where the dog is' plaque for your hallway. At least this way, your gifts are unique and personalised to whoever you choose to gift them to.

I've got 3 DIY gift ideas, that vary from being (almost) completely free, to around £20 (although this can be tailored to your budget).

The first and (almost) free gift idea are personalised vouchers. This usually works best for parents, or you could gift it to your housemates if you're the messy one of the group. This is as simple as finding some paper and pens, and getting creative with ideas. Think of what your mum always nags you to do, is it to tidy your room? or is it to wash the pots? Whatever it is, write a voucher for that task the your parents can cash in on their voucher whenever they choose. I'm sure after a long day at work, a clean kitchen would come in more handy than a Segway tour for 2.



The next gift idea is perfect for a friends Secret Santa, it's low cost, but will probably mean a lot to the person receiving it. All you need is a basic photo frame (I got mine from Wilko's for £1.50), some string and some pegs (again from Wilko's for a pound each) and some photo's of you and the person your giving it to (I got my photo's by using the 'FreePrints' app, which didn't cost me a penny). You could also include ticket stubs, or business cards from restaurants or any other places you've visited together.



All you have to do is cut your photos to fit, attach them to the string with your pegs, place the backing paper over the top and finish by replacing the back of the photo frame. This takes no time at all, and is a different way of giving a photo.



The final DIY gift is a Pamper Hamper! (haha excuse the pun, I couldn't resist). I've made these for my mum, sister and my boyfriends mum (sorry, spoilers if you're reading this!). You can customise this for your budget and for the person you're giving it to. Although I've made 3 of these, each one is personalised to the person I'm giving it to. Most of the things in here are from either Primark, Wilko or Soap and Glory (Boots).



In mine I've included: A snuggly pair of pyjamas, a scented candle, their favourite chocolates, a personalised mug, a Soap and Glory 'Fizz-a-Ball' bath bomb and the 'She's a Natural' Day and Night face and eye palette.


P.S. Soap and Glory have some great  affordable gifts on 3 for 2 right now, a 'Happy Pamper' gift set would go perfectly with this! (You can also get 20% off when you spend £15 or more on Soap and Glory products online with the code 'OFF20SG'! Shhh.. there's only a certain number of codes available so get shopping!)

I hope these give you some ideas for gifts on a budget that don't sacrifice the personal element of giving at Christmas! Please leave a comment letting me know if you tried any of these or if you have your own ideas for budget friendly gifts (that I could use!).

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this post,
Lots of Love
Emma x



Useful Links :
http://www.boots.com/soap-and-glory/soap-and-glory-gifts

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During winter when the days get shorter and the temperature plummets, like me, your mood may suffer. To pick myself up I like to have a super cosy evening, and really focus on myself with a good pamper session.