Frugal, Unique Gift Ideas for Adults

I love the Christmas season. I love the songs, the lights, the joy in my children’s eyes. I am enjoying doing an advent calendar with my children this year, talking about the birth of Christ all month long and what a special gift He was and is to mankind.

Are there things not to like about this time of the year? Well yes – There’s the gift buying that goes crazy, the over flowing shopping carts, and the maxed out credit cards to go along with them, just to name a few.

Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE to buy gifts for people. I have figured out it is one of my love languages. I could go on and on buying my husband and children gifts. But we try hard to limit Christmas gifts to around three items each, with maybe a few extra gifts that all of our children can enjoy.

I was at Costco waiting to check out Friday night, and was saddened for the woman that was in front of me. She spent $450.00 on her purchase, which consisted of many DVD’s, toys, movie theatre tickets, etc. She let out an audible groan when she saw the total, and I groaned inside for her. While we definitely spend more money in December on gifts, I don’t go out and just buy something for someone out of desperation because I can’t think of anything to get them. 


One aspect of Christmas is about showing family and friends around us that we care for them. Last year I really wanted to give gifts to my husband’s extended family which is something we had not done before. I knew I couldn’t afford to go out and buy gifts for every family, so I got creative and made a gift basket of sorts.

Don’t feel like you have to buy another perfume set, bath and body lotion set, or a generic candle from Walmart for those people on your Christmas list that you can’t figure out what they want or need. I’m sure we all have people like that on our gift giving list. Here are some great ideas of gifts that are unique, practical, and useful.

Gift Baskets

For extended family members this year I’m planning on putting together gift baskets that include either my favorite crescent rolls, loaf of bread, or cinnamon rolls that I make, a muffin in a jar mix, and a really nice bar of goats milk soap from Victorian Rose Soap Company (check out the great giveaway they have going on here at their website).  I always have baking ingredients on hand as I buy flour in bulk. My only real big upfront cost will be ordering the soap but it’s important to me that these family members know we care about them, so I think we can handle the $5-6 dollars per family on the soap. The family members receiving these will be my husband’s grandpa, and aunts and uncles. They honestly have everything they need, but I know the food will get eaten and who wouldn’t use a nice bar of homemade soap?

Giving the gift of service

Do you have a special talent that would be useful to a family member? If you sew, craft, clean houses, do woodworking, electrical work, ect. you could always gift someone your time to help them out. My husband used to build cabinets for a living and still owns all of his equipment. His mom has a special project in her house that needs done and has requested that as her Christmas gift from him. Think outside of the normal gift wrapped in a package and see what talents you have been given to bless someone with.

Give the gift of knowledge or encouragement


Do you know a mom in your life that is struggling with keeping up with her house, family, homeschooling, or job? I think that could be all of us! Why not bless her with some encouragement, and enrich her with some knowledge? Here are some great ideas that don’t cost that much.