The Gift Cupboard

A really great idea when you are looking to give cheap Christmas presents is a 'gift cupboard'. This can be a drawer, cupboard or box that you fill with gifts. Throughout the year, you can pick up items on special to fill up your gift cupboard so that you have a supply of gifts ready when Christmas time comes. This is easier than trying to save money throughout the year in my opinion.

So what should you buy? Depending on the age of those that you buy for, it could range from colouring books and pencils to hand creams, shower gels, costume jewellery, novels, chocolate etc. You can buy items that would be good to make into your own gift baskets (I have posted a few ideas for that previously). The best things about this idea is that you always have an excuse to shop! and that if you have forgotten somebody's birthday, you might be able to borrow something from your gift cupboard to make a last minute present as well :-) (not that any of us have ever forgotten a birthday!!)

Gift Baskets Part 2

So much inspiration, such a small attention span :-)

More ideas for lovely gift baskets.


For the loveable nerd in your life - blank CDs/ DVDs, printer ink (as long as you know exactly which one to buy), any USB gadets (e.g. memory sticks, USB coffee warmer, USB massager try here for inspiration), a comfy cushion for the computer chair or some computer magazines.

Baby gift basket, for the baby and mother - bibs, bottles, pacifiers/dummies, a bunny rug, soft toys (make sure they are labelled as being suitable for babies), a photo frame for pictures of the baby and some booties.

Movie lover's basket - one or more DVDs to enjoy at home, popcorn, lollies or any movie snack, movie tickets (and maybe the offer of babysitting if they have kids) and the latest movie magazine.

The gardener's basket - ideally, this should all be contained in a nice plant pot, either a plain terracotta pot or a decorated pot. This could contain - packets of seeds, gardening gloves, a book on gardening or a certain type of plant, a hat to wear while gardening or tools such as a small shovel or secateurs.

Your own gift baskets

I find gift baskets and hampers very exciting! Once you unwrap your gift, you find many more surprises awaiting. Pre-made gift baskets are generally quite expensive when you consider the contents, a much better idea, of course, is to make them yourself. This not only saves money, but makes sure that all the contents are useful to or wanted by the receiver. While everyone's tastes are unique, I would like to provide some theme ideas to get you started, you can customise them with your own ideas too.

Firstly, even though I have referred to these as gift 'baskets' you don't necessarily have to use a basket to contain all the gifts. You can use a variety of cardboard or metal boxes, bowls or plastic storage containers to hold all the gifts. It is even better, in my opinion, to use a container that the recipient can reuse, so it forms part of your gift too.

Gift Basket themes:

Stationery - could consist of small notebooks, funky coloured paper-clips, highlighters, a refillable pen or stickers.

Bath & body - could consist of bath bombs, bath salts or crystals, a face mask, aromatherapy candles, massage oil, a pumice stone (for scrubbing feet), talcum powder or a deep conditioner for hair.

Food basket - could consist of canned nuts, pretzels or potato chips, chocolate in a block or box, beef jerky, marshmallows, nuts still in the shell with a nut-cracker, a can of soda or caramel popcorn.

more to come...