40 Almost Free Christmas Gift Ideas With Little Or No Money

Updated on September 5th, 2023

Christmas is the time to give. And every year we spend big on buying presents, whether you are purchasing them for your family or friends, coworkers or clients. In addition to a gift card and cash, there are also wonderful gift ideas to make someone feel special during Christmas. When we think of giving someone a present we sometimes think that we have to spend a lot of money. We hope you can consider one of these suggestions and hopefully help you save to money some money during Christmas.

1. Regifting – Popular Free Gift Ideas

Not every Christmas gift that you receive might be so awesome that you’ll want to reuse it over and over again. In fact, many gifts that we get from birthdays, housewarmings, and father’s day might be something that we didn’t actually want. This is the perfect time to regift them at Christmas. You should never feel bad about re-gifting. It would be a waste of money if it just sat in your closet or garage and never got used or eventually end up at the rubbish tip.

2. Cook

Cooking for someone else can be a great gift. You can cook them a meal and if you really impress them cook them a three-course meal. Make something you know they will love and appreciate. This can be a great way to thank someone for being part of your life. Make a list of their favourite dishes. Once you’ve compiled a list of your favourite dishes, it is time to pick the type of meal you are going to prepare. Make sure you shop ahead of time.

3. Give The Gift of Time – An Awesome Gift

You know the saying, time is money? This intangible and precious commodity we call time is something you can give your family members, friends, or your relatives. But you’ll want to make it memorable so ask them what they would like to do together. You can hike, cook a meal together or just hang out for drinks. Or perhaps they need help with a project or some errands, no matter what it is you just need to give them your time. This totally free gift will be much appreciated and remembered. Besides spending time with the people you love is a gift in itself.

4. Teaching Or Giving Lessons – Top Gift Giving Idea

Do you know something useful? Chances are you work in a trade or have a specific skill set that you use for work or towards your hobbies. You might be fluent in play an instrument, using power tools, knitting, sewing, building or renovating, fishing, driving, public speaking, graphic design or even building websites, no matter what it might you could teach someone this as an awesome gift this Christmas.

5. Local Christmas Light Show

Every year while driving around your neighbourhood have you noticed the same houses putting up extravaganza light shows? How about this year as an early Xmas gift to someone close to you, give them an epic Christmas light show! You can find a list of houses that won awards from local councils. Once you’ve compiled your list together you’ll want to map out your route using Google Maps. You can organise the locations to find an optimal route and then make your journey to see the best light show in town.

6. Participate In Their Farvioute Charity

This year, you could participate in your recipient’s favourite charity. It might not be the type of charity work you’d do but it’s all in the honour of your friend, family member or partner. There are many ways to show how much someone means to you and this very thoughtful present is not only unique but it also helps your local community. It could involve cooking, driving, cleaning, organising and even looking after animals.

7. DIY From You To Me Journal

As a meaningful gift, this from you to me journal is a type of journal that is shared between two people. Usually between a parent and child or grandparent and child. For example, a journal you give to your dad is for him to fill out and give back to you. You might ask questions like, what are your fondest memory of me when I was growing up? Usually, you would buy a journal but you can either make one from an old scrapbook or journal that was never used or you could buy a journal for a few dollars. Conduct your research on the internet, have deep thoughts about your feelings and come up with around 20 – 30 questions. Write up a draft before you start filling up your journal to avoid making mistakes. Don’t forget you can even add photos, quotes and any inside jokes that you have.

8. Makeup A New Board Game

Create a brand new board game to give someone an amazing idea that is not only unique but also free! You need to consider whom you are creating the game for, their age, interest and hobbies. Then compare this with what games are already out on the market and start brainstorming your own unique game for them! Good luck, you might even be able to create the game and put it on Kickstarter!

9. Lend or Give Them Something of Yours

Do you know someone who’s always borrowing something from you consistently? This Christmas why not lend it to them for even longer than usual? What makes this such an awesome Christmas gift is you don’t need to spend a dime. If it’s something they’ve always wanted to buy but couldn’t afford, there is limited stock or not available locally then this is an excellent gift they’ll be happy to receive. For example, a PlayStation 5, if you have one that your friend or family was never able to get, then this would be the perfect time to lend it to them.

10. Take Them On A Picnic

A picnic on Christmas day itself as a gift could be perfect especially if it’s for the whole family. Sometimes when we’re on a budget then a special picnic the whole family can enjoy could be the perfect gift. You don’t have to especially cater for the picnic, just grab what’s available in your pantry and fridge. If you have money to spare, you could go all out and get prawns, meats from the deli, chocolates, candy, ice cream and anything else that tickets your fancy.

11. Gift of Chores

If you’re not the type to do chores, then providing the time to do chores for someone could be a gift sent from the heavens. Think of a chore that they hate doing, then offer to do that for a day, week or month. This could be even better than if were to buy gifts for them.

12. Date Night & Baby Sitting

Here’s an idea to help your friend, parents or sibling. Offer to look after their children and or family pet while they go out for a date night. You could even plan a date night for them. This idea can help to give some much-needed time off for families with younger children, especially families with new puppies.

13. Lending Your Talent

Do you have a particular skill that you can lend someone? Instead of presents this Christmas, why not offer to do something for them with your specific skills and talents? For example, if you know how to service a car (changing oil, etc), offer that to your friend, family or friend as a Christmas gift. It could be worth a few hundred dollars which is much more than an actual gift. If you’re a plumber or tradesman your gift could be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars in value.

14. Wash The Car

Washing someone’s car as a present is actually worth real money. It’s not cheap to wash cars and if you are doing this it’ll save both of you some money. If you don’t have the necessary equipment and detergent just borrow them.

15. Create Your Own Food Basket

Everybody loves getting a basket full of goodies. Why not try giving a basket full of goodies from your own pantry? A gift that didn’t cost any additional funds yet provides an ideal gift basket for Christmas. A pro tip would be not to include any type of food with short expiration dates like milk, dairy, etc. And if you’re giving away items from your own home, ensure that they are not about to expire.

16. Write A Poem or Letter

Writing a poem or letter for that special someone in your life can be a very throughtful homemade gift. You could write a draft on your computer or paper first and then edit and perfect your poem or letter. You may consider some ideas to help you make your poem or letter come alive. This includes rhyming words, metaphors, similes, personification, and allegory. Once you’re ready make sure your final draft is handwritten to give it that personal touch. If you want to get fancy you can also purchase a fancy envelope with embossed patterns on it.

17. Create a Music Playlist or Mixtape

Here’s another cheap gift idea that won’t cost a single cent. If you know someone who loves music, then why not create a playlist? If they have a subscription to Spotify, youtube music, amazon music or any other music subscription service then try to create an epic playlist for them. You could introduce them to new genres of music they’ve never tried before. Keep in mind you could also create a music video playlist of their favourite tracks as a bonus.

18. Go On An Adventure

Is there someone special in your life that yearns for some adventure? Why not plan a short trip to a mountain, a walk by the lake or ocean, a hiking trail, or a visit to all the free museums in your area? No matter what it is as long as you tailor it to what they like doing then it’ll be a huge success.

19. Bake Them Something

Do you have any baking skills? If so try baking their favourite cake, chocolate chip cookies, or croissant or just bake something they’ve never tried before. The ingredients cost very little and all it takes is your time. Give them a gift they’ll love to sink their teeth into.

20. Create A Jam

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so why not give them a Christmas jam? You can make jam from any type of fruit. Or if you’re unsure what to make just ask them what jam they prefer to eat. Any homemade jam will always taste much better than your local store-bought jam. Also perfect for your neighbours and everyone on your list.

21. Homemade Ice Cream

There are various ways one can make ice cream and you can choose to make it with the proper equipment or without them. No matter which method you choose homemade ice cream is going to taste amazing. Find out what favours they love best and try to make them. There are tons of resources online to help you create this tasty Christmas gift.

22. Free Samples Regifting

Don’t be fooled by the name samples. We often get free samples while walking on the street, passing a train station or at the shopping centre. However, some samples you get can be pretty decent. For example skincare samples, laundry detergent samples and even free trial samples like a Spotify 3 months of premium. You need to get creative here but you’ll figure it out with a little bit of brain power and time. This idea is great for anyone on your list.

23. Be A Personal Cleaner / Organiser

Not all of us can build a home, or renovate a kitchen let alone service a car. But we all have some skills in cleaning or fixing small things around the house. Why not give this gift of being a personal cleaner? You could clean a room, house, or garage or help organise someone’s home. This service can be pretty expensive so your Christmas gift might be a life-changer for someone special.

24. Create A Desktop or Phone Wallpaper

This might sound a little silly but wallpaper might be an excellent idea this Christmas. Not everyone has time to find or create their own wallpaper which is what makes this gift so special. For example, you know someone who loves Star Wars. Why not create a desktop and phone wallpaper that they can use every day? You can even use AI (Artificial intelligence) to create your images, some are totally free to use.

25. Knit Them Something

Knitting is one of the oldest hobbies out there, but it’s also a very useful skill to have. If you can knit or are willing to learn how to, then you might have an inexpensive Christmas present that’s going to stand out. We often see movies where someone wears the ultimate Christmas sweater right? How about creating one for someone you love? It could be as bright and silly as you like and they’ll have to wear it to the next Christmas party. A fun and loving gift you both can explore.

26. Make a Time capsule

A time capsule is a way to remember the past as you can only open it in the future. Giving a time capsule gift is a great way for you and someone close to you to share some precious memories in the future. It can be an old photograph, a letter, or a journal. It could also be something that is more sentimental like a video or audio recording (throw in a cassette tape if you have one it’ll be a real blast from the past). Time Capsules are a great way to give a gift that will last forever. They are fun to make and it gives you a chance to think about what you want to put in them.

27. Print Your Own Colouring Book

Most kids love a good colouring book and there’s no better gift than a colouring book full of their favourite things. You just need to know the movies and shows they like to watch and check online for the colouring version of a character they love. Other ideas you can include are food, hobbies, animals, places, and the list goes on. Create a book full of them and you can either staple them together yourself or have them bound for a small fee.

28. Take Them To An Epic Playground

With so many screen distractions for children these days, they can often lack valuable playground time. That’s why going to an epic playground as a cheap Christmas gift could make for an awesome idea. Do a search online for the best children’s playground in your area. You might be lucky to have one close by if not make a nice trip out of it by having a picnic there. A fun way to experience a new playground for some fun under the sun.

29. Epic Lolly Bag

Without a doubt all kids love lollies and there’s no better way to ruin their teeth than with an epic candy bag. There are a few ways you can create your bag with little to no additional costs. One way is to save up on your Easter chocolates. And the next is to go out trick-or-treating during the Halloween celebrations. More and more Australians partake in this American tradition so it’s a great way to save up on your lollies. Present it in a decent-looking bag (if you have kids you’ll be saving them from birthday gifts). And don’t forget to say “dentist!

30. Give Them Your Old or New Children’s Book

If you have children of your own, you might have a decent size stash of children’s books. And if you’re kids are all grown up they won’t need them anymore. Give them a new home and brighten up a child’s Christmas experience. You could give multiple gifts or give them all to one young boy or girl.

31. DIY A Children’s Calendar

Calendars are an often overlooked small gift idea. They are awesome because it’s the end of the year which means it’s time for a new calendar anyway. Try creating one with all their favourite cartoon characters, foods, pets or whatever hobbies they are into. There are tons of useful tools online to help you create a calendar for free. You can print them at home or head to your local Officeworks for a more professional finish that won’t break the bank.

32. Scavenger Hunt Game

A scavenger hunt game can be lots of fun this Christmas. All you need are a few key items like lollies, chocolate, and small toys (which you can find at K-Mart from $1-$2). You can run your scavenger hunting game in your backyard or visit the local park or state forest and have a fun day out.

33. Saved Up Gifts

Most children receive a ton of gifts during Birthdays and Christmas. If your children don’t end up opening them right away you might want to save them for this Christmas gift idea. You can regift them to other children or give them back to your own kids. They won’t even notice!

34. Origami Something

Origami is an old Japanese tradition that involves creating cute little things out of paper. They are a lot harder than it looks and can be an extremely cute and lovable gift idea. There are many tutorials online with detailed videos to help you along the way. Just pick out a few things to create and before you know it, you have your very own origami gift. You could present them in a nice box to make it look like you bought them.

35. Create A Memory Card Game

As a child, you would have played a few memory games and they are actually quite challenging and fun. Why not create a memory game out of the things he or she is fond of? It could be food, Disney characters, movies, science related and even animals. You could even create them out of all your family members. Print them at home or head over to your local printer to make them out of cardboard.

36. Make A Wooden Toy

Carving little toys and creatures out of wood is an extremely useful skill one can learn. You could create many various toys from wood carvings including chess sets, figures and game pieces like tokens or dice. Creating and carving a toy out of wood can take a little time to learn but an excellent gift idea for a child’s Christmas gift. Afterall handmade gifts are as personal and unique as they get.

37. Giving Old Paints or Other Crafting Things

Do you have old paintbrushes or paints lying around? Or maybe you have a collection of pens and colouring pencils. No matter what craft equipment or tools you might have, it could be a great idea to regift them, especially if their just collecting dust.

38. Repurpose & Create

Are you the creative type? If the answer is yes, this is the perfect kind of gift for you to create this Christmas. You can repurpose something in your home that is fairly new or has never been used. And turn it into something new and unique. Forexample, an umbrella can be turned into a Disney character. Open up the umbrella and paint the face of their favourite character on it so when it opens up they can the surprise.

39. Create A Children’s Book

Writing or creating your own children’s book is a wonderful idea you might have never thought of. It’s slightly challenging and time-consuming to make but it’s well worth the smiles and giggles when it’s read. If drawing is not your forte then you can use the millions of wonderful full free artworks online to help you out. Don’t worry about copyright as you won’t be selling it. With a little time and patience, you might just create a masterpiece. One of the best gift you can give any young mind.

40. Write A Kid’s Song – It’s The Thought That Counts

If you’re the musical type, then this might be a gift more suited to your skills. Your song could be personalised to their name and personality. You could include some of their hobbies, interest, favourite colour or characters. Maybe even mentioned a few video games, they love to play. Perfect your song on whatever musical instrument you are good at and sing it for them on Christmas day!

Christmas Gift Ideas Worthy of Thought

The end of the year is upon us and Christmas is one of the most anticipated celebrations we’ve all been waiting for. Now that you’ve learned some awesome ways to save money on your presents, we hope it can help you financially and emotionally. Long gone are the days of boring mugs. The spirit of gift giving does not have to cost a fortune so we hope this article give you new has sparked the spirit of inspiration within you. We hope you have a wonderful and safe Christmas, and don’t forget to tell your friends about DadShop!

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