Everyone around me has money and this year I have none.

[Carmen99]

So, all my immediate family are in pretty good financial positions right now. In last 10 years I've never had the sort of money they have but I've had enough that I've been able to comfortably spend similar to what they spend on me at Christmas.
This year has been a really difficult one for me and I've ended in a very tight financial situation. I have no spare money. I'm not yet on benefits but I'm very close to needing them and my situation is going to be very difficult for a number of years. They, on the other hand, are (in some cases) millionaires or close to earning a million. I only buy for immediate family. Some of my siblings have done a lot for me over last 6 months...generous with their time and money. Really helped me out.
I know I could decide not to do Christmas presents this year but I really want to get them something, partly to say thank you but needs to be largely thoughtful rather than costing loads.
I'm not creative and don't have much free time.
Main people I need to buy for are:
Person 1- loves outdoors. Walking. Cares about environment. Healthy over 70. Not a great cook.
Person 2- animal mad 30 year old. Lives on farm. Stylish. Creative. Has 2 young children. Likes cooking.
Person 3- loves outdoors. Outdoor pursuits. Particularly slightly risky sports (but done 'everything' and got qualifications in 'everything'). Also likes fishing.
Person 4- travels extensively in job (mainly uk). Often stays in hotels. Stylish. Sociable. Lots of friends. Executive in company. Female in 40s.

Any original ideas what i can buy please for each/ any of them?! Or how I can generally get good presents given my finances!
Thanks.

I like the sound of the personalised OS maps. I'd love one of those!

naivetyisthenewblack traditional fine china is 'bone china' made from burnt and ground cattle bones, so not vegan-friendly in that respect. Minefield huh?

I find photobooks are a great gift. They can take a hell of a lot of effort but they're not expensive and people can see the personal touch that goes into them.

For example, if one of the people you're buying for is a sibling, you could dig out old photos from your childhood, scan them, and create a whole new album. Or make an album of their kids. Have a look at websites such as Vistaprint and similar, it's a little tecchy but I found it quite good fun once I got going.

I did a photo book of my DS's first year last Christmas and both sets of GPS have asked me to do it every year from now on!

The best present I ever got for my outdoorsy dad was an apple tree- it cost me around £25 and is still proudly in his garden many years later (I got it when I was a teen. He now feeds the apples to my kids and tells them I got him the tree)

For the mum who loves to cook- could you go round the family and ask each person for their favourite recipe? Then write them in a lovely book to create a [famiky name] family cook book? Someone did this for my wedding and it was one of my favourite gifts!

PP idea about making a photo book of old family photos is also a good one.

I think OPs idea of skint maybe different than others

I have £40 left to buy all my family/friend gifts. £40 each is quite a lot.

Luckily my family are understanding and have told me not to bother buying expensive gifts/tat, I’m just giving them wine or home made fudge.

Skint is not being able to afford any gifts, not being able to buy food for yourself let alone others. I think your just comparing your situation to the millionaire family members. If your family are well off then they don’t need expensive gifts, a small token gift is fine.

I have helped a sibling out financially this year and I'd be horrified if she spent 40 on my for Xmas. I've already told her not to get me anything.

We are low income and we would be spending a max of £5 each in these circumstances and that’s with us selling stuff on eBay etc. £40 is a lot to spend on extended family! (And to us extended family is anyone other than me, dh and the dc).

Try asda, Wilco, primark, charity shops, boots 3 for 2 deals etc. You might have to just go for generic stuff rather than tailored presents for each person.

If you can do it now (next couple of weeks) you could make them all bulb planters. If you bought a bag of bulb compost and a big bag of bulbs eg mixed daffs or tulips, it wouldn't be too expensive. Garden centres sometimes give away plastic pots or you may be able to get some nicer ones inexpensively.

Ooh, just read that you want to spend £40 per person. In which case, I think that's a very nice present. You could go all in with a bulb lasagne like this https://www.sarahraven.com/articles/layeringbulbss-howwtomakeeabulbblasagne.htm

I don't know whether I'm odd in this respect, but I would absolute hate a homemade gift. I know that makes me sound awful but I'd find a homemade bulb planter just awful unless the giver was under 14. I'd appreciate the effort but I'd much rather get a bottle of wine or, as a broke friend got me one year, a pack of really unusual coffee beans!

Personalised OS maps are lovely.

@Blarneybear Really? Oh no! I think they are just fantastic and spend loads of my time thinking about them, looking at bulb catalogues and so on.

That is so interesting because I guess that's at the heart of thoughtful gift-giving: it's got to be what the receiver would like, not the giver. You've given me pause for thought there.

Oh no I feel awful now. I think it's just so personal, I would like a plant but it would have to be the right one. Please don't let me put you off

Op l know you wanted present ideas, but it seems totally wrong to be selling things to buy Christmas gifts......

If you were my relative and money was very tight and likely to be for some years, l would not want you to spend ANYTHING on me but put any spare money into an emergency fund...what if your boiler breaks? your car breaks down? you are off work ill?

I have been both very hard up and very comfortable.....when l was really hard up l explained to family members and offered free gifts,

ie l will come and work in your garden for the day...to my gran, who struggled with arthritis.

I will do you a manicure and pedicure...to my mum, who loves pampering.

I will babytsit once a month for you to go out....to my friend.

Your family are not short of 'things' they can afford to buy anything they want,so please try and think of this differently.

Money and 'things' do not equal love, your time and effort does.

Don't feel awful. I'm a garden-obsessed one-trick pony 

No, I feel rotten now in fact I might go and do some weeding in your honour

I was in this position a few years ago and it was actually liberating, once I came to terms with it.

DH and I had both lost our jobs in the run up to Christmas, having 45 years between us in stable "secure" jobs. To say it was a shock is an understatement.

Anyway, as part of the process of taking control, I had a clear out and put what I could on ebay to make enough so DC could have their number one wish list gift and everyone else got a free or almost free (to me) present. DC passed on some old toys to their younger cousins, I gave my sister some babysitting, DPs a day out walking & picnic in the country etc.

Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but appreciated at the time and actually one of the best Christmases ever for me, when we took a step back and (cheesily) appreciated the important things in life.

Instead of a Christmas present perhaps you could take them all out to do something festive together? A trip to a pantomime or mulled wine and mince pies at Christmas market.

Eliz I think your gift idea is great and I would love to receive one, I’m not great with plants, I don’t know much about growing them but if someone gave me some I would look after them. My friend gave me a house plant earlier this year, I have no idea what it is but I’m trying hard to keep it alive 🤣

Don't overspend on Christmas.

For the person with the 2 young children what would be great is a voucher from you for some babysitting so that they could go out for the evening/day. That would costs nothing but your time but I'm sure would be appreciated.

Also have a good read through this year's Christmas bargain threads (and previous years) there are always masses of offers that you can sign up for, get a freebie and then unsign iyswim?

Hotel Chocolat- you pay something like £6 in their introductory offers (always go through Quidco as well- or TopCashBack- I prefer Quidco) you sign up for their taster thing, your first box costs about £6, you get some cashback and usually a free gift. Just remember to unsubscribe.

Yves Rocher is another one- lovely French toiletries which always has offers and bombards you with free gifts. (website is crap, don't be put off by it, the stuff is very very good)

Magazine subscriptions- often with a free gift. Pay a £1, get your free gift, cancel.

Iv posted twice before but it's not showing up, so I do apologise if my posts are there but I just can't see them.

Personalised Rustic farm style chopping board. I think this looks gorgeous.

And a personalised compass for the walker?

I love personalised gifts, thoughtful and look more expensive then they are!

entertainmentukgifts.co.uk/collections/engraved-gifts

Forgot the link!

I came on to suggest the personalised OS map, so second that for anyone interested in the outdoors.

Link www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk.

Less than £20, and there are often discounts before Christmas. Individual and thoughtful.