What to get family when spending less

[Becsim]

Usually we spend about £50 each on my parents, My grandparents, brother and DH’s parents. This year we’re desperately trying to save for a holiday next year. (With all the family.)
Because of this, we can’t afford to spend £350 on presents for everyone. We’re not spending much on our children either.
What could we do instead? I’m struggling to think of something they’ll all like that’s sticking to about £150.
Thank you.

Since you are all adults, and all saving for the same holiday, couldn’t you just talk and agree to do the holiday instead of presents? Or think of it as “present” to each other?

In our family we don’t do presents between the adults, it’s still a lovely day

We don't give to adults either.

In this scenario I would always say books. Nothing low cost is as personal. A well chosen book at 7, 8, 12, 20 pounds is a great gift.

I do give a gift voucher to my parents
Dh gets a gift for his (e.g fuel voucher as they are elderly and do not want fancy goods)

Buy in all honesty you would be wise to suggest a joke gift eg. £5 or something and all put money towards the holiday.

I'd give advance warning that your cutting back on Christmas. And go with books / consumables for everyone. Something small to open.

Most adults don't need anything so spending a fortune shouldn't be necessary.

I agree, a lovely hardback book. Coffee table book, cook book or good biography.
There are usually some good magazine subscriptions this time of year. Do three or four months which will be cheaper

Trees direct have Holly bush trees for under your budget. That would be a very christmassy gift

Why not do a secret Santa style approach with the adults and just get small things for the kids

We do buy for adults in our family (parents and also siblings without children plus my aunt and uncle that both live alone). My DSis and I have two DCs each so we agreed to just buy for children in that instance.

Parents and siblings we stick to £20 per person. This year I've bought DM some cashmere gloves from Turtle Doves and DF a cookbook from an author he really likes. Hopefully they're small but thoughtful and useful gifts.

Other adults we usually get a nice bottle of wine, chocolates, soap, candles, lovely bouquet of flowers, that sort of thing. We try to go for consumable/practical gifts as much as possible.

Can you book a Panto instead? Or Christmas themed activity you all attend?

I agreed with my parents that we would stop exchanging presents with me and dh. It was getting harder for us to find presents for each other and none of us particularly want/need anything. It got to the stage where we were exchanging vouchers for exactly the same amount but still struggling to find something to buy with the vouchers!

But I still do a hamper for them as they still give to the (now adult) Dc.
My mum and dad used to do this for my grandparents when they were still here!

That way you can spend as little or as much as you want and if you shop around you can make it look more expensive than it is!

Hamper from Aldi they do a sweet treats and afternoon tea hamper within your budget 1 for each set of parents and grandparents and the smaller one for db.
Only available online

How about stopping doing presents for adults? If that is not likely to go down well why not make something; jam, chutney, lemon curd etc. I am v much of the view that it's the thought that counts and I am always v happy to receive home made gifts.

Thanks everyone. These are fab ideas!

Secret Santa! We do this with DH family, budget about £40-50 so not insignificant and you can usually get something pretty nice. With my brother/SIL we usually book a weekend away with the kids somewhere in the new year as our gift to each other

What about a nice homemade hamper? You could get a lot for less money than buying pre made ones and they'll still look quite impressive.

We do "consumables only" for adults these days. Mostly because none of us need more stuff.

We do a secret santa with my side of the family. £50 budget and it works well for everyone

Try and get what you'd normally get but on offer? Have a look on eBay.

Have a look on the mnet Christmas bargain thread for bargains and discount codes. It's on thread number 14 atm.

I've saved a fortune so far on the following:
Hot diamonds necklace paid £20 rrp£40
WHSmiths Top gear book paid £8 Inc postage rrp £25
Bodum 3 piece coffee set paid £30 rrp £50+

Or Talk to the adults and agree to do a secret santa so you're just buying one gift for one person for £50 max.

Or agree to buy for the children only.

Christmas 14 The one with the Strap on Tools
Mnet Christmas bargain thread, copy and paste into your browser.

When we were aunt we arrange with. The adults of the family not to give gifts.

If you 'must' give them something can you make something, homemade Jam, chutney or cakes can be done cheaply and put in nice glass jars for less than a tenner a pop. Homemade soaps or candles. Or a bottle of Prosecco for less than a tenner per family. Have a look in Aldi at their flavoured gins.

Make something - fudge, jam, lebkuchen, truffles
Make up hampers with Aldi extra special range, they have some really lovely Christmas stuff
Reduce cost by getting joint presents e.g. one between mum and dad rather than one each.
Shop the sales/bargain threads to get something worth £50 but for much less
Nice photo in a frame or calendar with family photos - often discounts for multiples on places like photobox or asda photos

@BluebellsGreenbells

Can you book a Panto instead? Or Christmas themed activity you all attend?

That wouldn't cost much less than £50 per head around here to be honest!

The problem with home made gifts is that it is usually cheaper to buy from the shop, purchasing all the ingredients / craft resources usually ends up more expensive.
I like the holly bush suggestion personally.

I always just go with a little hamper of treats, something like:

• Biscuits
• Tea/coffee
• Homemade jam/marmalade (this is traditional in our family!)
• Chocolate
• Condiment or chutney
• Bottle of something (oil, vinegar, booze or cordial)

All in a nice bag, usually comes in at £25ish.

We gave up on proper presents a while back as everyone has everything and buying yet more stuff felt a bit meh. We do sometimes buy garden stuff.