Thoughtful/budget gift ideas

[SweetPeaPods]

My in laws recently loaned us some money. I'm starting to think of Christmas and feel they wouldn't want us spending lots of money on them given the circumstances however I would really like to still give them something to open. Any ideas for thoughtful gifts that don't cost much money? I'm not very crafty and have very little spare time too so as easy as possible too!

Honestly if I had loaned my adult DC some money I really wouldn't want them to then spend money on buying me a gift... grown ups don't need 'something to open'. Why not invite them round for a nice meal and reiterate 'we are so grateful for the loan, we really do appreciate it'

Give them your time. Worth so much more than any material item.

You might just have time to make some nice plum brandy/liqueur. Grab some plums, quarter them, remove stones, and place in a glass Kilner jar or similar (about a quarter full). Add sugar (about an inch) top up with alcohol and acinnamon stick if you like.
Place the container in a cupboard for 4 weeks to marinate. Swirl around to dissolve sugar every so often. Remove plums and bottle.

Could also use one of the free prints (or similar) photo apps to make them a nice album.

Hand write a letter to thank them to go with the gift, or make a card. Get a blank card and look up easy to draw flowers on pinterest or similar. Very easy and takes minutes.

But if making a card is a step too far, just a hand written letter is lovely.

You could get one of those glass hanging picture frames that are all the rage at the moment -£6 in ikea - and press some leaves, flowers or ferns and put them in a frame. Bonus points for flowers from your own garden or somewhere significant.

Home made fudge, slow cooker it. Very easy. A photo album.

Some great ideas already. I'm trying to think...

Homemade shortbread? That's quite Christmassy and the ingredients are basic, Watch a youtube video on it if you've never done it before.

Get a picture frame from a charity shop and spray paint it with whatever colour they have decorated their living room hall with? Put in a nice picture.

Get one of those starter embroidery kits. It can be time consuming but it's relaxing and doesn't take much skill.

Something like this?

www.amazon.co.uk/Embroidery-Christmas-Ornaments-Awesocrafts-Beginners/dp/B08MV6KM53/ref=sr_1_9?crid=24IBOW87NELKP&keywords=beginners%2Bembroidery%2Bkit%2Bchristmas&qid=1664432980&sprefix=beginners%2Bembroidery%2Bkit%2Bchristmas%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-9&th=1

Nice framed photo of you and your family?

Love the idea of the home made alcohol might be on to something there.

I'm planning on gifting candy cane vodka.

House plants are fairly cheap and a lovely present in my opinion 🙂

Chocolate mint vodka, you need a 3 pack of Fry's peppermint cream and a bottle of vodka. Blitz the chocolate and vodka together, rebottle and leave in a warm place shaking twice a week until the chocolate has dissolved, if you have a dishwasher you can put it in there.

If you want to knock their socks off use one measure of this, one of kahlua (or Tia Maria) and one of Bailey's. It tastes like a milkshake but not

Sloe gin is really easy to make and wonderfully Christmassy.

I agree with the PPs, better spend some quality time with family or cook something for them or make some simple but family related gifts, like a photo book or a calendar with family pictures, there are apps for that and it wouldn't come off pricey.