Help - what to buy rich friends with no money!

[Justsayit123]

Got great friends and have been invited to theirs for Christmas Day. However, they are likely to get us expensive gifts probably costing a few hundred each and we can’t reciprocate. Plus there is 5 of us and 3 of them. They have harrods tea bags like I buy sainsbury red label! Any suggestions of what I could buy which is nice but not costing the earth?

Good suggestions!

Maybe a potted plant for each member of the family that links to their names or personalities
.
A nice set of napkin rings is always well received and don’t break the bank.

Can you afford an experience gift for them all? Otherwise I'd do a hamper with stuff for them all x

Something homemade. Chutney is easy. Ditto plum gin, blackberry whisky, jam....

OP: I have no money
MN suggestions: How about a Fortnum & Mason gift hamper? Or a £60 woollen blanket?

This site is becoming a parody of itself

People's definition of 'no money' varies.

Unless the OP comes back with a budget, all we can do is guess.

I would go with this - ensure it is gift wrapped by them. It will look beautiful.

https://www.penhaligons.com/uk/en/categories/home/shop-all/kumgan-rose-000000000065171080

A small posy of flowers to match their Christmas interior colours.

As a host I always appreciate this kind of offering.

Of you can handpick evergreens and Holly all the better

This one is always gorgeous and fresh

www.penhaligons.com/uk/en/product/maduro-leaf-000000000065171415

This one if you are on a tight budget and you can add a small white berry posy with rosemary.

www.penhaligons.com/uk/en/product/comoros-pearl-000000000065171079

I would love a personalised quiz if you have time to make one. My friend did one with a round of players faces swapped/merged with celebs. It was hilarious.

Books are good and shouldn't break the bank.

Consumables/home made is a good shout too.

This is lovely and just as nice as some of the expensive champagne’s. It’s from Waitrose and is on special offer for £11.99 just now. I’ve stocked up for Christmas.

The quiz and games would be my idea of hell. I'm not in nursery!

A box or bettys fancies. Best little treats to gift I think

I like the food hamper suggestions. You could put something together yourself that looks more expensive than it is in reality.
Maybe Italian stuff, which some posh pasta/olive oil/chocolate figs etc. Or Spanish with some of the fancy tins you get from Brindisa etc.
Sort of stuff you wouldn't normally buy for yourself, but is always nice to receive.

In this position I would find things that you can't just buy off the shelf i.e. so either homemade or something from a very niche shop with no/little online presence. A very careful search on Etsy might do if you know an area they might be interested in.

So homemade jam/chutney
Handmade/small batch booze/beer
Artisan hand made chocolates
Garden things, unique glazed pots
An experience they might enjoy. Cream tea for two, stately garden tour, spooky tour, escape room.

I really don't think a Fortnum's hamper counts as a budget gift solution !

Can you pull together a memory book of pictures of you all, over the years?

I like the hamper idea with a combination of homemade stuff and things you buy.

Board game good too.

Make things - you can make a large amount of amazing truffles for around £3-4, perhaps do dark and white for variation. Offer to make a Christmas cake (ingredients cost around £10 for a large traditional one). My local charity has (new goods not donated) mini tins ideal to put aforementioned truffles in for £2.99 (for 4 tins). Can you knit or crochet? Sew? Make a throw for them eg my friend sewed an amazing throw as a gift with names on and favourite things, cost would be £20 or so plus time, but looked like a £200 + custom gift

I made my friend Christmas hand towels for her guest loo last year.

It didn't cost much (John Lewis guest towels are only around £7) and I thought they looked really good. (I guess the test is will they get put into use this year too!).

I'm going to make more this year as gifts for other people. I mean everyone needs to dry their hands after going to the loo and most people have storage for an "only use in December" one.

I’d go down the route of some home made jam with a nice label on. Some home made sloe gin if they drink?
So not about the cost about showing you care iyswim

Don't buy them brands. They have them. Buy them something personalised or hand made. They will really love it and it doesn't have to be expensive. :) My brother and sil are about 10 times richer than us and have a bigger family so it's really difficult. One of her favourite gifts from us is a personalised mug I got her years ago, so it can be something small and cheap but with some santimental value.

I think I’ll go down the homemade hamper route for the family and try and find some local farm shops or delis selling different bits. Thank you everyone!

Agree something homemade if you are able. Fudge made using condensed milk is really nice. Or charity shop could be worth a look.

Voucher for theatre tickets to the local theatre for the family if they have good stuff on? Include a programme of events coming up. Plus some of the lovely home made ideas. Depends on budget. If they usually spend approx a grand in total then the OP could have a tenner to spend or a good few hundred, we don't know.