Holiday Gifts on a Budget

Budgets during the holiday season are hard to overcome. Here are some gifts that will save you some money!

Hannah Goldman, Staff Writer

The snow is falling, the lights are flickering, the fires are burning, which all means it is finally holiday season!  365 days ago, you were most likely in the same position as you are now. Freaking out trying to figure out what to give out as holiday gifts, thinking about how you should break out your piggy bank so you can scrape together as much money as possible for gifts are a common happening each holiday season. Well no need to worry this year, because these are gift ideas that you can easily afford without searching in between couch cushions for every possible penny.

This first gift idea is for any of your friends. All you need is a baseball cap, gum, some candy canes, hot chocolate packs, or anything else you want. Putting this gift together is very simple to do. All this requires is to put the items in the baseball cap and put it in gift bag. Anyone will love this since it is gender neutral.

Hannah Goldman
Here is a super easy to make gift!

This next gift can be for your parents. Instead of resorting to the last minute coupon book (I know you did it once), this gift is almost as simple to make and shows much more thought. All you need is some card stock paper, a photo of you and your parents, shaving cream, food dye, spatula, sharpie, glue, and some paper towels.

First, you take the shaving cream and make a shape the size of the cardstock paper. Next add some food dye and mix into the shaving cream with a spatula. It should be mixed so it creates a tie dye pattern. For the next, you place the cardstock onto the shaving cream and food dye and gently press down. Next, pick up the dye and wipe off the shaving cream with a paper towel. The cardstock should be colored now. With the sharpie, write a nice note to your parents, but this should not take up the whole paper. Finally, glue on the picture, and you have a great and creative gift!

This final gift idea can work for any of your relatives who enjoy taking baths. It is a simple gift made mostly of things around your house or in your pantry. This gift is a simple DIY bath bomb. The recipe calls for:

1 cup of baking soda

1/2 cup of cornstarch

1/2 cup of citric acid

1/2 cup of epsom salts

3/4 teaspoon of water

2 teaspoons of peppermint oils

A few drops of food coloring (optional)

A mold of any type

First, you mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and put it aside. Next, you combine the wet ingredients (minus the food coloring) in a separate bowl. Start to mix the wet ingredients with the dry ones. If the mixtures start to fizz, keep mixing until it stops. Keep adding the liquid  until the mixture becomes a wet sand texture. Next, mix in the food coloring, 1/2 a teaspoon of water, and some essential oils. Finally, you put the mixture into a mold and let dry overnight.

All of these gifts are original, simple to make, affordable for anyone to make, and can be sent with love. So, next time you are frantically trying to come up with a gift, no need to. Because these are easy as pie and are absolutely adorable!