Are you putting off holiday gift shopping? Are you worried about how much this is affecting your wedding budget? From one bride to the next, I have compiled a list of affordable and thoughtful gifts that you can give to save money on your wedding.
To show gratitude for someone, you don’t have to spend a lot. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to send someone home for the holidays. We recommend these gifts for mothers, fathers, and grooms. Here’s a list that my family and friends will be buying this year.
1. Locally made treats
Is there something unique about your city that you don’t see elsewhere? When I return to the West Coast, it’s always with a bag full of New York bagels and Italian soppressata, fancy chocolats, and other Italian delights. This is a thoughtful gift that spoils your family and friends with local delights. Most items are under $10.
2. Handmade treats
You can even treat your loved ones with homemade gifts if they are a culinary pro. Jams last for years and can be used over breakfast to remind the giftee. My mom sends me pickled jalapenos from our childhood garden. It is such a thoughtful and priceless gift, which I love so much.
3. Flowers
Flowers bring joy for everyone, and they are a beautiful and fragrant gift at a low price!
Urban Stems can deliver stunning floral arrangements to the doorstep of your loved ones. For something more special, you can contact a local florist to have it delivered personally. You want something that lasts. Afloral is the best place to shop for beautiful dried flowers and silk florals that last. Mix and match the faux and dried flowers in one of their gorgeous vessels to create a unique floral arrangement that won’t wilt.
4. A Family Recipe
Are you the one who holds the key to a family recipe that is dear? Maybe your giftee is fond of a particular dish you make. It’s free to share a family recipe! You can also upgrade your gift for a fraction of the cost to make it extra special. You can hire a Etsy stationer to create a handmade or fancy recipe card on beautiful paper. You can also pair the recipe with all the ingredients that will be needed to make it!
5. Favorite Childhood Games
Recently, I have been obsessed with old games from my childhood like Monopoly, Scrabble, Clue and Scrabble. Vintage board games can be found on Etsy at surprisingly low prices. You can order your sibling the same board game that you play every day and let them win over the holidays.
6. Personalized Used Books
Every time I pass our local bookstore, I stop by the one-dollar rack at the curb and see if any books remind me of a friend. I enjoy reading interesting books to people, even if they are a bit ironic or not very relatable. It reads “Hey, it was my thoughts of you yesterday on my walk.” Wrap the book in pretty paper to make a thoughtful, low-cost gift. Thriftbooks has one of the best online collections of gently used books at very low prices.
7. A Very Nice Handwritten Card
Sometimes handmade stationery and cards can be too expensive to accompany a gift. You don’t have to buy a gift card. Instead, you can write a thoughtful, touching note inside. It doesn’t matter if the card is the gift, it’s a good idea to add a personal message. You can find stunning handmade, letterpress and watercolor cards by Etsy’s amazing stationery designers.
8. Photo prints
My friends and family often ask me where I can order prints as a wedding photographer. Artifact Uprising is always my first choice because of its high-quality and affordable price point. Print your family photos for ma or pa at a fraction of the cost of shipping and they might even cry happy tears.
9. Donate to a Meaningful Charity
My five-year old nephew has already saved the world. I give in his name to charities for holidays and birthdays that will be meaningful to his mom (my sis) and hopefully, to him one day. It can be a powerful gift to give a few dollars to each loved one’s name to unique causes they care about.
10. A bottle of beer or wine
True to my life, I worked in a wine shop! Friends and family could count upon me to deliver specially selected bottles on any occasion. I chose something that was unique to them, or made in the year they were married or born. It doesn’t cost a lot to purchase something nice. Ask an expert in your shop for a budget and they will give you the best advice.