Fairy lights as far as the eye can see, the fresh smell of biscuits and gingerbread in the air and "Last Christmas" as a constant companion in the ear. Despite the cold and grey weather, December is by far my favourite time of the year. Christmas decorations are put up and one Christmas tree shines brighter than the next, who couldn’t be happy about that?
As beautiful as this time may be, our wallets definitely don’t enjoy it as much. A mulled wine here, a new scented light there and not to forget the search for suitable gifts that we face every year. That can quickly run into money. The average Swiss spends quite a bit on presents - 60 per cent plan to spend more than 50 francs per gift. You can only hope that you don't have a big family 😊.
Personally, I love to make my loved ones happy on Christmas with small gestures. But does it always have to be an expensive watch or the latest games console? No! It's much more important that gifts tell a personal story. And you can do that without spending a lot of money. Here are ten tips for Christmas gifts on a budget. I hope your loved ones will enjoy them as much as mine do.
A classic in the "Babbling Brownie" house! There are various options for the design here. On websites like ifolor.ch you can easily create your own photo mug. Simply select your desired layout, upload your photo(s) and your mug is ready to go (available from CHF 16.95). For the more creative and experimental among you, there is another option. If you want to design your own artwork, simply buy a white mug without a motif and one or more porcelain pens to paint the mug with.
Because it’s so much fun and offers so many different options: Let's stay with printing for now. On websites like spreadshirt.ch you can design and print your own clothes and accessories. If you don't fancy a photo motif, there are countless designs to choose from. With a stylish shopping bag, you'll not only get off cheaply, but you'll also be helping the recipient do something good for the environment.
This gift may be a little more expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Making your own candles is much easier than many people think! If you want to go the cheap route and are a big candle lover yourself, you can make your Christmas gift from old wax scraps. You won't get far with small tea lights, but if you have somewhat larger candles, there is usually quite a lot of wax left over, which usually just ends up in the trash. You can simply use old and washed food jars as containers (for example an old jam jar). All you need is a wick, a container to melt the wax in and a scented oil if you like.
Alternatively, you can buy all the materials new. There are many great starter kits for homemade candles. You can find a good guide here.
What would breakfast “Zopf” be without (vegan) butter and jam? Christmas brunch is no exception. So why not make a gift out of it? The best thing about it is that you can create your own flavour combinations AND design the jars yourself. On Google you'll find lots of ideas for winter jams like apple-cinnamon, pear-gingerbread or orange-pumpkin.
This gift could almost be called lame in our family by now. But it still finds several places under our Christmas tree every year - and rightly so! Shower gel, shampoo, body lotion... you can always use them. And most of the time, there is also a Christmas combination in suitable packaging, so that you don't have to do almost anything yourself. And believe me, this gift will definitely not be returned and as lame as it may be, it’s useful for everyone!
What would a blog mainly about food be without anything recipe related on this gift list? Do you also love to cook and want to share your recipes with your loved ones? Then create your own little recipe book. There are no limits to your creativity. Whether you do it analogue with a photo album and cut-out paper scraps or online with a graphics programme, your family and friends will be delighted with the result!
Just like shower gel and the like, I think socks are always a good gift idea. Instead of going for boring black or grey, it would be worthwhile to go for a more unusual motif. It doesn't always have to be the expensive "Happy Socks". H&M and other shops also have funny designs on offer. My personal favourite: avocados!
One of the best things about the cold season is the fact that you can always curl up under your blanket with a warm cherry stone cushion, a cup of tea and a book. Personally, I like cherry stone cushions better than hot water bottles because they feel lighter and adapt better to the shape of your body. Furthermore, they are very easy to make yourself. All you need are two cloth flaps of the same size (approx. 23x23 centimetres) and about 500 grams of cherry stones.
Place the two pieces of fabric on top of each other so that the pretty sides are facing inwards. Now sew up about three and a half sides with the sewing machine or by hand, leaving about half a side open. Now fold the cushion through so that the pretty side is facing outwards. Fill the cushion with the cherry stones through the small opening and sew the rest up by hand. Done!
I discovered this gift idea during my search this year on Amazon and was downright thrilled. Especially for kitchen lovers, it's a great idea to further their passion for cooking. This product even comes with a knife and is very affordable for what you get.
My absolute all-time favourite when it comes to Christmas gifts! Whether it's a romance novel, a science fiction piece of literature or the latest cookbook from your favourite celebrity chef. In my opinion, a good book under the Christmas tree is (almost) always the right choice. If you choose a soft cover instead of a hard cover, the book will quickly cost less than 20 francs.