How do you create your Christmas gift list?

Hello Dear Reader,

I've decided to answer another question, "How do you create your Christmas gift list?". To start with, I set a budget of the money I want to spend. I make as many gifts as I can. I have two grown children, one husband, one mum, one dad, one mother in law, one sister in law, one brother in law and wife and two nieces. It is expensive. However, in global terms we all have all the riches we could possibly want and there is certainly nothing that we need. I do give gifts and I will share what I do.

I spend between £5 and £20 per person and buy things and make things over the year. I set myself a theme to make things easier for myself. One year, every one had a gift in a mug, wrapped in cellophane. I made homemade soap, put in a flannel and a facepack for the ladies and a small can of body spray for the bloke. That went down well. I bought the mugs over the year from the supermarket and slipped one a week into the budget. I bought the cellophane one month, the flannels the next and so on until I had enough for the gifts. That year, the mug gifts cost £5 each. These go to extended family, I do thing differently with immediate family. 

My theme for this year are homemade stockings,(I've made four for my immediate family) they can use them for decorations. I'm using up my fabric to make these. For my mum and dad, there will be a small gift inside, such a chocolate for dad and nougat for mum. My mother in law is getting a homemade quilt. I will also have other little homemade things for people. None will have cost me anything and I'll just use what I have in my sewing room to create presents.

My son and daughter will get a token small  gift  such as a couple of books and something homemade by me, such as a scarf, cushion or bag. I usually spend about £20 each on them.

We also send a gift to my brother in law and his wife and this year they are getting chickens (in the form of a donation to Oxfam.) This is also their card. Sister in law will get safe water for ten people. The nieces will get a health check each. 

We have also bought safe water for twenty people for mum and dad. Mum loves this, one year I bought her a school desk and stationery and she thought that was a lovely gift. 

Dearly Beloved and I usually have a good think about what we will buy each other and this year have decided to buy each other mosquito nets. We know we have so very much already and remember that when we give gifts and instead of spending a mass of money on things we just don't need we remember those who live in need all of the time. We do spend quite a bit of money, but we put some aside all year and have savings for such items.

You can buy gifts from here. 

Like all items, we budget for an extra spend and have savings for this time of year.

Over to you Dear Reader, how do you budget and write your gift list?

Until tomorrow,

Love Froogs xxxx