The gift industry want you to buy things - any things. When it comes to presents, especially Christmas, its hard to resist. But its easier if you have alternatives to expensive presents. Many families already put a limit on how much each person spends on gifts. Here are a few suggestions for cheap or free alternatives: Gifts of service - * What are you good at? Fixing computers? Giving great massages? Child minding? Give your ability as a gift * Gardening as a present * Cleaning the house for the person who has little time * home made baking or cooking * lessons on something you're good at - playing an instrument; Give the 'service' present as a nicely presented voucher Gifts of time - * spend time walking together in the persons' favourite place * plan a special evening just for eating, talking and catching up Used gifts! * a good book / music / item of clothing that the other person likes * use innovative wrapping as part of the gift Cards and wrapping * Use magazine of calendar pictures, coloured paper and cellophane, glitter, cloth and ribbon. * For wrapping, cartoon pages of the newspaper might appeal * get children to paint cards or use their hand prints on them
					Trade Aid type presents - ethically onto it and helping people yes to fair trade * home grown flowers or veges coral * Fairs are a great source of presents - Books, plants, kids toys and games, baking etc genetiX View more
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					* Our family sets a $30 limit on presents, and at Christmas, because it’s a large family, each person gives to one adult and one child flipper * Collect all the wrapping paper that others in the family throw out at Christmas time flipper * create something - draw a picture, write a song chaotic * blindfold them and take them to a secret location to watch the sunset… chaotic * Donate to a charity in your loved one's name sbickle