As Christmas Day draws near, the spirit of giving often comes hand in hand with a strain on the wallet. But fear not — there’s a treasure trove of clever tips and tricks to help you enjoy the festive season without breaking the bank.

From snapping up the best sales to crafting DIY decorations and finding budget-friendly gift ideas, this is your guide to making Christmas both memorable and affordable.

If you’ve ever thought about creating your own gifts this year, there’s good news. Esteemed author and blogger Rhonda Hetzel has a wealth of practical wisdom to share — offering simple, time-saving ways to make the season a budget-friendly delight.

Recognising the heartfelt value of homemade presents, Hetzel generously shares her go-to ideas for crafting meaningful gifts without the hefty price tags.

Her first piece of advice? Make the most of what you already have.

Garden

Choose things that grow well in pots, such as herbs, chillies or cucumbers. A bush cucumber called spacemaster grows well in pots and is a full-sized cucumber that is great for salads and pickles. A potted tomato seedling is also a good idea. The heirloom called tommy toe is consistently in the top three delicious tomatoes list. They’ll need to be transplanted to a large pot when they grow but – as a gift for Christmas – go for a seedling in a medium pot.

Also in the gardening line, you could give a one-litre Mason jar with a pack of seeds for sprouting.

Food

Cellophane bags with a ribbon are a lovely way to present food gifts. Baked food such as fruit mince pies, muffin-size Christmas cake, spiced nuts, gingerbread figures and jars of pickles, chutney and tomato relish all make great gifts. Below is one of our reader’s favourite traditional Christmas gingerbread biscuit recipes.

Traditional Christmas gingerbread biscuits

Ingredients

• 150g unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup (125ml) golden syrup
• 1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 3 cups (450g) plain flour
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• Icing and other decorations, if using

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper. Place butter, golden syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Add bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Set aside to cool.
2. Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and baking powder over butter mixture. Add the egg and stir until combined. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Divide dough into two portions. Shape each portion into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 45 minutes or until firm.
3. Roll one portion between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Using 6-7cm Christmas cookie cutters, cut shapes from dough, re-rolling scraps. Place on the lined trays, 3cm apart to allow for spreading. Repeat with remaining gingerbread portion.
4. Bake in preheated oven, 1 tray at a time, for 8 minutes or until just firm to touch. Remove from oven and set aside on trays for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Decorate however you choose, and serve.

Craft

Knitted organic-cotton dishcloths are appreciated by most. Paired with some homemade soap, or soap picked up at the health shop or local market, it becomes the perfect gift. People love getting something they can use. If you have a sewing machine and some fabric in the cupboard, you could also make napkins, reusable paper towels, table runners or aprons.

Kids

Play-dough is quick and easy to make for young children in your family. Simply search online for play-dough recipes. Library bags are also popular, as are small, drawstring bags for holding special Lego figures, treasures, and shells found on the beach. A small selection of chocolates or lollies in a jar is always a welcome gift for a child. Or why not buy tickets to a local cultural event, if you do feel like splashing some cash?

By embracing the spirit of thriftiness, we can make the most of the festivities without sacrificing the magic. Whether it’s through DIY decorations, budget-friendly gift exchanges, or creative wrapping, there are countless ways to save money and still have a holly, jolly Christmas!