5 affordable gift ideas that look very expensive
IT’S five days to Christmas and if you haven’t yet bagged a gift for that special person in your life, welcome to the procrastinators’ circle! There’s still time, but not much more left, and though the days are winding down, that’s no excuse to grab the first gift basket or teddy bear you see, just to have something to show.
It doesn’t help that a lot of the items on many people’s wish list aren’t usually budget-friendly, so what do you do when you’re searching for something for someone who deserves luxurious gifts, but you don’t have a lot of money to spend on presents?
Here are some affordable gift ideas that look expensive, that you still have time to bag just in time for Christmas.
Art
Commission a painting or a caricature of your special someone from their favourite artist, cartoonist… or a student in art school who needs the extra funds. This can usually be completed in a couple days, and is quite the thoughtful gift for someone you love.
Plants
Got a plant lover on your hands, or even someone who wants to branch out into backyard gardening or the like? Make a trip to the plant store and grab soil, fertilizer, seeds or seedlings, mulch and some planters for them to do their set-up at home. This is a gift that will be appreciated, and that they will use for a long time.
Candles, oils, scents
There are several stores that specialise in oils, candles and scents, all locally made, and this is a great gift if you’re shopping for someone who’s into the organic, or aromatherapy.
Local artisan goodies
Buying local has never been so nice — there are a host of supplies available online for those that prefer a more authentic experience. If you have a chef on your hands, for example, sauces, salad dressings, pesto, tasty vinaigrettes and other gourmet condiments in cute packaging can be sourced from the several suppliers that have been producing them and advertising on social media. Some of them are even available in your local supermarkets.
Hire a personal chef
If you don’t have a large family and won’t be visiting the folks for the holidays, why not hire a personal chef to do the cooking, so you can relax over the break? This doesn’t have to be on Christmas day, but the days following are also good times to treat someone you love with a personal chef service for a bit of pampering.
