Christmas time is nearly upon us, and with the financial crisis continuing to impact Australians of all ages, it’s not surprising that many of us are feeling a little concerned about how to stretch an already stretched budget to include gift giving this year. 

The good news is, with the assistance of some of our Financial Wellbeing team, we have compiled a list of low and no-cost gift ideas to help families still enjoy a special Christmas. 

Here are our top tips!

Kris Kringle – Secret Santa

Suggest that your family or friendship group does a Kris Kringle or Secret Santa style present swap, so you only have to purchase one present (instead of one for everyone), but everyone who brings a present will get a present. The game where you chose whether to unwrap a present or ‘steal’ a gift from someone else can be lots of laughs. Set an affordable budget that everyone can manage.

Create your own homemade Christmas vouchers

Make your own Christmas gift voucher/s for your friend or family member to redeem at a later date. The vouchers can be for anything the recipient needs or enjoys. If they are younger, it might be an outing to a playground, the beach, or a picnic in the park. Or, perhaps your gift recipient would enjoy a favour such as having breakfast in bed made for them, a back massage, for a chore to be taken off their to-do list (“I hereby promise to take out the bins”). How about promising to cook their favourite meal for them, babysitting their kids, or giving them a hand to declutter their closet or deadhead their roses? Hand-make or print out some vouchers and place them in a jar decorated with a festive feel, for your recipient to enjoy redeeming throughout the year.

Gift your favourite preloved book

If you are a voracious reader, chances are you may have a bookshelf with books you’ve already read. In Queensland author Trent Dalton’s novel, Boy Swallows Universe (which is also a series on Netflix), the characters are doing it tough and can’t afford Christmas presents, so they each select a book which they found meaningful from their household bookshelf to gift to a family member, with a note about why they chose this book. You could do the same, and give the gift of reading! If you can afford it, Op Shops such as Lutheran Care and Elcies Op Shops are also great places to find good quality, inexpensive books, which make great gifts. Leave them a message in the front of the book instead of giving them a card, as a lasting memory of you and your thoughtful gift.

A framed photo of you together

In these days of mobile phone worship, we don’t tend to print out our digital photos very often, which means a lovely, printed photo is quite a novelty and a gesture that your gift recipient will appreciate this Christmas. Select your favourite photograph of you and your friend or family member together, or take a new one. Photos can be printed at major retailers such as Officeworks, Harvey Norman or Big W for as little as 15 cents each. Frame the photograph in a repurposed frame from home, or thrifted from an op shop, to complete the gift. 

Spotify playlist 

In a modern day version of the original go-to gift – the ‘mixed tape’ – create a special playlist for your friend or loved one on Spotify or Youtube. Give it a name they’ll remember and share some of your favourite songs and artists they may not have heard of before, as well as songs that remind you of them. Perhaps it can be the soundtrack for your Christmas Day celebration?

Take them to see Chihuly in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens

If you’re based in Adelaide or plan to visit before the end of April, there is a very special event happening in the CBD that could make an amazing gift. Right now, an event by the world’s most celebrated contemporary glass artist, Dale Chihuly, is running at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. Chihuly’s Garden Cycle exhibition is making its Australian debut in little ol’ Adelaide, and during daylight hours it is free to visit. Wander around the botanic gardens and enjoy the American artist’s iconic glass artworks as well as the natural splendour of the botanic gardens. Bring your own picnic and relax and linger longer. Chihuly’s Garden Cycle runs until 29 April 2025. More info here.

Enjoy the Fringe 

The Adelaide Fringe will once again be staged in Adelaide and some regional areas from 21 February to 23 March 2025. There are a range of free events that you may like to take your loved one to – you can check them out here! If your budget extends to purchasing tickets, there is a special earlybird sale now on, with 30 per cent off tickets to participating show (finishes 12 December). Visit the Adelaide Fringe website for more information and to purchase tickets. The Fringe is always a lot of fun and we are pleased to be partners of this great South Australian event.

Regift 

Regifting is not a dirty word – you might find you already have the perfect gift for someone sitting in the back of a cupboard or in a drawer. Plus, being gifted something that your loved one has selected for you from their own things can be very special. Lutheran Care’s Marketing Coordinator, Brooke DuBois, shares these stories of a couple of lovely gifts her family has received.

“My elderly grandmother gave my son a pewter mug which had been given to her late son (my uncle) for his baptism. It had a beautiful inscription on it from his godmother, who was a special family friend. On the other side of the mug, my grandmother had a new message inscribed for my son, for his baptism. It is one of our most cherished gifts. Another special gift was an antique silver serving spoon, which was inscribed with a special message for my wedding from my sister.”

Think homemade or home grown 

Consider making some homemade goodies as a gift. Think jams or biscuits, and use home grown produce where possible. A bunch of lemons you have picked from your own tree would make a lovely gift for someone, especially a seafood lover!

If you have succulents in your garden, use clippings to create a cute potted gift for your friend or loved one.

If you’re a little crafty, you can also save money by sewing, knitting, or painting a gift, making your own Christmas cards or decorations (check your local library or community centre programs as they often have free workshops and craft sessions.) 

Check your memberships 

If you’re a member of certain memberships or subscriptions, you may be eligible for discounts on certain purchases. 

For example, RAA members are eligible for  15 per cent discount from 99 bikes, cheaper Adelaide 36ers and Adelaide United FC tickets, 10 per cent off Adelaide Crows and Adelaide United merchandise, and savings on tickets and experiences at Adelaide Zoo. 

If you are a member of Telstra Rewards, see if you have accrued points that can be cashed in for technology, games, toys or gift cards. 

Bupa Membership entitles you for restaurant discounts, cinema ticket discounts and discounted e-gift cards. 

If you are a member of loyalty shopping programs like Flybuys, check if you can use your points toward purchases such as toys, homewares, technology or gift cards, or other discounts. 

Sign up for a Christmas Hamper program 

Various charities, including Lutheran Care, support people experiencing financial hardship with hampers and toys for children at this time of year. Get in touch directly to apply for assistance – please note, some have hard deadlines for registration. 

Buy preloved 

There is so much to love about op shopping for Christmas gifts, including reducing waste, saving resources, and giving pre-loved items a new life instead of contributing to landfill. It’s also very unlikely your gift recipient will already have the gift you find! Whether it’s toys, games, clothing, accessories or homewares, you are likely to find something at a thrift store your friend or loved one will love, and quite often items will even be new with tags. Op shopping is an affordable way to do your Christmas shopping, plus, when you buy from stores such as Lutheran Care Op Shops or Elcies Op Shops, what you spend will be used to fund programs to help vulnerable South Australians – so, it’s the gift that gives twice! Don’t forget – if you receive any gifts this Christmas that you don’t think you will use (particularly if you have kids – they just tend to accumulate so much stuff!) our op shops will gladly take them off your hands to stock our shelves with in the new year. Similarly, Facebook marketplace can be a good place online to find gifts that your loved one will love, but just make sure you protect yourself from scams by paying cash where possible and not transferring to any bank accounts before confirming the seller’s ID.

Be careful – Buy Now Pay Later and Afterpay

Further to being careful with your hard earned money, make sure you’re not sucked in by Buy Now Pay Later and Afterpay schemes. Whilst these programs promise to be an easy way to get your hands on an item quickly, which can be very tempting at Christmas time, with all the extra fees and charges and high amounts of interest, consumers often fall into the trap of having to pay well over the amount the item costs – sometimes many times’ the amount of the original item. If it’s too good to be true, it often is, and our Financial Wellbeing team unfortunately hears many stories of people being stung by these schemes and struggling to make the repayments.

Think about packaging 

Sometimes it’s the special touch of a lovely presentation that can elevate a gift. 

Use ribbon to add a special touch (you may find ribbon on the inside of a top used for hanging that you could remove and reuse.) 

Check instagram or TikTok for ideas about making your own gift hampers using items from an op shop or regifted from home. For example, grab a thrifted basket, bowl or tray, and place inside some cute, secondhand mugs with some of your favourite coffee beans. 

Some of the major supermarkets are offering Christmas themed recycled paper bags at this time of year, which can be reused as thrifty wrapping paper for your gifts.

Want to talk to a Financial Wellbeing expert?

If you’re interested in growing your skills and confidence with money matters, budgeting and accessing entitlements, or need assistance around debt repayment, Lutheran Care has Financial Counsellors and Financial Capability Workers to give free, confidential advice and support. Find out more at https://www.lutherancare.org.au/financial-wellbeing/

Did you like this article? Keep an eye out for our Christmas Day on a budget tips!

Donate to our Christmas Appeal

If you are in a position where you are able to help someone else have a good Christmas, you may like to make a donation to the Lutheran Care Christmas Appeal. You can make a tax deductible donation on behalf of yourself or your business, or donate on behalf of a loved one who you will be missing this Christmas. Find out more here.