Gift givers can let their imaginations run wild, especially if they're using home computers and color printers, which many of these free and inexpensive craft ideas call for.
For their grandparents, kids can create a colorful coupon book decorated with their favorite digital pictures. What to include? How about unique services they can provide for a grandparent, such as several car washes (always appreciated by an older driver) or perhaps two hours of yard- or housework (raking leaves in the fall, shoveling snow in the winter, or washing windows at any time of year). Other coupon items might include climbing a ladder to change light bulbs, installing new smoke alarm batteries, or dogsitting when the grandparents are on a trip. Other fun coupons could include an all-day activity with a grandparent, such as a day of fishing, a trip to the shopping mall (including lunch), or a day at the county fair. Lots of templates and ideas are available from Kodak.
Several generations can join forces to create a cookbook of favorite family recipes, interspersed with pictures of the finished products as well as snaps from family gatherings at holidays. This and other low-cost ideas are available at Picaboo.
A year's worth of gifts come in the form of a homemade calendar. Include such special dates as birthdays and anniversaries along with holidays that the family celebrates. Then add digital pictures that depict activities from different seasons or family events. Free templates can be printed from Printable Calendar.
Older adults aren't always enamored of having to cook, so a gift of homemade food can be a special treat. Maybe it's a tin of your best fudge or a granddaughter's favorite cookies. Try decorating a wicker basket and filling it with some favorite snacks. Find hundreds of free recipes for every course, including holiday cookies, fudge, or other favorite foods, at Free Cooking Recipes.
Are you someone who likes to sew? With scraps of cloth you have left over from a project, plus a sewing machine, you can create sewn gifts ranging from a cheery pot holder to a new set of placemats or a colorful shopping bag. There are lots of free projects, ideas, and patterns, from beginner through advanced levels, at About.com.
Holiday gift giving can be especially challenging if you're caring for someone in an assisted-living environment, where personal storage space is a luxury. What follow are some inexpensive gift ideas for someone living in more confined quarters:
Framed piece of a grandchild's artwork
Knitted hat, gloves, and scarf
Teacup with box of herbal tea
Memory book of special photos
Small bottle of real maple syrup
Pens, assorted greeting cards, postal cards, stationery, and stamps
Desk-quality address book or guest book
Shower tote filled with bath gels and moisturizers
Decorative napkins and small matching plates
Assortment of current magazines tied together with a colorful ribbon
Jigsaw puzzle (500 pieces or more)
Low-vision, large-print deck of cards
Blank journal
Pencil box with pens, paper clips, and colorful post-it notes
Decorative glass jar filled with old-fashioned penny candy
Male scented soap-on-a-rope and a flannel nightshirt
Prepaid long-distance phone cards
Desk clock with big numbers
Decorated box for keepsakes
Desktop Christmas tree
Sewing box with supplies
Colorful knitting or crocheting yarns
Flashlight for a nightstand
Handkerchiefs
Soft makeup brush and some face powder
Warm, colorful socks
