Inexpensive Gifts For Neighbors

Many believe that gifting is an art and that it requires a creative streak and presence of mind rather than a deep pocket or a fat wallet to give good gifts that will be cherished and remembered. At the risk of sounding like a granny, one would not be wrong in saying that those were the days when people made gifts at home and gifted them to their neighbours. The gifts may have been simple and unassuming but they were made in way that they looked good and also lasted long. The best part of the deal was that they demanded very little in terms of money and were high on creativity. With everyone taking home a fatter pay packet than their parents ever did, the art of gifting suffered a setback; gifts became less and less creative as their prices became higher. We forgot that a potted cactus could also become a beautiful gift. But that is no reason to worry; below is a list of inexpensive gifts for your neighbors.

 

Here are some gift ideas that will snugly fit into your budget and will still have your neighbours thanking you with awe:

 

If you are a creative person, there is little else that you need to worry about. All you need to do is make them something with your own hands and they will be delighted. Pick up a book of crafts that involve the use of inexpensive materials or search the internet for such kinds of crafts. You will be surprised to find out the kind of treasure that you can create using items that you may consider waste and throw away. If done nicely, these crafts can stay for a long time and can also grace your neighbours’ showcase.

 

If your neighbour is fond of cooking and always comes to ask you how you make your idlis so soft, your safest bet is to buy her a cookery book so that she will put all her creative streak into it. Women who love to cook would consider it an ideal gift. Let them try out different cuisines and make their families happy.

 

Men and women who have green fingers love to get plants as gifts. They are the ones who spend a lot of time and money perfecting the gardens lining their homes, which will often be the object of their adoration and pride, and everyone else’s awe or envy. Gift them a plant they will love and, if not too expensive, put it in a decorative pot that is beautiful to look at. They would definitely love it and may even share some secrets on how to tend the garden better with you; information that you could well put to use!

 

Items like wind chimes and little Feng Shui turtles, frogs or figurines of the Chinese god of laughter are also gifts that will be appreciated and will not burn a hole in your pocket. Feng Shui artifacts look beautiful and also boast of a deeper significance – for instance, a Feng Shui tower placed in the south east room of the house or the south east corner of the room in which the children study is supposed to enhance concentration and improve learning.

 

Gifting you neighbour the latest best seller or the newest self help book could do you good. If the family has children, you could also buy a book that the child could read – choose a book that would normally be read by children of the same age group as your neighbor’s child. You could also make a personalized bookmark for the person, with the person’s name or something.

 

Design a scrapbook out of good quality paper and little knick-knacks and gift it to the person to fill it with pictures of family holidays or any other events of importance. People love to keep memories of special functions but may not always get the time to buy albums for each one of them. In such situations, a scrapbook may come handy.