The holiday season is a time for giving. In our neighborhood, neighbors drop off gifts to one another throughout December. It’s a fun way to spread joy and cheer in your neighborhood. However, finding affordable and thoughtful gifts for a lot of neighbors can be a challenge. That’s why we’ve put together this list of cheap neighbor gift ideas for Christmas that are sure to impress even the pickiest of neighbors.
DIY Gift Ideas
We love DIY gifts! Making your own gifts is a great way to give cheap neighbor gifts for Christmas. Let’s check out some fun ideas!
Homemade Candles
If you are feeling crafty you can make your own candles by melting wax and adding essential oils or fragrances. Pour into jars or tins and decorate with ribbon or twine. You can easily find DIY candle-making kits online or at your local craft store. I love the kit below! Not only will this gift be appreciated, but it will also add a cozy touch to your neighbor’s home during the holiday season.
- All-IN-ONE Complete Premium DIY Candle Making Kit: The candle making supplies are suitable for all levels and contain all you needed to make scented homemade candles: 480g Soy Wax (8 block soy wax, 1 block about 60g=1 jar of candle), 4 * fragrance oils, 1* candle pouring pot with anti-scalding handle, 50 * candle wicks, 50 * candle wick stickers,4 * wax dyes,8*candle tins,4* centering device,1*stirring spoon,4* insulation mats, 16* DIY stickers, 1 * user manual and and exquisite gift box
- Super Easy to Make, Perfect for Beginners: The ultimate candle making set for beginners is definitely in our shop. Whether you are a beginner or a candle making lover, owning our candle making kit is the first step to successfully making candles. The set includes step-by-step instruction and all necessary soy wax, dyes, essential oils and other accessories for making candles. Come and try this DIY candle making set to start your journey as a handmade candle designer
Baked Goods
Whip up a batch of cookies, brownies, or other treats and package them in festive bags or boxes. You can even include a recipe card with the gift, so your neighbor can make the treats themselves in the future. This gift is perfect for those who love to bake or have a sweet tooth.
Our family loves to make peanut clusters and other candies for neighbor gifts. Then we put them in some cute containers. This year we used these adorable containers.
- 🍬Stable Material：Christmas treat boxes is made of tough and dirt-resistant kraft paper. Thickened paper is stronger than ordinary paper and is not easy to break. The bottom cross buckle is tight and seamless, so there is no need to worry about the biscuits falling, and the top rope perforation seal does not damage the shape. It is a good choice for biscuits.
- 🍬Cozy appearance: Christmas cookie containers overall is gingerbread color, white tile red door small house and green Christmas tree pattern, cute and beautiful, not only holiday decorations but also delicious snacks, as an exquisite gift to your friends.
Mason Jar Gifts
Fill mason jars with homemade hot cocoa mix, soup mix, or other goodies. Decorate with ribbon or twine and add a gift tag. Mason jars are a versatile and affordable option for packaging gifts, and they can be reused by your neighbor after the contents are gone.
Stovetop Potpourri
Bringing some of your favorite holiday scents to gift giving is a fun way to spread Christmas cheer to your neighbors. Add cloves, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and an orange to a paper bag, plus instructions for stovetop potpourri and gift them to your neighbors!
Paper Gift Ideas
Gift Tags
Print out free gift tags from websites like Canva or Pinterest and attach them to your gifts. This is an easy and affordable way to add a personal touch to your gifts, and there are endless options for designs and styles. You could even snag a set like this on Amazon and break down the larger pack into smaller baggies of 10 or 15 tags for each neighbor.
- What You Will Get – You will get 100 PCS paper tags, the package also comes with 100 PCS hanging strings. Each paper tag measurs 2.8 x 1.7 inches.
- Premium Kraft Tags – All of the paper tags are made from premium specialty kraft paper. These durable paper tags are thick and strong, non-toxic and odorless, wrinkle and tear resistant, and having no ink-bleeding problem.
Recipe Cards
Print out recipe cards with your favorite holiday recipes and package them with a small gift like a cookie cutter or kitchen towel. This gift is perfect for those who love to cook or bake, and it’s a great way to share your favorite recipes with your neighbors.
- STANDARD 4×6 INCHES – Standard size makes it fit into regular recipe boxes and 8.5×11 recipe binders; the modern minimalist design offers plenty of room for complex recipes, and the “Notes” section is for your special notes
- THICK CARD STOCK – The material is 300gsm cardstock, it absorbs ink quickly, has the advantages of smoothness and opaque texture, not easy to tear, so your family recipes last long.
Food and Drink Gift Ideas
Hot Cocoa Mix
Make your own hot cocoa mix by combining cocoa powder, sugar, and mini marshmallows. Package in a jar or bag and decorate with a ribbon or tag. This gift is perfect for those who love to cozy up with a warm drink during the winter months.
Homemade Jam
Make your own jam by cooking down fresh fruit with sugar and pectin. Package in a jar and decorate with a label and ribbon. This gift is perfect for those who love to cook or entertain, and it’s a great way to share a taste of the season with your neighbors.
Orange Wreaths
Oranges are a holiday favorite for many people. Making an orange wreath is easy and can be an impressive, but inexpensive option. Simply wrap a few oranges in clear gift wrap and form it into a circle. These are so cute!
Looking for experience gift ideas? Read: Family Experience Gift Ideas
Non-Food Gift Ideas
Gifting non-food items to your neighbors can be way to give practical gifts. They can also be easy to do and would even allow you to stock up earlier in the year on sales.
Paper Plates and Cups
The holidays can be such a busy time of the year. Not needing to do dishes would be a relief for any family! Simply drop by a small stack of paper plates or cups with a cute saying!
- 10 INCH ROUND PLATES – These holiday themed paper plates are an elegant touch for any holiday meal
- MICROWAVE SAFE PAPER PLATES – Heat up your favorite leftover foods in the microwave using these microwave-safe paper plates for all
Soap
Sick season happens during the holiday season. Which means that anything you can give your neighbors to ward off sickness will be a welcome relief. This might include soaps or even disinfectant sprays. I always love getting a fun new soap like this one below.
- Assortment of 5 Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soaps
- 8 Fl. Oz Each
Wrapping Paper
- One Bundle For All – 6 Festive holiday designs with matching colors, this set of assorted wrapping papers is everything you need to jazz up your Christmas gifts for the ones you love. 2 elegant and luxurious designs for ladies, 2 for gentlemen and 2 cute ones for kids! The metallic foil papers make any gift shiny and eye catching!
- Fabulous Designs – Mistletoe, Christmas Tree, Ho ho ho, Gold Ornaments, Mini bus & Red Christmas truck. Made with high quality 80gsm kraft papers and metallic foil. Super sturdy and reliable to protect your party goodies and gifts. in Kraft and metallic foil paper.
Who doesn’t have wrapping to do this time of year? Dropping by a roll of wrapping paper to your neighbors might just save the day! You could even stock up early on wrapping paper by shopping after Christmas sales and saving them for next year. I also love this cute wrapping paper below.
Personalized Ornament
Get a personalized ornament made with your neighbor’s name or family name. Add a ribbon or hook for hanging. This gift is perfect for those who love to decorate their Christmas tree with personalized ornaments, and it’s a great way to commemorate the holiday season. This gift would be cheaper if you made the ornaments yourself, but you can also order some like the ones below.
- Kindly Note: This ornament is 2D not 3D. To ensure the best results, we recommended to select photos that are not cropped or have significant sunshine flares, as these may affect the clarity and vibrancy of your ornament. By choosing the right photo, you’ll create a stunning keepsake that captures the essence of your special moments during the festive season.
- Personalized Christmas Photo Ornaments: Create cherished memories with a customized photo ornament featuring your favorite photo, or choose one that holds sentimental value. Crafted from premium-quality acrylic, this ornament is a timeless addition to your holiday decorations.
There are a few things to keep in mind when giving gifts to your neighbors. First, it’s important to consider your neighbor’s preferences and tastes when choosing a gift. I have a neighbor who isn’t able to eat gluten because of health reasons. Gifting that family a loaf of bread may not go over well. So, it’s important to think about what your neighbors will use and need.
Second, it’s important to keep your budget in mind when choosing a gift. The gifts on this list are all affordable, but you can always adjust the cost based on your own budget. Every family will have a different budget, and your version of “cheap” may be different than mine or even your neighbor.
There are plenty of cheap neighbor gift ideas for Christmas that are thoughtful and easy to make. Whether you opt for a DIY gifts, food or drink gifts, or non-food gifts, your neighbors are sure to appreciate the gesture. Remember, it’s the thought that counts, and spreading joy during the holiday season is what matters most. Happy gifting!
