Francesca Villette
IT IS as easy to overspend on Christmas gifts as it is to spend money you don’t have.
Were you clever, you would have bought gifts for your in-laws in June, your best friend in July and the rest in months gone by.
But the reality is that many of us are planning to, in the few weeks remaining, to head to the mall and shop for Christmas gifts until we drop. Even if you receive advice from 100 people about what gift to get a family member this Christmas, the truth is that you know best. Only you know what will truly make the person happy and only you know what they will cherish forever. Giving it some thought just requires a little effort sometimes.
FOR YOUR MOTHER
Mothers love well-thought-out gifts rather than having their children break the bank trying to impress them. The best gift a mother could ask for is something personal.
FOR YOUR FATHER
When it comes to shopping for your old man, consider his hobbies and interests, then think about what you could get that would complement that.
Fathers, like mothers, appreciate a gift that has been given some thought.
FOR YOUR SIBLINGS
There is no relationship like the one you share with your sibling. You possess a unique bond.
One of the best gifts to get them this Christmas is something that might showcase that precious bond.
A watch or their favourite perfume or cologne will be just perfect.
Head of consumer education at FNB Eunice Sibiya said: “The biggest difficulty around making the change to giving inexpensive gifts, is managing the expectations of the receivers.
“If you usually give expensive gifts to your family or group of friends, you may find that there is the same expectation this year.”
The bank advised on ways of making and creating gifts without spending huge amounts of money, as sometimes a well-thought-out gift is appreciated more than an expensive gift wrapped at the store.
For extended family and adult family friends, Sibiya advised that one shouldn’t feel the need, or feel any pressure, to splurge when it comes to gift giving.
“If you are a baker, consider baking a dessert or sweet treats to give to them. Gardeners can split plants to give as gifts. Or, if you have a bit of time, grow plants from cuttings.
“When buying gifts for adults, how about doing the age-old ‘Secret Santa’ to save money? Put the names of all participating adults in a hat and draw a person’s name for who they will buy a gift.
“The group can decide on a monetary limit for the gift to keep everything fair.”