Personalise your Christmas cards this year with this FREE printable Christmas card with space to write your top three highlights for the year (and boy don’t we need to focus on the good stuff this year!)
No Christmas cards? No worries! Email christmascard@mrgift.com.au to get your free printable Christmas card.
Simply print and fold! Comes with instructions on how to fold your card – no cutting required:-)
TIP: Print out some extra copies to stash as last-minute cards.
Drop us an email to christmascard@mrgift.com.au and we’ll send you the PDF.
If you want a Christmas tree with a difference this year, don’t want a Christmas tree, or are going away for Christmas and can’t put up a tree, this is the perfect solution! It’s easy (and cost effective) to execute – you just need tinsel, lights and a handful of baubles and you’re set!
There is so much to love about this platter. Not only is it fun and festive – it’s healthy too! Swap out any of the ingredients to match personal taste and seasonal fruit:-)
If you have kids, chances are you haven’t been able to escape opening a Christmas advent calendar or two today! If you’re feeling a little disappointed with the lolly-ladden commercial calendars on the market at this time of the year, here are a few beautiful alternatives you can customise to suit anyone, of any age…
1. Hanging Envelopes
This stylish option can be customised to suit your recipient by simply changing the colour scheme. You could also use plain kraft paper bags for an inexpensive option, and decorate with stickers to introduce colour.
Everyone loves pulling a Christmas cracker, especially when they as cute as these ones! Make your own, or take the easy option by purchasing some quality pre-made ones from the shops and add your numbers.
Who could resist these cute little stockings? If you sew you could make these from cool Christmas fabrics, but the easiest option is making them from felt (stitching or gluing them together) and going to town with the embellishments. The kids would have fun making them too:-)
As a keen plant enthusiast, this is one of my favourite options – I would fill each pot with a plant! But you can of course fill your pots with anything you like. You can write the numbers on with a white marker, chalk, or use stickers.
How cute are these! The graphic black and white patterns are a refreshing, contemporary alternative to the standard Christmas colour palette of red, green, gold and silver.
A shoe or accessory organiser has never looked better when repurposed into this stylish advent calendar. This one will stand the test of time and can be folded up and used year after year. Simply stencil, write, or glue the numbers on in any colour you choose.
7. Wrapped presents
This particular example uses library books (genius!) as an inexpensive, clutter-free gift option, but you could of course wrap anything you like and number. We also love the use of kraft paper, which sets off the colourful number cards. You could also reuse the cards again next year.
This is a very organised way of presenting your advent calendar. Whilst this wouldn’t work for larger gifts, you could fill these envelopes with inspiring messages, cards, or stickers. I love the idea of systematically picking an envelope each day and placing the previous ones at the back.
This is a really effective way of creating a simple handmade Christmas card. You don’t even have to be good at sewing – just mark up your card, thread your needle and away you go!
Every year I purchase little Christmas gifts for the nine lovely ladies in my book club. Since we only meet once a month, they are not part of my close friend circle, but I have known these ladies for long enough to call them good friends. Nine gifts can easily blow my Christmas gift budget, so I have to be smart about how much I spend. This annual conundrum made me think about all the other people we want to demonstrate our gratitude for at Christmas with a thoughtful gift. There are teachers, day-care staff, work colleagues, the cleaner, the personal trainer/fitness instructor, neighbours…and the list goes on! Here are some simple, cost effective gift ideas that will hopefully make their Christmas a bit more special.
1.Home-made treats
The last couple of year I’ve made Rocky Road, Shortbread, and Rum Balls for my book club friends. This is cost effective and fun (especially for my kids, who LOVE to help!). Part of the value of edible gifts is in the packaging – think cellophane bags tied with tinsel and baubles, little boxes or jars decorated with Christmas stickers or other inexpensive decorations. The options are endless! The only thing to be aware of are allergies. One year a friend made me homemade bath salts, which was essentially Epsom salts mixed with essential oil – they were divine!
2.Plants
A couple of years ago the book club ladies, day-care team, school teachers and other friends each received a little succulent plant grown from cuttings from my garden. This takes some preparation as I had to start growing these a few weeks before, but well worth the effort. Everyone loved them and they don’t need much water – perfect for non-green thumbs. They also grow as indoor or outdoor plants. People still proudly let me know their plant is still alive! If you don’t have any plants to take cuttings from, or need a plant in a hurry, a quick trip to your local garden centre is in order. If you need multiple gifts, grab a cost-effective punnet of plants and re-plant into their own little pots (which you could decorate if you have time). You can pick up six plants in a punnet for as little as $4. Alternatively, packets of seeds are also fun and cost effective gifts. Plants are an eco-friendly gift that keeps giving!
3.Handmade Christmas ornaments
If you have the time, handmade Christmas ornaments are a fun, festive gift idea. Your recipient can pop them on their Christmas tree, or decorate their workspace or other areas of the home with them. Simple ideas are felt shapes i.e. a Christmas tree, snowman, candy canes, etc. decorated with diamantes or other Christmas-related trimmings, pinecones sprinkled with glitter, or foam baubles covered in pom poms, glitter or sequins. The kids will love getting involved too.
4.Bottle of wine
So the thing with booze is that you want to make sure your recipient drinks. Even if you’re not sure if they like wine or not, they can always share the bottle or take it to dinner at a friend’s house. But if they don’t drink at all – for religious or personal reasons…well that’s just a bit awkward! Once you’ve established if they drink, opt for a style of wine with broad appeal, like a Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. If you’re lucky enough to live in a wine region, pick something local – especially if you’ve been to that winery before – it’s more personal. Budget permitting, buy a six-pack or a case and stash a couple of bottles somewhere dark and cool as an “emergency/last-minute” gift.
5.Box of Chocolates
The classic box of chocolates is the perfect crowd-pleasing gift… “What to bring when you’re told not to bring a thing!” The trick with choccies is buying them when they’re on special and keeping them in the fridge or somewhere cool at home. The supermarkets heavily discount boxes of chocolates regularly, so stock up accordingly. Another perfect last-minute gift option.
6.Stationery
We’re spoiled for choice these days when it comes to beautiful, affordable stationery. Officeworks, Target, and Kmart are great places to start for sourcing lovely notebooks, journals, pens and desk accessories in on-trend prints and colours. Stationery also makes a great gift for men, women and kids…you can never have enough blank notebooks!
Hopefully these ideas will give you some inspiration for those thoughtful, inexpensive Christmas gifts. Now to finish your gift list… Want more inspiration like this? Subscribe to our newsletter here…
Last minute Secret Santa gifts + FREE Express Post
Did you forget someone? Or do you need a last minute Secret Santa gift? Check out our top ten gifts under $30 below, with plenty more gift ideas on our website,www.mrgift.com.au.
We’re also offering a $20 DISCOUNT + FREE EXPRESS POST DELIVERY on all orders of $30 or more from now until midnight, Monday 24/12/18.
Use Discount Code XMAS20 in the Discount Code field when you place your order.
This offer can’t be used in conjunction with other offers, or redeemed for cash. But please feel free to share with family and friends:-)
Wishing you all a happy and safe Christmas, Courtney and the Mr Gift Team
2. Go-Comb Tame your mop, then crack a beer – all with one cool gadget.
3. Golf Bag Cufflinks $24.95 Golf enthusiasts will appreciate this fun set of cufflinks – they can dream about their favourite pastime, especially if they’re having a hard day at work!
4. 15 Piece Toolset $19.95 A great tool set doesn’t need to consist of a large, heavy box with lots of different tools. This 15 pc Essential Tool Set has plenty of different options to help you complete a variety of jobs.
7. Men’s 2nd Skin Gardening Gloves $22.85 Protect your paws in the garden this summer. The secret behind the ‘2nd skin’ fit lies in the use of Lycra and goatskin materials and high quality construction.
8. 30 Day Challenge Activity Box $29.95 Straight-up, I can think of about 10 different people I could buy one of these boxes for…especially the hard-to-buy-for peeps! And really, who wouldn’t want to feel happier, get fitter, cook and love better, take better pics, and just slow the heck down?!
Buttons aren’t just for clothes…they also make adorable Christmas decorations! Here are a few of our favourite ideas…
1. Stacked Button Trees
This is a great way to use up all those random buttons you can’t find a home for. The tonal coloured buttons are great, but our favourite is the rainbow tree…who doesn’t love a rainbow Christmas tree?!
Source: www.pinterest.com.au
2. Button Wreath Wreaths are an easy decoration to make, provided you have enough buttons. We love these tonal green colours, but as above with the Christmas tree, rainbow colours are also eye-catching. Metallic ribbon also goes with any coloured buttons.
Ok, ok, so this one would take a bit more time and skill actually sewing on the buttons (although you could cheat with a glue gun!). But any effort is well-worth the reward for this beautiful piece. We also love the tonal pearl buttons, which are easy to get hold of and look amazing.
Source: www.pinterest.com.au
4. Button Snowmen
Who knew that buttons would make such perfectly formed little snowmen?! We love the contrast of these against the blue felt, as well as the little accessories that give them personality. Simply glue them on if sewing’s not your thing.
This pretty button wreath might not hang on your Christmas tree, but it does make a gorgeous wall decoration. This design would also look great as a cushion, like the snowflake above. We love the use of the deep red colours with the green – tasteful all the way!
These cute popsicle stick Christmas trees are so easy to make that the kids could do them. If you don’t have enough buttons, sequins would also work too. Grab your glue gun and get creative!
