Ello There!
Thank you for stopping by again! It’s the most wonderful time of the year
The atmosphere is automatically filled with a supreme standard of cheer, love, togetherness, and…BRIGHT LIGHTS! One of my most favorite attributes of the Thanksgiving-Christmas season is that there is an increased inclination to think outside of ourselves, to give, to put a smile on someone else’s face, and to be an immediate blessing to others.
While we may want to give the Partridge in a pear tree, 2 turtle doves, WITH the 5 golden rings... a lot of the time we have to recalibrate our gift ideas so that we can operate within our means. This season can be particularly harsh on the Jingle Bells in our pockets due to surging prices for gift items, having a long list of loved ones, and limited amount of funds to allocate to holiday spending. Trust me. I understand. The struggle is real. But it’s a good struggle because it means that we have loved ones that we desire to make smile️ 🙂. So this is why I wanted to gift YOU with some helpful tips on how to be a BLESSING on a BUDGET! I do not want finances to be the reason as to why we do not actively go out and be a blessing to others.
Christmas “Blessings on a Budget” Gift Ideas
1. Give a Heartfelt Card
Cards are often the most overlooked part of the holidays. But if you’re like me, you appreciate the sentiments and thought behind the gift of a Christmas Card. What I love most about cards is the fact that I can keep them forever and re-read them years from now. Remember, quality is more important than quantity! So write with the goal to fill your loved-ones heart…not the page.
2. If you’re an artist: Create a special work of art!
Can you draw, paint, play a special instrument, dance, act, or sing? Create a special work of art for your loved-one or use your gifts to put on a performance at a community center. Your gifting is a blessing in itself, your willingness to share it with others makes it all the more special and worthwhile.
3. Give your time.
– If you would like to service your community in some way, volunteer your time at local programs held at Churches or Shelters within your neighborhood. There are many places who are in need of volunteers around this time of year. Click here to view volunteer opportunities in New York City around the holidays.
-If you would like to service your loved-ones, you can volunteer your time to help them prepare for holidays. Whether it is decorating the tree, being great company during their Christmas shopping, or helping to prepare Christmas dinner… Your time is invaluable and is a great gift to share with others.
4. D.I.Y Blessing Jar
These are one of my favorite gifts to give. I saw the concept of creating “Blessing Jars” on Pinterest a few years ago and it stuck with me. A blessing jar is a container that we use to keep track of all of all the good things and blessings that we experience during our year. It is very easy for us to remember the negative and lose sight of the positives when reminiscing about our year, so this gift is a great keepsake reminder to count & cherish our blessings. How to make an inexpensive blessing jar: 1) Purchase a Mason Jar. 2) Decorate the jar personalizing it to the person you are giving it to. 3) Place a kind note within the jar to start off your loved-ones collection. 
5. D.I.Y Goodie Bag/Grab Bag
I mean… who does not LOVE candy, treats, and little knick-knacks?! Creating your own grab bag can be a cute, fun, and inexpensive gift. Here’s how you do it: 1) You can visit the Dollar Store, or the knick-knack section in Target to pick up a few helpful items that cost $1.00. 2) Buy a large bag of assorted candies. 3) Get a plastic gift bag and fill it with the candy and place (1) knick-knack inside. 4) Secure the bag with a twist-tie. WAH-LAH. You have your very own personalized Goodie Bag!
6. D.I.Y Blessing Bag
A great way that you can be a blessing to anyone in need is to prepare little ziplock bags filled with essential items, such as: nonperishable snacks, toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, wipes, etc. After preparing the bags, you can keep them in your car, purse, or bag and give it out to anyone that you encounter that may be in need of food, an immediate blessing, or simply a small gesture of kindness.
7. Re-gift.
You can consider re-gifting items that you haven’t used THAT YOU THINK WOULD MAKE A BETTER GIFT to someone else, such as: a lotion set, an unworn article of clothing, accessories (hat, scarf, gloves, jewelry, bag, coffee cup, etc.). ATTN: I am NOT saying to use the Christmas season as an opportunity to get some early spring cleaning done or to finally give away all of the things that you were just d y i n g to get rid of in the first place…NO! A wise person once told me, “do not give to other people things that you would not even want for yourself”. However, what I AM saying is that we live in a country and a time of “excess”, so it would not be too surprising that while taking inventory of our belongings that we find items which we purchased with the intention to use or wear…but actually never got around to doing so. THOSE are the items that I am asking you to consider as great re-gifting options.
Well loves, this concludes my Blessing on a Budget 101! I hope this list was helpful! Please be sure to share this post with your family and friends, I know there are people still out there looking for great last-minute gift ideas. Also, if you used any of my suggestions OR if you have some other great gift ideas, be sure to share them in the comments below! Lastly, let me know if you would like to see more helpful lists like this in the future. Your feedback is GOLD & Sharing is caring ️
Merry (Early) Christmas Loves! Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season️! May your days be merry and BRIGHT!
– Shanice <3
For some extra cheer, here is a little video of me singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”:
4 thoughts on “How To Be A: BLESSING on a BUDGET 101”
Love the gifts on a budget!
Your rendition was heavenly!
Thank you Auntie! ❤️
Great tips! Cards are definitely an overlooked gift and I love the painting/drawing idea!
Thank you! In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a card! Will you be creating a work of art this Christmas? ???