Giving out little gifts during the holiday season is an excellent way to show someone you are thinking of them and appreciate their kindness. But it is also the time of year when money is tight and priorities are spoken for. There are ways to give something special without spending more than you have. Food is always a great way to go. Here are a few of my favorite frugal Christmas gifts for the people I love!
Spreading Joy With Gifts For Neighbors
Every year, one of the highlights of my Holiday celebration is baking small loaves of bread for neighbors and friends. It’s a small, inexpensive, and creative way to show people that you love how much they mean to you during the season. I usually start the second week in November baking and freezing these little loaves of yumminess. These quick loaves of bread freeze well and allow me to make a bunch of them. Everyone always loves these frugal Christmas gifts!
My list of friends and neighbors totals about 12-14 families and others that I randomly see and want to give them to – like my friend Ernie, a crossing guard, or fellow volunteers at the food pantry.
I usually make about 30 loaves of bread – some I pair with little jars of flavored butter. I have made maple, cinnamon, and honey butter in past years. This year, I think I am going with maple from my oldest son’s maple syrup business (spoiler alert, friends!!!)!
I got these little jars from Hobby Lobby on sale for fifty cents each!
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In other years, I have paired it with flavored coffees – enough for one pot or two K-cup refills.
Some of the other frugal Christmas gifts I have made for neighbors have been chocolate-dipped pretzels or pretzels with Rolos melted on them. These were also a big hit for my husband’s office! Any type of candy like buckeyes (peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate) or fudge never disappoints!
Cookies are always a nice gift – my friend Michelle spends days making plates of cookies and fudge to give away. We always welcome those tasty treats. We love to make the peanut butter cookies with the kisses in them. I like to roll the peanut butter dough in red and green sugar for a festive look.
We may like peanut butter in this house, as I see more than one reference to the creamy, yummy, frugal Christmas gift goodness!
Low-Cost Christmas Gifts
Showing you love someone does not have to cost much money. You can make frugal Christmas gifts for under $15 for nine loaves of bread. Let me show you the breakdown (from Walmart November 2023).
Flour: (18 cups in 5 pounds) 5 lbs $1.32
Sugar: (one pound of sugar is 2 cups) 2 lbs sugar $3.24
Eggs: 12 count $1.30
Butter: 1 lb $3.98
Imitation vanilla: 8 oz $1.46
4 Bananas: $1.00
Bag of Chocolate Chips: $1.97
Can of Pumpkin: $1.22
Baking Soda: $.92
Total Cost: $16.41 for at least nine gifts, depending on the size of your loaf pans.
The mini loaf pans that are similar to a muffin tin and make eight mini loaves (smaller than my single mini loaf pans) sell for about $10 on Amazon, and you could get many more loaves out of these recipes.
Here are the recipes for my little loaves of Christmas Cheer!
Of all the frugal Christmas gifts I have done over the years, the loaves of bread and the flavored jars of butter are my favorites!
Banana Bread
Prep time 5 minutes
Bake time 40 minutes at 350 degrees
Yield three mini loafs
3-4 ripe bananas smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Mix in a big bowl in order and pour into greased mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
Pumpkin Bread
Prep time 5 minutes
Bake time 40 minutes at 350 degrees
Yield three mini loaves
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Mix in a big bowl in order and pour into greased mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
Chocolate Chip Or Apple Bread
Prep time 5 minutes
Bake time 40 minutes
Yield three mini loaves
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup of chocolate chips
Mix in a big bowl in order and pour into greased mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean
***You can also change this recipe into apple bread by adding a teaspoon of cinnamon and substituting a cup of chopped apples for the chocolate chips.
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Hope
What great ideas!!! Would love recipes for the flavored butter if you would be willing to share. Thank you!
Sara
Sure but its not much of a recipe: a stick of butter (or 2 or 4 deppending on how much you want to make) at room temperature, a generous squirt of maple syrup or honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Whip with a mixer and add to small jars!
Lori
I love these! Perfect for co worker’s gifts. What are dimensions of your single mini loaf pan? Thank you
Audrey Gillis
Love this. I make things too but I love the jar recipe! Plus I love this because it’s all sectioned out for mini loaf pans. Thank you so much for sharing ❤️
Sara
These are the ones I have: https://amzn.to/3PXgUQ0
Liz
I love all you ideas. I use to make little mini bunt rum cakes and mini loaves of zucchini bread among other things. Now days, sadly, many people are very cautious about eating something from a home kitchen – even if it’s a good friend. I have heard many co-workers thank the gift giver then just toss a gift. Sad, but true.
McGough Terry
Love your story and website . Can you put me on your email list for continuing information, recipes , and hints?
Helen
I love this idea. I used to make homemade pumpkin butter and steam my own pumpkins but I want to mix it up and love the flavored butter idea. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you
Debbie Barfield Barberee
I just retired and I’m going crazy. Guess I’ll try my hand at. Baking…. I know you have shared a lot but have you got a main cookie recipe… or some simple things to make…. Thank you
Chari
Sadly, your ingredient list, purchased where I live in Canada would cost around $35. Eggs are over $5 a dozen, 5 lb of flour around $7, and butter is $7 a pound, choc chips are around $4. The only item comparable is the sugar!
Sara
Thats a big price difference. BUT…if you could get 7-10 breads out of $35, you still have some frugal gifts!
Allison Rowell
To those wanting a simple cookie recipe, I have a recipe that links chocolate chip cookies and brownies. I call it chocolate chip blonde brownies. Using a greased 9×13 baking dish, combine 2 sticks of melted butter, 2 large eggs, a box of brown sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla in a bowl. Mix well, then slowly add 3 cups of self-rising flour, mixing as you go. Add your 12oz bag of chocolate chips or mini chips and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. This will usually yield 12-20 brownies, depending on how large you cut them. Great with a glass or skim milk!