This is it. With just a few hours left until Christmas morning, there is not much time left to procrastinate. If you’ve been holding out on shopping for gifts because you planned to take advantage of last-minute doorbusters, you may be in for a big surprise.
Money experts warn that while some stores claim their last-minute deals are major money savers, in most cases they aren’t. In fact, financial wizards are quick to point out that retailers prey on procrastinators and the amazing deals you think you are scoring are in fact not much bigger than those advertised at any other time of the year.
At this point, since Christmas Eve is halfway over, you might better off making your own gifts. If you have a well-stocked craft closet, this option could help you preserve your holiday budget better than any sale out there. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a domestic diva to whip up heartfelt homemade Christmas gifts. For example, if you need to bring a gift to your mom’s house tonight, consider mixing up a batch of salt dough, and then using cookie cutters to make ornaments for her Christmas tree.
Another simple and affordable idea is to fold origami cranes, stars and trees to top store-bought gifts. Semi-homemade presents are also great ways to keep you from suffering from a holiday debt hangover. One easy gift to make requires repurposing old ball ornaments. Collect a dozen or so balls, and then spray paint them in holiday colors. Then, fill an empty glass vase with the ornaments, add a pretty bow to the base, and present it as a hostess gift.
Finally, for family members who really won’t appreciate receiving re-purposed Christmas tree ornaments, head over to sites such as Amazon.com and download free, legal mp3 tunes, then burn a customized CD for your favorite music lover. You can also use your computer to design a personalized coloring book for a special child in your life. Simply print off copies of free coloring pages from various kids’ activity sites, and then bind the pages together with festive ribbon.