13 Great Gift Ideas for Your Parents That Don't Cost More Than Your Pocket Money

Parents are nearly impossible to shop for. They give you so much (and we're not just talking about presents!), how can you find the perfect gift in return? Even though you may wish you could splurge on an iPhone or a brand new car to show how much you love them, there are awesome, affordable alternatives that are even more thoughtful. Below are list of 13 which I think you could try this Christmas.

A beauty makeoker for mum could be a great Christmas gift

1.   Get mum a makeover – don’t all women just love makeovers? The TV stations are replete with makeover shows. With a little planning you can buy your mum a makeover for Christmas day and it will double as a gift for dad because his wife gets to look stunning for a day and hey, the bill is not on him. There are a lot of great makeup artistes out there especially those who advertise their services on Instagram. This has the added advantage of being able to see their work before you splash the cash. You can either book your mum a session, or you can order her the home service. Budget: N5,000 – N15,000.

2.   Get them the 3d picture - there's a new technology out there that reproduces 2d images as 3d images which can be set in a glass cube. It's quite amazing! Imagine a 3d image of your parents sitting proudly on the divider... There is a shop that makes these 3d works in Surulere, Lagos. Budget N14,500 - N20,000. Very pricey but I thought to add it in there since some of us might earn that much pocket money.

3.   Cinema tickets – your parents get so busy and involved with their busy lives that they hardly make time for date night since you and your siblings came along. A great Christmas gift will be to get them cinema tickets to see a movie which you think they might both like. You don’t have an idea what movie they will like? Do some research. Raise the topic of the movies now showing at the cinemas and see which of the movies they seem interested in. sometimes, the answer is at home in their TV habits. Are they constantly watching Telemundo or Africa Magic? I don’t need to tell you what ticket to get them do I? You just get them the tickets. Once the idea that they will be going out hits, they will complete the plans (i.e.) dinner, etc. Budget: N1,200 – N5,000 for two tickets.

4.   Concert tickets – There are soooo many concerts lined up this season. There is a show almost everyday even and the tickets are reasonably priced. If you know the sort of show that will excite your folks, get them the regular tickets if that is all you can afford. If they want, they can upgrade the ticket but they will be glad for your thoughtfulness and might even consider increasing your pocket money to be able to afford better seats for the next concert gift you give them. Budget: N1,000 – N10,000 for two tickets

5.   Get mum some costume jewelry – Costume jewelry are all the rage this season. They go well with just about any attire and are a great way to look like a million bucks while spending far less. The trick is to look around. There are many people who make costume jewelry and so when you see a piece that you like somewhere that is priced on the high side, you could get someone a picture of the piece you like and they could make it at a fraction of the price. There are also some shops all over the place that sell really unique pieces at a reasonable price. Budget: N500 – N7,000.

6.   Get dad a pen – dads are always crazy about fancy pens. Unique pens which they can use as their signature pens at their important meetings. There are some shops around that sell pens at reasonable prices. The nice ones usually have thin nibs so that the writing looks better than it usually is with a thick-nibbed biro. Try getting him one with black ink. Budget: N50 – 2,000

7.   Get them the jersey or some other paraphernalia of their favourite team such as car stickers, or a branded face cap – are your parents mad about their football? Or is it just your dad? It doesn’t matter. You can get them both the jerseys so mum can rep her husband’s club and dad will be happy about that. If you can’t afford to have names on the jerseys, you can get them plain. Your parents can name the jerseys themselves. The jerseys tend to be quite expensive so you have to have been saving up for a while. You can however get them some cheaper items such as face caps, branded tee shirts, or even cups, mugs and car stickers. You can get them at the best price by asking a friend who’s traveling to buy them for you direct from the shops, preferably when there is a sale. Budget: – N500 – N15,000

8.   Get mum a nice kitchen apron with some lovely inscription on it - If you don’t find any out there, get a nice plain apron and get a printer to print your message on it. Of course this is only a great gift if your mum spends a lot of time in the kitchen. If aprons turn out to be way too expensive for you, you can always get a tailor to sew you one. This is bound to be much cheaper than a ready-made one. Budget: N500 – 3,000

9.   Cook for them - If you can’t afford a gift, offer a service. Even when you can afford a gift, and do get them a gift, offering this service as an addition will leave your parents in awe of their special Angel. Imagine how appreciated your mum would feel if you told her to take the day off on Christmas day and just relax because you will do the cooking. What a pleasant Christmas present that will be. Of course this gift cannot be a surprise because mum would already have been planning for the Christmas feast. You have to let her know what you intend to do. You can do the shopping together and you can allow her plan the menu. The gift is that she will not be involved in the preparation of the food on Christmas day. Budget: N0.00.

10. Entertain them with your talent - If you can sing, or play a musical instrument, do so. Practice well so that your presentation will be as nice as possible. Think of a presentation that either tells of the season (Christmas), or that tells of your love and appreciation for your parents. You might want to feel awkward about doing this but they are your parents and every opportunity to show them how much you love them is nothing to feel awkward about. Budget: N0.00.

11. Say it in a letter – write your parents a heartfelt letter. Tell them how this is the season of giving and you just want to say to them that they have given to you all year - heck all your life - and you love and appreciate them for it. They will love it. Budget: N0.00.

12. Call a radio station and ask the OAP to call your parents – still on communicating to your parents that you love and appreciate them. This is an extra step because you are proclaiming it to the world. Do your parents listen to the radio? Do they have a favourite OAP? Call the station and ask the OAP politely. Beg if you have to. Your parents will love to receive a call from their fave OAP saying that you asked them to call to wish them a merry Christmas. Budget: just have some airtime on your phone enough to stay on the line to convince a stubborn OAP on the need to grant you this one Christmas request.

13. Ask your friends to call your parents - Tell them the message you want delivered. For instance, “I’m Yinka’s friend. She said I should call you to tell you that she thinks you are the best parents in the world and since she can’t get you a gift, she thought this would be a great way to let you know especially during this Christmas season.” I am sure that by the time your parents get 10 or more calls, they will be very pleased.

     If none of these gift ideas appeal to you, you can always give them a hug.