Christmas gift ideas for the recession

People tend to cut spending during a recession, but there are certain areas that do particularly well in a recession. These can give you some great inspiration for the kinds of Christmas gift ideas that will give your friends and family a little boost when things start to look a little bleak.

Home cooking

During a recession, people are more reluctant to go out to restaurants due to the cost of eating out. This means that anything that can make cooking at home a joy, such as a special new cutting board, rolling pin, cake pan or fancy apron, will make a much-appreciated Christmas gift. In addition to this, a nice cooking gift will encourage your friends to cook for you!

Gardening

Gardening is a very popular recession-proof hobby. Growing your own food cuts grocery costs and is also good for the environment as it cuts out food miles. A sturdy pair of gardening gloves, some pruning shears, or seed packets will make a great Christmas gift idea during a recession. Just check that the recipient has a reasonably sized garden, allotment or balcony or it could seem like a cruel joke.

sewing

Many people become keen on sewing and mending during the recession, choosing to repair their current garments rather than buy new clothes. Those who take up sewing or knitting as a result of money problems may find it a surprisingly satisfying pastime, ideally carried out in front of a roaring winter fire while catching up on the latest gossip with a group of friends. A good sewing-related Christmas gift idea is a ‘flower doll’ – a doll wielding all the sewing-related paraphernalia a craft enthusiast could want, including scissors, embroidery floss and ribbon.

Alcohol

Alcohol sales increase during a recession, for obvious reasons. If you have friends or family in finance or real estate, you might want to avoid this Christmas gift idea. However, for those with more minor upsets than a possible layoff, a drink-related gift like a wine cooler could be an ideal help to brighten the gloomiest of days.

game

Ok, so gambling is a terrible way to deal with the financial crisis, but unbelievably the public spends on gambling in hard times. Take inspiration from this for your Christmas gift ideas and give your friends some fun board games. A game like Monopoly can provide all the escapist fun of the game with much less potential for guilt, debt, or divorce. ‘Anti-Monopoly’ is a fun new twist on the original, pitting small businessmen against large monopolists to see who wins. Current!

Chocolate

Chocolate sales increase during an economic crisis. It makes people feel better without costing much. A good Christmas gift idea is to give your friends something chocolatey with a twist. A gourmet chocolate fondue for marshmallow dipping will brighten up a chilly January afternoon and provide a warm and comforting late-night snack.