Scoring Cheap Christmas Gifts For Kids (And Parents, Too)
Updated on December 31, 2025
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Make this Christmas memorable without breaking the bank. Here’s your guide to finding cheap Christmas gifts for kids!
In a Nutshell:
When trying to find a cheap Christmas gift for kids, it’s important to know your budget and to plan ahead. Don’t wait for December to roll around before you start thinking of presents. Instead, give yourself time to hand-make a meaningful gift or to watch for sales and clearance throughout the year! Make sure you stay organized by keeping a list of which presents belong to each person on your list as you buy them. These methods can help you save money on presents throughout the year for birthdays and other events as well!
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Christmas can be a costly holiday, but it doesn’t have to be! As a single-income family, we don’t have extra money for expensive gift-giving. I’ve found the best way to afford Christmas gifts is to start planning early. That saves me a huge amount of money and sanity! Here’s what I do to give good quality gifts on a low budget for the children in my life.
Set a Christmas Budget
Before buying any presents, it’s important to know how can to spend per person. Of course, there can be some wiggle room, but try to set a budget and stick with it. Don’t compare with other friends or strangers on the internet. The money you spend on each gift will depend on how many gifts you need to buy. Some families are small and want multiple gifts per person, while others are large and decide to do only White Elephant presents.
Look at your yearly budget before December and decide how much money you will be comfortable spending on Christmas and divide that by the number of people you’ll be buying for. Personally, I try to keep it cheap and spend $20 or less on Christmas gifts for the kids in my extended family. Here’s a great list of gift ideas for young kids in that price range.
Types of Cheap Christmas Gifts For Kids
There’s more than one way to give cheap gifts for kids (and parents, too!) this Christmas.
1. Handmade Gifts
Handmade gifts can be some of the most meaningful because they are unique, personal, and take time to make. They can also be cheaper than buying pre-made. For a child, a handmade gift could be something like a pillowcase or tie blanket in their favorite color or with their favorite character on it.
2. Quality Time
An outing or an experience together can create great memories without having to spend much! Plus, they can be personalized! Check out Groupon for local deals on bowling, arcades, and parks. If you want to keep the Christmas gift even cheaper, consider giving the kids coupons for baking together, staying up late to watch movies, or playing games of their choice. As long as the child gets to have fun with you, they’ll love it!
3. Store-Bought Gifts
If you’d like to buy a gift for a kid, you can find a second-hand gift in good condition or purchase something new from the store. Typically, purchasing something new from the store will have the quality of the gift directly correlate to the price of the gift. However, with these tips and tricks below, you won’t have to sacrifice quality for cost!
Plan Ahead
There’s no worse feeling at Christmas time than being forced out into the crowds to overspend on a gift you’re not even sure they’ll like because you’re rushed at the last minute. Instead, start thinking of ideas a couple of months before Christmas. This will give you time to brainstorm, price shop, and watch for sales!
Watch For Sales And Clearance
If you know what gifts you want to buy your kids ahead of the Christmas rush, watch for cheap sale prices. Stores regularly have sales on departments or brands for kids. For sales on specific items, watch your local weekly ads. For clearance, check for markdowns at the end of the season. If you want to order something online, keep an eye out on RetailMeNot or Honey.
If you’re looking for a cheap toy to gift your kids this Christmas, both Walmart and Target have biannual toy clearance events. Walmart’s Toy Clearance is usually in June and December, and Target’s Toy Clearance is usually in January and July. You can find some items on clearance throughout the year in the designated clearance section of your local store.
Learn From My Mistakes
The major drawback of buying cheaper Christmas gifts early is that kids’ interests change. One year, I had found some great Frozen dolls for my Disney-obsessed nieces, but by the time Christmas came around, Frozen was old news. If you buy presents early, make sure they’re not too specific. After that incident, I’ve tried to avoid branded items that could cause an upset later. For example, I’ve created a list of some of my favorite gifts for younger children you can check out here.
Cheap Christmas Gifts Aren’t Just For Kids!
Want to know the best part about shopping year-round for cheaper Christmas presents for kids? Your shopping doesn’t have to be just for Christmas! You can use this same method for everyone on your list for birthdays, baby showers, and bridal shower presents, too. To help stay organized, check out my free printable yearly gift planner!
Organizing Gifts
Planning ahead requires organization. I like to keep a list of presents I’m searching for each person and presents I’ve already found for them. When Christmas rolls around, the presents are already bought, and I can remember who gets what gift. I also like to keep a plastic tote of gifts to have at the ready for birthdays and events that sneak up on me.
Do you have any other hacks for saving money on gifts for kids?
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