If you want to bestow a unique gift on someone which won’t break the bank, but at the same time will not look cheap or home-made, read on. The following ideas are cheap and easy to make or buy but at the same time stunning in their simplicity, not to mention practicality.

A set of cheap white hand towels can be made unique by the addition of coloured ribbon or braid sewn approx. 3 inches from each end. To make them extra special attach the initials of the recipients with some scrap fabric and bondaweb. Not only practical but customised too.

Pick a price limit and buy lots of small gifts up the the price you have chosen. For example a washing up bowl filled with soaps, scourers, dish brush, dishcloth etc. or a laundry basket filled with detergent, pegs, softener etc.

Cover a small empty cardboard box with scrap fabric or sticky back plastic. On some cards, in your best handwriting, copy out some of your favourite recipes. Fill the box with the cards and also enclose some sachets of herbs and spices.

Photograph albums can often be picked up very cheaply. Sometimes they are packed together in twos or threes and they can be really inexpensive bought this way. If you see any for sale cheap, buy them anyway, even if you have no use for them at the time. When Christmas comes round, cover one with pretty fabric or lace and stencil the recipient's initials on the front to personalise it.

If you are artistic why not purchase a set of plain white ceramic egg cups, tea cups or plain glasses which are extremely inexpensive. Using a bottle of ceramic paint decorate by hand or stencil or stamp on each one to make them unique. If possible find out before hand the colour scheme preferred.