31 Cheap, Easy, and Last-Minute Neighbor Gift Ideas!

Dec 9, 2020 | Gift Ideas, Holidays

‘Tis the season to be merry! We’ve got some great neighbor gift ideas coming your way today. These cheap gift ideas are easy and great for Christmas and holidays, or those last-minute get togethers!

Cookie mix in a jar for Christmas, from Fun Cheap or Free

If your neighborhood is anything like ours, then you love giving small little gifts to each other as a way to show your love and appreciation. However, sometimes you can come up short on what you want to give, especially if you want to give them something different every year. Don’t worry! We’ve got some great neighbor gift ideas for you today! They’re cheap, easy, and can be put together at the last minute. And at the end, I'm sharing a very unique idea that I'LL be doing for my neighborhood this year! 

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If you give out Christmas cards to your neighbors, then these cheap gift ideas are a great little addition to give with them without having to spend too much money. We’ve got homemade food ideas, family bonding ideas, cute packaged food ideas, and even some punny Christmas sayings. These neighbor Christmas gifts are sure to be a hit on your street this year! Let’s get to it, shall we?

HOMEMADE FOOD GIFT IDEAS

If your family loves to make things together in the kitchen, then these homemade neighbor gift ideas will be a fun way for you to make memories together! Not to mention they’re delicious and your neighbors will love them.

Try some of these out and try not to be surprised when you’re neighbors basically snatch them out of your hands so they can taste them right away!

SWEET TREATS GIFT IDEAS

Peppermint bark in a red mug, from Fun Cheap or Free
  • Peppermint Bark – This is such a crazy easy and delicious no-bake treat to make for your friends and family! Only 5 ingredients and about an hour total, and you've got a new Christmas treat that everybody will be drooling over. Use this easy peppermint bark recipe and make your loved ones happy!
  • Caramel Popcorn – Caramel popcorn is one of those cheap gift ideas that is easy to make a lot of and it’s always a hit! Use our easy caramel recipe and get to poppin’!
  • Fudge – It’s really not as hard as it sounds! We have a ton of fudge variations and recipes here that you can make a lot at one time and then divide up. Make this dreamy creamy treat and be the new favorite house on the street!
  • Christmas Cookies – Does anything really scream “Merry Christmas” like homemade Christmas cookies?! Get the kids involved in helping you make the cookies. We have the BEST sugar cookie recipe! Or you can go the easy route and grab some pre-made dough from the store. Whatever works best for your family!
  • Jam – Making your own jam is so easy! This homemade jam recipe is an easy one to make ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to gift it.
  • Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods – This one is super cheap, easy to make, and always a fan favorite. Dipped pretzel rods are definitely one of our favorite cheap gift ideas to make!

COMFORT FOOD GIFT IDEAS

Homemade banana bread on a wire rack, from Fun Cheap or Free
  • Bread – Do you have a favorite bread recipe that you love to make? Chances are, your neighbors would love to eat it, too! It could be plain ol’ bread, banana bread, rustic bread, or any other type you like to make.
  • Salsa and Tortilla Chips – Is there really anything better than chips and salsa? We love getting this as a gift! We’ve got a great homemade salsa recipe. Pair that with a bag of tortilla chips from the dollar store and you’re good to go!
  • Brownies in the Shape of a Tree – Boxed brownies are the best, right? Cut them into triangles and you’ve got yourself a cute little brownie Christmas tree! Decorate them and stick a long pretzel in the bottom for the trunk if you want, but it’s not a must. This is one of our favorite neighbor gift ideas because it’s so easy and cheap!

Homemade food is the way to your friend's hearts! Your neighbors will really go crazy for these! Now on to…

PACKAGED FOOD GIFT IDEAS

So maybe you want to give food-related gifts, but you just don’t have the time, energy, or skill to make them yourself. Enter these awesome neighbor Christmas gifts! They’re so simple and yet so fun. 

CANDY GIFTS

Hershey's kisses in a bag with a red Christmas bow, from Fun Cheap or Free
  • Bag of Hershey’s Kisses – Has anybody ever complained about getting a bag of Hershey’s Kisses as a neighbor Christmas gift? You really can’t go wrong with any flavor, but the Candy Cane is extra festive and looks super cute with a big red bow on it!
  • Fancy Chocolate – We all love that fancy chocolate, right?! Grab a big bag and portion it out into smaller bags as your neighbor Christmas gifts! Because let’s be honest, nobody will want a HUGE bag of chocolates lying around once the holidays are over. But a few small pieces of delicious chocolate? Those will be gone in no time! Plus, that makes for cheaper neighbor gifts. You can thank us later. 😉
  • Soft Peppermints – This is one easy gift that you'll love. Grab a bag of soft peppermints, stick them in a jar and add a ribbon. Voila! A cute and easy Christmas gift.
  • Candy CanesCandy canes make a perfect gift all on their own! You can gift a whole box or just enough for each person in the family to have one. They’re such a classic Christmas gift!
  • Candy and a Movie – Walmart always has their cheap movie bins, why not raid one of those for some family-friendly movies to gift to your neighbors? Throw in a box of movie theater candy and you’ve got a fun movie night!

DELICIOUS GOODIES IDEAS

Hot chocolate and marshmallows on a counter, from Fun Cheap or Free
  • Hot Chocolate – This is one of those festive gifts that are so easy to put together, but people will always be so excited to receive them as a gift! You can either buy boxes of the packets to break down or you can scoop it out of a large canister into smaller bags. Add some mini marshmallows or maybe a candy cane and you’ve got a fun little gift!
  • Cookie Mix in a Jar – This is a fun and cute way to put the cookie mix together, but then let them make the memories of baking them together as a family. You’re basically doing all of the hard work for them! Just make sure you include a note that tells them what wet ingredients to add to the mixture, along with the baking temperature and time. It’s as easy as that!
  • Popcorn and Movie Night – Grab you a box of popcorn, take out an unopened bag, and attach a Redbox code to it. This is one of those cheap gift ideas that can really bring a family together.
  • Fancy Flavored PopcornPopcornopolis makes fun cone snack packs that are to die for. They’re seriously so good and one of our favorite cheap gift ideas when it comes to packaged food! Costco usually has them this time of year, so you can watch for them to go on sale.

Those all sound so delicious, right?! Once again, you can't go wrong gifting delicious food and treats! But it's not all about the food, that's for sure.

CHEAP GIFT IDEAS TO BRING THE FAMILY TOGETHER

We love to play games with our family, so we like to share that joy whenever we can! These are all cheap gift ideas that help to bring the family together, whether it’s just a couple or the whole gang. You really can’t go wrong with any of these ideas!

  • Pack of Playing CardsPlaying cards are probably one of the best neighbor gift ideas that will supply them with so many different ways of having fun together as a family! They can play games together, such as Go Fish or Spades, or even build a card house together. The options are endless.
  • DIY Farkle – Create your own game of Farkle. Just grab some dice, jars, and print out your own instructions and you have an easy DIY game to gift!
  • DIY Yahtzee – Just like you can make your own game of Farkle, you can make your own game of Yahtzee! They make such great neighbor Christmas gifts because they can provide hours of entertainment for a little amount of money.
  • Jenga – Usually during the holidays, games like Jenga will be marked down to really cheap. You can either stock up now for next year, or just know that you need to wait until they go on sale before buying them.
  • Dollar Store Games/Puzzles – Our dollar stores always have fun games and puzzles in stock. They make great neighbor Christmas gifts! They’re cheap enough that you could give multiple to each family, if you only have a couple to buy for, or you could buy one for each house on the street.

If your neighbors love a good Christmas family game night, then they'll love all of these cheap ideas!

PUNNY CHRISTMAS SAYING NEIGHBOR GIFT IDEAS

Do you like to be a little punny when you give your neighbor Christmas gifts? Well, wouldn’t you know it, so do we! Here are some great neighbor gift ideas along with some cute and punny sayings to go along with them.

OUR FAVORITE SAYINGS

Spatula with punny Christmas saying on it, from Fun Cheap or Free
  • Spatula – Grab you some spatulas from the dollar store, they’re usually pretty cheap there. Print this fun pun on some paper and attach it with a ribbon. “We hope this helps SPREAD a little holiday cheer!”
  • Hair Brush – Our favorite $5 hair brush is the perfect gift to give if your neighbors have daughters. They’re also a great gift for babysitters because, let’s be honest, we’ve gotta spoil them so they want to stick around for as long as possible! Here’s a cute and punny saying to attach: “Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle!”
  • Chapstick – Winter can be rough on the ol' lips. Help your neighbors out with this fun and useful gift idea! Tape the Chapstick to a card with this punny saying: “Merry Christmas and a CHAPPY New Year!”
  • Whisk – Much like the spatulas, whisks can also be found pretty cheap at the dollar store. You could give them as-is, or you can make them a little extra special and put some yummy chocolate inside of them. Attach this cute and punny saying: “We WHISK you a Merry Christmas!”
  • Pasta – Yes, this may sound random. But think about it for a second… You can’t go wrong giving pasta! You could also pair it with a jar of sauce to give it a little something extra. Attach this punny saying and you have an easy and delicious neighbor Christmas gift that doubles as their dinner one night! “We hope this new year is filled with endless PASTAbilities!”

OTHER FUN IDEAS

Oven mitt with kitchen utensils on a counter, from Fun Cheap or Free
  • Oven Mitt – You can find cheap and festive oven mitts in a lot of stores this time of the year. If you have a lot of neighbors to buy gifts for, just stick to the oven mitts. If you’re only buying for a few, make them a little extra special by adding some baking utensils, such as a spatula and whisk inside of them. Attach this cute pun and you’re done with your neighbor Christmas gifts! “You BAKE us happy!”
  • Soap – This is one of the cheap gift ideas that can be pretty versatile! You can give hand soap, dish soap, homemade bar soap, whatever you can find that’s cheap! Bed Bath and Beyond and Bath and Body Works always have sales on their hand soap, so you can stock up on those throughout the year or wait until their holiday soaps go on sale. Amazon is another great option if you don’t have either of those stores nearby. Pair it with this punny saying and you’ll have a new favorite neighbor Christmas gift: “We WASH you a Merry Christmas!”
  • Wrapping Paper and Tape – You can seriously never go wrong with giving your neighbors a roll of wrapping paper and tape! You can find it for cheap at the dollar store, or stock up on it when it goes on clearance after Christmas and save it for the next year. Pair it with this punny saying: “We hope you get all WRAPPED up in the holiday season!”
  • Flashlight – We keep flashlights everywhere in our house, as well as in our cars. You can seriously never have too many flashlights! Grab some mini flashlights from Walmart and attach this punny saying for the perfect easy gift: “May your days be merry and BRIGHT!”

JORDAN'S 2023 NEIGHBORHOOD GIFT

I've been figuring out gifts for neighbors, teachers and coworkers for over a decade so I'm starting to reach for more creative and useful ideas. This year I'm so so excited with what we came up with! 

We are gifting our neighbors………..

A DUMPSTER! 

Like one of those big construction dumpsters that parks outside of your house for 2 weeks. Ha! I'll tell you why I'm excited about it! Do you know how much trash we have after Christmas?!? More than our trash bins can hold! All the wrapping paper, extra cardboard and boxes, packaging that all of the gifts came in….it's a lot. And I know everyone else does too. So we did some research and priced out dumpsters so that we can collectively clean out our houses after Christmas and not overflow our trash bins. 

If you like this idea, I suggest calling your local city and speak to waste management for price quotes. There are also private companies that you can rent from. We found a private company that was cheaper than our city, so that's what we rented and will be “sharing” as a neighbor gift this year! 

If you want even more ideas, then check out our Christmas Pinterest board! Aren't those the best neighbor gift ideas?! What are your favorite cheap gift ideas? Let us know in the comments!

Image with text that reads "cheap and easy neighbor gift ideas" from Fun Cheap or Free

Looking for more ideas?

Merry gifting!

22 Comments

  1. Cheyanne

    I LOVE this idea! Easy, cute, practical AND it doesn’t take up a bunch of space! Plus, you KNOW they’ll think of your family every time they make brownies 🙂

    Merry Christmas to you and your family, Jordan! <3

    Reply
  2. Marissa

    I love these ideas. It’s hard to think about Christmas for the following year right after it hits, but that is definitely the best time to stock up on something good like the spatulas that won’t spoil. Plus, Pinterest is the greatest for creative gift ideas!

    Reply
  3. Sheena

    I love a cheap gift that’s also practical! I got pampered chef wooden spoons for$3 (ordered 15 from their clearance a while back) and gave them to neighbors and teachers this year 🙂

    Reply
    • Melody

      My neighbor is gifting the M&M Nativity story with a bag of Christmas M&Ms this year. One Christmas we took a bag of microwave popcorn and a bottle of Sprite with the saying, “Pop Pop, Fizz Fizz, Oh what good friends you is!”

      Reply
  4. SG

    Maybe I’m just a grinch, but I think neighbor gifts are pointless. Really, I don’t want a papertowel roll or a dollar store spatula from my neighbor. A card with a message or even nothing at all seems like a better idea to me. All the cutesy sayings, etc are just (in my opinion) a waste of my time and paper.

    Reply
    • Lori

      Yup, GRINCH. Paper towels are a valuable commodity anymore. Just ask those who needed them. If I don’t need an item I receive, I donate it to a nearby assisted living center.

      Reply
  5. Sally

    I have to agree with SG. I really dont want your leftover Cocoa Puffs. A nice card should be fine.

    Reply
  6. Amber

    I came here looking for help for secret santa ideas for coworkers and got so many good ideas! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  7. Paula A Strong

    Thanks for this great idea! I am putting one of these on a container of home baked cookies! I am teaching my kids that Christmas is more about giving than receiving and we are having so much fun investing in others!

    Reply
    • Melody

      Yes! “Investing in others!” Love that you’re teaching them this, and when they feel the satisfaction that comes from giving, and from sacrifice and effort, they’ll understand! Good job, momma!

      Reply
  8. Silver Trumpets

    Thanks for using my page! Everyone has such cute ideas. 🙂

    Reply
  9. Emily

    This last Christmas we did “We whisk you a Kiss-mas” with a wire whisk full of Hershey kisses 🙂 I love all these ideas!

    Reply
    • Clarice Hunter

      Thank you so much….really cute ideas!!
      Some people would like to receive a gift….no matter how small.

      Reply
  10. Christine

    My new favorite thing is to buy holiday dish clothes on sale. I break up the packages and wrap the gift in a dish towel. I have done this with baked goods, hand soap and candy. So cute and fun.

    Reply
    • Fun Cheap or Free

      That is SUCH a good idea, thanks for sharing!!!

      Reply
    • Maggie

      What a great idea.
      I love to bake bread for neighbors and friends, wrapping the loaves up in a holiday towel will make it all the more sweeter.

      Reply
  11. Kaylee

    I’ve put a couple of packs of hot chocolate in a mug and put it in a cello bag tied with a bow. Then took another little bag and filled it with marshmallows. Then put a tag on it, You’ve been bad so here’s the scoop. All you get is snowman poop. We have also given this without a mug and put a peppermint stick in the bag.

    Reply
    • Fun Cheap or Free

      Well that’s just about the cutest idea ever!!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Pamela Weightman

    Hi! Where can I find the recipe for the Cookie mix in a jar? There is no link provided. Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Fun Cheap or Free

      Great question! You can use any recipe for this. One of our favorite cookies recipes is this one: https://funcheaporfree.com/best-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/. You would simply include all the dry ingredients in the jar and then include specifics of the wet ingredients on the printable.

      Reply
  13. Erica

    I love these ideas! I have never done neighbor gifts for the holidays, but I’m going to do something simple but practical this year.

    Reply
  14. Ashley

    All that waste after Christmas hearing you talk about the dumpster, makes me sad for the environment. We really should do what we can to eliminate excess. You have such a big family and every little bit helps

    Reply

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