What’s the 5 gifts rule? The trending guide to affordable Christmas gifts

If you’ve never heard of the 5 Christmas gifts rule, your life is about to change for the better. It’s the Christmas hack to end all Christmas hacks!

When you limit presents to 5 things they genuinely want or need, the build-up to Christmas is infinitely more exciting. Less stress for you, less overwhelm for your kids, and more time to spend together. Now, that’s what Christmas is about!

So, learn more about this hack with us, then make a start on your 5 gifts by exploring our personalised Christmas presents. Our range is packed full of high-quality products they want and need!

Here’s the idea. Think of someone you usually buy a lot for, like your children, your grandchildren, or your partner. Chances are, you spend hours searching for the right Christmas presents, ordering things they probably won’t use or they inevitably already own. Sound familiar?

The 5 gifts rule keeps things super simple. It restricts you to 5 presents the person will actually use, meaning your gift giving is much faster, less stressful, and saves you money!

So, what are the 5 categories in the 5 gifts rule?

1. Something they want: a gift you *know* they’ll love.
2. Something they need: a practical present.
3. Something to wear: refresh their wardrobe.
4. Something to read: a bedtime story or comic book they’ll keep coming back to.
5. Something to do: keep creating those core childhood memories!

With this guide, you can easily spoil your kids without going overboard. 

Plus, if 5 presents is way too minimal for you, you can still get involved with the spirit of the 5 gifts hack! Avoid spending for the sake of spending, pass on affordable Christmas gift ideas to other family members, and make sure you’ve covered all bases (e.g., something they want, something they need, etc.)

Are you a parent or grandparent who’s had enough of stressful last-minute Christmas shopping and overwhelming present piles? The 5-gifts rule was made with you in mind!

And here’s why you should consider it.

The 5 Christmas gifts rule keeps everything nice and simple. You can tick off each category pretty quickly, rather than spending endless hours browsing online options or wandering around your local shops.

Sometimes, you don’t realise how much you’re spending on your kids’ Christmas presents until you see the larger-than-usual pile on Christmas Eve! 

With the 5 presents Christmas hack, you can easily monitor how much you’re spending as you go, and avoid adding small Christmas gifts just to make the pile look bigger (we’ve been there!)

If your kids know they’ve only got the 5 presents to open, they’ll appreciate them so much more. Instead of running from gift to gift, they’ll take the time to play with every toy, read every book, and so on.

Christmas was never about buying the entire shop! We all feel pressure to give our kids their biggest Christmas yet, but the truth is, they’ll remember happy family memories much more than specific toys.

By limiting your kids’ presents to 5 fantastic things to open, you’re helping your family focus on what’s really important this Christmas: each other.

Let’s start with the easiest of the bunch: something they want.

Is there a gift they’ve had their eye on all year, or one they’ve scribbled at the top of their Christmas list this month? It could be a high-end main Christmas present, or an affordable Christmas gift they’ve been asking for. Whatever’s best! 

Choose something special, such as:

• Personalised mug
• Dress-up outfits
• LEGO
• Soft toy
• Headphones
• Gaming desk
• Baby doll
• Scooter 
• Watch
• Video game
• Mini trampoline

Now for something more practical!

A gift your children aren’t necessarily begging for, but one you know they need. Try something like:

• Christmas sack
• Personalised notebook
• Photo blanket
• Custom mouse mat
• Photo phone case
• Custom bag
• Photo apron
• Personalised water bottle

Treat them to a lovely Christmas outfit, or update their wardrobe with something they’ve been needing for a while!

Our suggestions:

• Custom apron
• Christmas dress
• Gloves or mittens
• Woolly hat 
• Shirt
• Hair accessory
• Necklace

When you gift a book to your child, they get more than just a book. It’s your undivided attention when you read together before bed. Something they’ll be sure to reminisce on as they grow!

So, how about something like:

• A special edition of their favourite book series
• A comic book
• A brand-new bedtime story 
• An adventure book
• An activity book

Now for something more active! Your kids will adore this Christmas gift idea.

For a higher budget, opt for a quirky Christmas gift like:

• Zoo tickets
• Afternoon tea
• Theme park tickets  
• Indoor skydiving
• Theatre tickets
• Junior driving experience

Or, for cheap Christmas gift ideas that’ll make their day, try:

• Craft kits (e.g., painting, pottery, perfume-making, slime-making)
• Board game
• Baking kits

The 5 gifts rule is usually a guide for parents or grandparents buying for kids.

However, you can follow this guide for anyone in your life! It’s designed to reduce stressful gift-giving, so it works best with people you’d usually spend a lot of time and money on at Christmas. Perhaps your partner, your mum or dad, and friends.

Absolutely not! You can follow the 5 gifts guide for adults, too.

We’d recommend buying early to avoid last-minute present panic! 

It’s up to you when you choose to start, but Black Friday is a great chance to grab some bargains and chill for the rest of the year! 

Not at all! If you’d rather splash out on Christmas, but you still want to adopt some of the 5-gifts spirit (such as buying your child something to do), that’s absolutely fine.

Get a headstart on Christmas by exploring our exciting personalised Christmas gifts!