Trilby Goouch
Blogs Editor

You’ve got 6 or 8 friends’ birthdays coming up this term; unfortunately all those gift purchases can break the bank. An Urban Outfitters top here, a case of Coors Light there…before you know it you’re blowing your budget. These 10 easy, memorable birthday gifts will
out-do your average store-bought present. When split between a few friends these gifts cost less than $10, sometimes $5.

1. Make a giant cookie cake: A unique twist on your average birthday cake, perfect for the unconfident baker.

Ingredients
• 1 roll of refrigerated cookie dough (or if you want to do a layered cookie cake double the recipe and bake 2 large cookies)
• Pizza tray(s)
• Icing
Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees celsius
• Line a large pizza tray with parchment paper
• Spread cookie dough onto sheet forming a giant cookie shape and bake 15-20 minutes
• Once cooled (about 30 minutes), ice away!

2. Make personalized coasters: Functional and great conversation pieces.

What you need
• 4×4 inch tiles (purchase at craft or dollar store), or DIY with thick cardboard
• 4×4 inch printed photos
• Glue stick
• Resin/modge podge

Instructions
• Print photos of you and your friends; using a ruler, trim to a 4×4 inch dimensions
• Glue photo onto tile/cardboard cut out with glue stick
• Brush and seal with resin/modge podge
Source: oopseydaisyblog.com

3. Make a beer cake out of beer cans: Start with a round of “Happy Birthday” and dig in!

What you need
• 24 unopened regular or tall boy cans
• Pizza boxes or other source of flat cardboard
• Tin foil or wrapping paper
• Ribbon
• Glue gun/clear tape

Instructions
• Cut out 4 circles of cardboard; the first 2 should match the circumference of 10 beer cans; the next should match the circumference of 7 cans, and the fourth match 5 cans
• Cover each circle with wrapping paper or tinfoil and secure with glue
• Place the first 10-can layer on one of the larger circles; wrap with ribbon and secure with glue or tape
• Place the other larger circle atop the first layer; using this as a base, create the second layer of 7 cans and wrap with ribbon; repeat with remaining layers, resembling a 3-tier wedding cake
Source: sweetntreats.com

4. Create a signed photo frame: This will hang on their wall as a constant reminder of the golden years you all spent together.

What you need
• A 12-by 14-inch photo frame
• White Bristol board
• Photo
• Glue stick
• Sharpie

Instructions
• Cut Bristol board to size of frame (a little smaller than 12 by 14 inches)
• Centre photo on sheet of bristol board and secure with a glue stick
• Take around to friends, housemates etc. and have them sign it with inside jokes at a party or before the big day
• Once signed, place inside frame for a personalized matte frame

5. Give them a “heart attack”: Make the notion of handing over a box with something delicate in it, then just as they reach out to hold it, tilt and let the hearts flutter around…eventually they will find the birthday card.

What you need
• Medium size square cardboard box
• Coloured construction paper (pink, red and white)
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Sharpie

Instructions
• Cut out hearts…lots of them in different sizes (speed things up by cutting multiples at a time!)
• Cut 4 large hearts and glue to 4 sides of box; cut 4 smaller hearts and glue to inside of box flaps
• Cut one large heart and write “heart attack”; this will be your birthday card
• Fill box with cut-out hearts and birthday card heart
Source: thehousethatlarsbuilt.com

6. Fill a giant box with Hershey kisses and hide a wrapped giftcard at the bottom: Makes opening a generic giftcard fun and delicious.

7. Chocolate bar bouquet: A cheaper and edible alternative to flowers

What you need
• Chocolate candy bars…lots of them
• Tissue paper
• Vase
• Ribbon

Instructions
• Fill vase with coloured tissue paper, leaving the neck open
• Arrange chocolate bars in neck of vase so that they form a “bouquet”
• Place more tissue paper around bars to fill gaps, forming plumes as you would with a birthday gift
• Wrap neck of vase with a ribbon and make a bow; attach a birthday card that says “love you like fat kid loves chocolate!”

8. Make a cake made out of cupcakes: Gives the effect of an impressive cake without the hassle of cutting and handing out cake slices

Ingredients (you’re making 24 cupcakes)
• 1 box of cake mix
• 1 container of icing
• Rectangular baking tray
• 2 muffin trays
• Package of muffin cups

Directions
• Fill muffin trays with muffin cups; bake 2 trays at a time, for a total of 2 rounds of baking
• Follow box instructions for prep and cooking
• Once cooled, lay cupcakes flesh against each other, forming a rectangle
• Using a spatula, generously ice tops of muffins as one giant layer
• Sprinkle with smarties, Reece’s pieces etc if you wish

9. Print off and cut out coupons for local restaurants and place inside balloons: A presentation that ups the ante of generic coupons

What you need
• Package of coloured balloons
• Printed coupons

Instructions
• Before blowing up balloon, place folded coupon inside
• Blow up balloon, secure and scatter balloons on your friends bed, in your kitchen or hallway etc. coupon source: (http://kingstonon.flyerland.ca/browse_all_coupons.php)

10. Hanging balloon photographs: Imagine walking into your room with these floating around…we’d keep them up forever.

What you need
• 8-10 printed photos
• Hole punch
• Balloon ribbon
• 8-10 helium balloons

Instructions
• Go to your local party shop or dollar store and have balloons inflated
• Hole punch tops of photos and attach to base of balloon strings
• Release balloons into the room of choice
Source: lovelygreenlifestyle.blogspot.ca