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Home / Lifestyle

Handy hacks for those gifts you didn't want

By Natalie Corner
Daily Mail·
26 Dec, 2017 09:30 PM3 mins to read

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Get an unwanted Christmas gift? If you repurpose it, it might become one of your favourite gifts. Photo / Getty Images

Get an unwanted Christmas gift? If you repurpose it, it might become one of your favourite gifts. Photo / Getty Images

When the big day arrives there is no guarantee you will get everything you wished for on your Christmas list.

Many of us will end up with a pile of unwanted presents, however, there is no need to re-gift just yet.

Netizens have shared their handiest hacks when it comes to re-purposing your undesirables, reports the Daily Mail.

Whether you've hit your peak on novelty socks, or you've managed to bag yourself your fifth Christmas jumper in a row, there are plenty of inventive tricks to turn them from useless to useful...

SOCKS

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You will be lucky to escape a pair of novelty socks this Christmas day, with a pair always managing to sneak into our stockings.

But instead of stuffing them in the bottom of your sock drawer, this handy trick could give them a whole new purpose.

If you have a small dog a sock will be the perfect fit for their body. Trim it to size with a pair of scissors before making two small holes in the front for the legs.

Photo / Pinterest
Photo / Pinterest

Socks also work well as phone cases to protect your precious technology from getting bumped in your handbag.

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Alternatively you can tie them around hot drinks in order to protect your hands from the heat.

BATH BOMBS

Bath bombs have become increasingly popular over years, and are a cheap and easy gift for those who are difficult to buy for.

But it seems that the delectable item has become so popular that one person may receive more than they bargained for at Christmas.

Photo / Getty Images
Photo / Getty Images

So if you've got too many balls to juggle it's time to get creative and put the scented bombs to good use.

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Because most boast a good scent a clever alternative use is to place the bomb in a little bag and use as a drawer scent. In the same vain it can be used as a DIY air freshener.

For those feeling creative try crushing the bath bomb in a bowl mix it with a little honey and you have your own face scrub.

FESTIVE JUMPER

There's probably several old Christmas jumpers lurking unfavourably somewhere in the bottom of your wardrobe.

They're a staple gift each year and instead of letting them pile up unused or fall victim to the moths there's ways in which they can be re-purposed.

Photo / Pinterest
Photo / Pinterest

Simply by sticking it on a hot wash a jumper can be shrunk to make it into a brand new outfit for your dog or cat with a few alterations.

One of the more popular ways to upcycle you jumper is to turn it into a cushion, by snipping off the arms and stitching up the holes you have a ready-made festive addition for your couch to get cosy on.

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NOVELTY MUG

If your kitchen cupboard is cluttered with one too many novelty mugs, don't fear.

A mug makes the perfect candle holder, either place a tealight inside or pour your own choice of wax and a wick in to make your own.

Use a mug as a way to kickstart your own herb garden, create a mini collection of your favourites plants and place them in the windowsill.

Photo / Pinterest
Photo / Pinterest

They are the perfect size to make a cake in a mug, so keep some handy in your cupboard that you can whip up chocolate special in.

You could reinvent your mugs by smashing them all and creating a piece of mosaic art or even use it as an amplifier by popping your mobile phone in and turning the music up loud.

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