making xmas presents?

I love hand / home made gifts and often give or receive them.
The value of a gift is in the thought behind it not its monetary value.

I couldnt think of a nicer gift to receive than something someone had made just for me.

It would mean they had really thought about me and i would have something that was a constant reminder of them and possibly an heirloom in the making!!!

bobbin we are approaching Christmas differently this year too as I have changed jobs and taken a substantial pay cut. I have been upfront about this with the family and also invited them to think in terms of spending less too! I am intending to make some foody presents and am generally trimming budgets. Glad to say DD is sensible and my one and only GC, who is 2, will get some charity shop gifts.

many years ago my sister and I decided that rather than buy mass produced sweets and chocolates we'd make them ...and the boxes .We mad a huge variety of sweets ,jellies and fudges adn soft cetred chocolates but we enjoyed doing so much we forget when to stop and ended up with hundreds of sweets with no homes ,so we made up boxes and handed them into shops we regularly used and knew the staff well .Places like hairdressers and bakers and the wool shop and even the doctors and dentist got 3 or 4 pounds of chocolates each.We didn't make them ever again...it cost us a fortune ...lol

'Some people know the price of everything but the value of nothing'

Never sent her another card since!

Marydoll I hope that that was the last one you ever sent her, or that you sent her the cheapest one you could find

I am making my cards this year I’ve completed two so far they are painted. Bluebell blimey well done I really must pull my finger out.

When were just married and had very little money, I used to make lots of presents, such as sweets, marmalade etc. People used to look forward to them. I still make foodie presents for family. I say, "Go for it!"
My friend and I used to make hand made greetings cards until a neighbour asked us if we didn't have time to go out and buy one for her! She didn't appreciate the thought, time and effort that had gone into making them.

that is probably true ilovecheese but then it could be cheaper than buying a Christmas present from a shop -something that looks good enough for a present.
'Artisan' chutneys etc are quite expensive.
I know the chutneys I bought for a gift were very expensive (yes, I would normally make them but it was a gift from somewhere we visited.)

It's a lovely idea, the only downside might be that making things like biscuits ans chutneys can work out more expensive than buying them.

I have bought my granddaughter unicorn slippers and a unicorn money box (as requested) so I have started crocheting a unicorn for her bed as a surprise.

I made her (monkey mad) brother a knitted monkey recently and his face lit up when he saw it.

I wish some one would make me a crafted gift.
I still have some crafted gifts that were made for me by my great aunt.

Every year my grandmother and mother knitted Christmas arrans for the whole family including my dolls.

I do love to receive homemade cards from my toddler DGS.

This year I have bought my DD a Terry's chocolate orange in a knitted penguin, a bit like a tea cosy.
There were several animals and robins etc to choose from.
They make quite cute little gifts to hang on the tree or stocking fillers.
If only I could knit or crochet

A rich homemade fruitcake, especially if laced with a bit of the hard stuff, will last for ages if stored correctly. They are incredibly expensive to buy in the shops.

Shortbread for me please bobbin

I’d love something hand made. Go for it.

Some edible gifts from Nigella
www.nigella.com/recipes/christmas-gift

My DC used to love the home-made/knitted toys that my sister used to make for them.

Christmas has become too commercial altogether and perhaps we should all return to the simpler gifts made and given with love.

Oh ignore your friend. I stayed with my sister in law a couple of years ago, and her family all swapped hand made gifts and they all loved them,my son in laws sister made him some pygamas last year and he was over the moon. I would love someone to make me something special.I’ts not mean I’ts lovely so go for it.

I have made presents for years. I started by making Christmas tree decorations for each of the family - just one for each person; the list has got very long now. I have made toys for the children, dresses for my GD, cushions, fabric wreaths, and on and on. I started doing this when I retired. I do buy some presents too - some people are difficult to make for.

I should give it a go. There's a huge amount of thought, love and time goes into a hand-made gift and surely that's what Christmas is about.

oh Jalima that's a great idea! I think I could probably manage either crochet or knitted ones...just about!

ps they all look like crochet, not knitting

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/476748310526767369/?lp=true

For small gifts for friends you could buy lovely soaps and put them in those hand-knitted bags which also work as defoliating scrubbers.

I think it is a good idea - go for it!
Yesterday I was trawling round the crowded shops looking for a birthday present and thought 'I can't do this any more for Christmas presents for everyone'. So I may make something small for each person plus - horror of horrors - give a voucher
Of course, if I close down the pc I could get started now.

in all honesty, it's my dil's reaction i'm most worried about. she tends to receive quite expensive gifts from my son and sometimes mentions that she has an Amazon 'wish list' if we need any ideas...