Homemade Christmas gifts - good or bad?

Avoid homemade knitted gloves over the age of about 8.

I know what you mean and I can taste those peppermint creams ? but it applies to any gift, not just homemade.

I have been known to not accept raffle prizes because I have enough stuff.
If my DGC has made something for me of course I love it. Do I reciprocate? I make clothes sometimes but probably not gloves over the age of 8. I give pots of jam - but as a general thankyou gift.

I still use a wooden spatula made by my DS. 30 yrs ago.

For the past three years my daughter has given me a hamper made up mainly of various home made chutneys and a few jams. I have never liked chutney and dont know how to tell her, so gradually throughout the year I throw them away one by one. I can't imagine she makes them herself, she's not a kitcheny person. How can I let her know kindly?

A friend of mine makes the best jam in the world. Always welcome as a gift.

And my son in law makes candles. Excellent.

I think a picture is the worst homemade gift. I’m talking about something from the art class or a cross stitch picture. The fun of those is in the doing!

I get as more bought unwanted or unsuitable gifts than homemade ones. At least homemade have thought and effort going for them.

I don’t throw them away though I give them to a charity shop.

I do not like homemade food gifts unless I know the persons hygiene habits. I would not buy homemade cakes from a fete for the same reason.

I like the homemade gifts from children and would much rather a homemade card from a child.

Avoid homemade knitted gloves over the age of about 8.

especially when driving winterwhite

making a mental reminder not to give any jam or chutney for presents this Christmas
Although I must say that my extremely elderly relative does enjoy my jam.

If you're given unwanted toiletries your local Women's Aid group may be very grateful to receive them as some of them arrive with nothing and need some tlc.

I like peppermint creams! And my BIL's fudge is yummy.
So much depends though on whether you like whatever it is - if it's food - but I'd never think of giving anything homemade but food (except perhaps jumpers for very little Gdcs) and I've hardly ever even done that.
Even then it's been an extra - apple chutney after a glut in dd's garden, or a tin of my very very cheesy cheese straws, for one or two who love them.

I don’t get many homemade gifts but I love homemade jam and chutneys I never think twice who made it as I ve worked in restaurant kitchens ??? and it cant be as bad as that
I wouldn’t want a homemade jumper or anything like that but have never been given one
Tricia can’t you give your chutney away instead of throwing it such a terrible waste I guess your mistake was saying nothing in the first place Can’t you tell a white lie and say ‘those presents have been lovely but lately I ve found I ve gone off chutney’

I have knitted a few scarves as gifts but I always but really nice wool to make them with not cheap scratchy polyester stuff. They have always gone down well and are worn often.
I have also made a family member a very special scrapbook for their ruby wedding anniversary and they told me that they often sit and look through it and everyone who visits them goes through it . It took me hours and hours of my time and lots of money to make it but the best part was in the making of it and spending time with them sorting through their photos and reliving the moments with them to write into the scrapbook.
The male of the couple has since passed away and the family took parts of the scrapbook to the funeral for people to look through at the same . It has become a real family heirloom .
I used to make greetings cards and some people loved them and some people looked at them and I could tell what they were thinking.

Homemade Christmas gifts can be wonderful! They often carry personal touches, sentiment, and effort, making them unique and cherished by recipients.

I would love some homemade jam, chutney or fudge please. Yummy.

Who dug this one up?

I am with JudyJudy12. I never eat anything homemade unless I know who made it and how clean their kitchen is.

For many years a neighbour has been making her own chocolates and giving us 2 large boxes at Christmas. Trouble is her kitchen is a health hazard! One autumn she opened her grill while I was there and two furry green things rolled to the front which she laughingly told me were sausages left there by her sister who had been there in the summer!

She never washes up, the sink is always overflowing and I don’t think she knows what bleach is. All her saucepans, pans etc are disgusting because she allows stuff to boil dry and then she can’t get them properly clean.

She decorates the top of the chocolates with little bits of nuts, stem ginger etc which she obviously breaks with her hands but her fingernails are always black from gardening.🤮

My son always says “bet you’re looking forward to your hairy chocolates.” But I have never eaten one yet!

JackyB

Who dug this one up?

Well, it’s pertinent at this time of year, so I’ll just add that unless it’s edible or something made by little Gdcs, I absolutely do not want any more stuff, which will include anyone’s paintings, cross stitch pictures, knitted or crochet wearables, which will almost certainly not be what I’d choose.

Luckily dds are not in the least ‘crafty’ so there’s no danger from them!
I’d rather not have handmade cards (except from Gdcs) either. I’d feel really bad about binning them after Christmas.

As per my pp, I’ll always welcome BiL’s fudge or a niece’s peppermint creams, though.

I love homemade gifts from Grandchildren especially the tea towels they make at school and cards.
What I dread is the endless bl.... calendars from Aunt Fanny's niece etc. which show the family explotes during the previous year, that you have to display somewhere prominent next time they visit. We have a hook in the kitchen where I rotate them.
I also avoid anything food-related unless I know the kitchen where they are coming from. After many bring and share Infants school Christmas parties, where one year the buns were decorated intentionally or not with pubic hair. As a teacher it doesn't matter how many times you tell children to wash their hands, they stray to unmentionable places, mouths and noses being the least obnoxious.
I don't mind a handmade card and have a whole collection in a box. A bunch of `Christmas greenery from a friend's garden is always very welcome.

I make chutneys and liquors for my friends every year they are always very grateful. One friend asked me to make a batch of my green bean chutney for a party she is hosting I take that as a compliment.

Primrose53

I am with JudyJudy12. I never eat anything homemade unless I know who made it and how clean their kitchen is.

Glad I'm not the only one who's a bit 'fearful' about this.

A lady I knew used to present me with home-made cake. Which I ate. Until I noticed, during a spontaneous visit one day, that whilst cleaning the kitchen floor she'd put the kitchen bin on the table together with a pair of slippers (no idea why they were in the kitchen)... and then proceeded to empty the dishwasher putting the contents on to the table without wiping it first.

My cousin gives and receives gifts from her many friends and acquaintances.

She often passes on to us chutneys, jams, bramble whisky, home made horseradish sauce etc as she doesn’t want them.

If I went to the trouble of making and giving people stuff, I would be offended if I thought they were just handed on to all and sundry.

To me, this is the perfect reason to pack up all the endless swapping of not needed gifts.

(Martin Lewis does a good reasoning on this).

Every Christmas for a few years now I’ve made Italian Panforte cakes for my two adult children. I’m not a cook but they always tell me after Christmas how much they enjoy them. So I believe them. I know it must be true from the howl of indignation when I said I wouldn’t do them this year!

Homemade gifts are very nice , but I agree about hygiene .

One of my friends has offered me a Christmas cake .
She has a beautiful new kitchen and her five cats sit on the counters , on top of the washing up and the cooker top .
The cat and the dog's dishes go in the dishwasher on economy setting .
All her much loved pets are hand fed treats and hands aren't washed afterwards .
Food is half warmed .
The family often have stomach upsets .

I wouldn't dream of saying anything .
You can't tell your friend that their hygiene is lacking !

Esmay

Homemade gifts are very nice , but I agree about hygiene .

One of my friends has offered me a Christmas cake .
She has a beautiful new kitchen and her five cats sit on the counters , on top of the washing up and the cooker top .
The cat and the dog's dishes go in the dishwasher on economy setting .
All her much loved pets are hand fed treats and hands aren't washed afterwards .
Food is half warmed .
The family often have stomach upsets .

I wouldn't dream of saying anything .
You can't tell your friend that their hygiene is lacking !

People often say - as they did during the pandemic - "we don't need the 'nanny State' to tell us about washing our hands" (etc)... and I agreed.

Hmm...

I like homemade gifts from young children, I like to see the pleasure on their faces when the gift is given.

I will not eat homemade food items, especially mince pies which are on sale at every local event, I need to see a food hygiene rating before I eat anything outside the house or know the cook and the kitchen if it is friends or family.

Theexwife

I like homemade gifts from young children, I like to see the pleasure on their faces when the gift is given.

I will not eat homemade food items, especially mince pies which are on sale at every local event, I need to see a food hygiene rating before I eat anything outside the house or know the cook and the kitchen if it is friends or family.

Oh dear, I’ve just been asked by dd to make some mince pies for a 🎄event at Gdcs’ school. I don’t think anyone would find anything at all 🤮 in mine, though.