Handmade gifts

OH is getting a flight on a seaplane from Loch Lomond. The adults will get consumables (e.g. lovely cheeses, port) as most of my friends and family prefer not to add to their possessions and the children will have money sent to their parents who will choose something wanted, needed and appropriate and not necessarily tangible. (e.g. horse riding or dance lessons).

My friends and I haven’t done proper presents in years but I always give a pot of my homemade ‘something’ in a voile bag - Red Onion Marmalade was last year’s offering!

One friend makes mini Christmas cakes, another makes jewellery so earrings/bangles come my way which is lovely.

I don’t mean to sound negative, and I’m not talking about myself, as I am pleased to be given a pot of home made preserves, but you often see unwanted home made Christmas gifts on bring and buy stalls later in the year, or re-gifted to a friend as “oh, we don’t eat chutney, jam etc”.
And someone offered me some home knitted gloves only a few days ago, an unused gift, to go in a shoebox for the homeless, so they will be appreciated.

I do know what you mean Calendargirl - I had an aunt who insisted on knitting/crocheting hats and scarves but the colours just didn’t suit me!

My jewellery making friend knows me better and chooses a colour from what I wore the last time I saw her - clever girl!

There’s actually a waiting list for my preserves - those who save the jam jars are near the top for obvious reasons!

Some people love hand crafted gifts,others are less than impressed. As someone who loves crafting I have often thought it would be easier,and often cheaper to get a card out of a cheap box and wrap up a banal toiletry set?. So I choose my recipients carefully!
I would love to do edible gifts but I'm not a chutney or jam maker and there is the issue of items staying fresh if given out a week or so before Christmas.
Last year I made popcorn kits. I put popcorn kernels in a pretty jar. In a smaller jar I put homemade popcorn seasoning.
This year I'm knitting an ipad case for my daughter, at her request.
I've found some lovely jewel art bookmarks and key rings sets that I need to start on. Plus Christmas mug cosies ?

Love that idea pantglas2 think that’s much more personal.

One group of friends and I decided to donate to a food bank instead of giving each other gifts. Another friend and I go out for a meal instead of exchanging gifts. I think hand made gifts are lovely. Have you tried making candles? There are kits to get started. Or soap?

I would love to be on your waiting list Pantglas. ?
Homemade chutney and jams are soo much nicer than shop bought.
My sister is like you, turning seasonal produce into preserves and sending some my way.
As long as I return the empties, washed, I get a new jar ?

My group of friends stopped exchanging gifts a long time ago and had a meal together instead pre Christmas. None of us ‘make things’ that could be given as gifts.
It is doubtful that a meal will happen this year as we are 4 from 4 different households ?

I am going to take your idea Grandbatty ,
and give to the food bank and suggest my friends do too.
Thank you ?

Grandmabatty, sorry

Christmas 10weeks! I appreciate the time people have put in to create a home made gift and love receiving them. This year Children 3 and younger making pocket play cushions and hand sewn toys (farm machines) to go into the pockets. A personalised hand drawn story book to go with it. Older children hand made card with a gift pocket for money and a coin key ring with year of birth. Family and friend gifts, 'lost sock' peg boards & homemade preserve/cookie/Christmas cake hampers. Careers bottle of prosecco covered with ferrero rocher topped with green paper leaves to form a pineapple.
Last year I made Christmas wreaths which were much appreciated. I can not knit well but always appreciate a pair of mitts or scarf. I make all my all my own Cards, labels and wrapping paper from recyclable paper. Also do extras to sell for charity orders already in and being posted out.

This year got me a bit short of money, so I guess I'll go crafty as well. I'm planning to do photo calendars for my friends: one will be with the photos of my friends' beloved dog and another one will be with my friend's ceramic products (she is fond of pottery). I did it last year (I used photo-calendar-software.com in case everyone will need it), so I guess that will do. I've already started to sew a doll, it will be Elsa from Frozen, I suppose she will look like in the picture. I didn't come up with the idea of what to get or my DD and her husband, but have time to think about it. I won't get them calendars, though, cause they were lucky enough to have them last year

Grandmabatty, oh, yes, I did soap several years ago and everyone was flooded with it, so this year soap is a skip for me,haha!

CorneliaStreet ?. Time to resurrect soap, I think. Puzzler61 we all agreed that we didn't need more stuff and we all love to eat so helping others with food seemed the logical thing to do.

I admire all your creativity. As a pretty bad cook I love presents of homemade cakes and biscuits, so much nicer than shop bought. Not a huge Christmas cake, just banana loaf or coffee and walnut cake etc, even tasty cheese scones.

A friend made me some delicious rum truffles last year. They don't have a long shelf life, but that was no problem at all. Another lady makes tablet, a very naughty buttery treat.

One year I filled some pretty coffee jars (I save them) with the dry ingredients for chocolate chip cookies, added a label with instructions and a ribbon. They were a hit with the older kids, a useful extra present.

I only buy a gift for grandchildren and one adult. We agreed, amongst friends & family, to stop! I do make ams/ chutney etc. but offer it rather than give it!

Last year a dd gave me some soap made by a friend - it was lovely.
And the fudge made by a BiL is delish. Ditto some chilli jam and peppermint creams made by a niece.

So consumables are usually welcome, but I definitely don’t want any more ‘stuff’ and I prefer to choose my own hats, scarves and gloves, in the event that I need any.

I'm also a keen gardener so I have plenty of cuttings. I could knit plant pot covers. There's lots of spare wood offcuts in the garage too, so, given the energy, it would be easy to make a few more bird boxes.

I have lots of spare wool so am going to start knitting scarves. Did bobble hats last year. Lots of wonderful ideas on here though. What a great thread???

One thing I’ve given, though they do really need to be eaten within about a week, is a tin of my very very cheesy cheese straws. Always popular - except with anyone who really doesn’t like spicy, since they include a very little cayenne pepper. Though as the rest of the family has been known to say, ‘Good - all the more for us!’

mmm ..... what a lovely gift Witzend.

You've all really spurned me on to thinking about my Christmas gifts. We only give gifts to the little ones now but I love to sew so one year I made all the female relatives little tissue holders for handbags and the next year a cosmetic bag each. My BiL has complained he didn't get one, so I plan to make one for him in faux leather.

I am giving my grand children money this year - for the first time. They asked for crafts last year and one of my grand children said they were still in the bottom of the wardrobe.