making home made prezzies

barneydee_2

Firstly I want to apologies if this has been mentioned some where on this forum before, this year i want to go back to the old way of celebrating Christmas, where prezzies are home made, and a bit more thought has gone in to it as i think Christmas has got to commercial, how many of us have had presents that are still in there box's or are just kept in a cupboard.

So this year i am going to give it a go,any one got any tips or ideas or have you done this any help will be greatfuly recived.

dee

Penelope_Penguin

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natc

barneydee, great idea, i LOVE christmas, and home made things just make it even christmassy! I did a thread last year for cheap present ideas as we were on a tight budget, there were some things on there that ppl posted, but im sure there will be loads on here with plenty of ideas, crafty old style peeps, its ace this site!!!

buxtonrabbitgreen

I've said this before, but I love the patch work cushion cover my sis made me for christmas.

Claire_Bear

Hi, there are a lot of threads here with ideas for homemade gifts

Try Crafting for Christmas : http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1375877

Photos of everyone's beautiful hampers:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1175727

And of course the list pof handmade gifts
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1831263

That should be plenty to keep you going, but have a browse through this board, there's tons of Christmassy gift threads

foxgloves

Hi Dee,
Well this year, I am knitting funky socks for my friends who appreciate hippy stuff. I make a lot of jam, marmalade & chutney between now & Winter too and tart the jars up posh for presents. One year, I saw this idea in a magazine and tried it: You get a kilner jar and weigh out all the dry ingredients for a biscuit or muffin recipe (think the one I did was for Christmas Muffins, but can't quite remember), anyway the idea is to layer all the ingredients in it up to the top (it's OK to put dried fruit in but not the wet stuff), seal the lid, attach a nice new wooden spoon to the jar with a ribbon (which I recycle off presents given to me) then add a handmade label with the baking instructions i.e Tip into bowl, add 1 egg or 2 tblspns milk or whatever, mix well, spoon into muffin tins and include oven temperature & how long to bake for. I gave such a jar to my Dad who never ever bakes & he not only made them, he was WELL proud of himself for having a go! I totally agree with you about how commercialised everything has become. I know I would rather receive one tiny present that someone has put some thought into than a big box of costly tat produced specially for the Christmas gift market.

barneydee_2

Foxgloves some great ideas! the last time i did anything like this was when my dd2 was born 17 11 1992 as it was so near December i had all my christmas shopping done i knitted my mum in law a cabble cardie, my farther in law a Cable jumper and up until a couple off years ago he was still wearing it in the garden.

I have not knitted for years but would like to get back in to doing this as it is so relaxing. I would also like to do sewing again , I still do a lot of cooking.

I am going to do theamed prezzies for relaives. I.e. my brother likes good cheese and pickles so i will do a basket of home made chatney, a good cheese, home made savoury biscuits,a bottle of port,home made pickeld onions, just some ideas, what do you think?

any ideas greatfuly recived


Dee

foxgloves

Great idea doing themed baskets. Can also do Hair stuff with a nice bottle each of shampoo & conditioner, a hair ornament, sachet of treatment mask and bits and pieces, as well a gardening theme containing packets of seeds, handcream & gardening gloves, etc. Keen cooks without a garden might appreciate dried chillies, bouquet garnis, garlic oil, tarragon vinegar made out of stuff you've grown yourself. Another very simple thing that looks classy: Look out for cheap big cream-coloured 'church' candles which go with any decor - buy 3 and tie them together in a bundle with ribbon. Friends who burn lots of candles will probably appreciate this gift more than some little novelty candle that's going to burn for about half an hour then sputter out. When it's blackberrying season, you can make some blackberry vodka or gin. Because you are tarting it up big time, no need to buy brands, just the cheapest stuff on offer that you can get & recycle smaller attractive bottles to put it in.
Dee - am keen cook, chutney maker, etc, but have never made pickled onions before....can't wait to have a go now!

WartimeScrapingofMarmite

I've made cushion covers for my Mum & sister - they are the envelope cushions that Kirstie made on Kirstie's Homemade Home. I have to say they look great and took hardly any time to make at all.
I've also made small drawstring bags for my children and little nephew - I'm going to fill them with small toys since they seems to play with these more than the big and expensive stuff (anyone find this?!) and they can use the bag afterwards as a washbag or school PE kit bag.

I also did themed baskets last year with a £10 budget for each which were a huge hit - and I LOVED hunting out the little bargains I put in them too.

Good luck!