LOW COST homemade christmas gifts

springdreams

box contents:

Shredded paper - snow
Fox's biscuits - sleds
Cadbury's snowball chocs - snowballs
Strawberry laces - ropes
Haribo snowmen
Choc snowmen
Milk choc bar wrapped with snowman paper and using fingers of red glove for hat and scarf
Hot choc sachet
Mini marshmallows - snowman poop

The poem

Snowball Fight Survival Kit

*Snow
*Sleds
*Snowballs
*Ropes
*Snowmen
*Hot Choc
*Snowman Poop

lushlifesaver

Thank you to all you lovely people for some fantastic inspiration for gifts this coming year, not only for Christmas but other occasions too:)

My family have never been huge spenders when it comes to gifts but this year (our first Christmas together) I have figured that bf likes to buy well but to a reasonable budget (£20-25 per person max) whilst his parents use it as an opportunity to spoil him (he's the only son that never asks for money!) and to treat his brothers, and middle brothers gf, to a certain extent. No idea what his mum got middle brother's gf but I got a gorgeous Cath Kidson sewing book with projects and patterns in so my mum will get something made from that for both Christmas and birthday and so will his mum as part of her gifts.

Bf and I and then middle son and gf got a couples gift each (indoor skydiving for us! so excited) and youngest brother got a gift of equal value just for him. I would be interested to see what middle brother and gf got as individual gifts but that's sheer noseiness!

Anyway, back on topic; i will make a jewelry roll for my mum and probably a couple of other things and will then buy a nice, inexpensive piece of jewelry to hide in it. Dad will get something to do with surviving all the travelling he does in the first half of each year - I'm thinking some supplies that can be kept in the car and maybe making an organiser that can be attached to the passenger seat for when he's travelling alone. Other than then I only have brother to buy for on my side...I will have to keep an eye on this thread for ideas for him!

Middle brother's gf was hard to buy for and she ended up getting more than we wanted to spend on her. Next year I think I will make her a jewelry wrap and maybe something else. Their children will get personalised stash bags - drawstring bags that I will make and fill with activities. Well they are my ideas so far anyway!

mum2one

lushlifesaver - those ideas sound fantastic, I am so jealous of the sky diving, I would love to do it.

I love the sound of the jewellery roll, I haven't got the patience to sew...

Weve come up with an idea of painting bowls (order porcelain pens from ebay) and design a pattern for the person, then fill it with sweets, and cello wrap, so they can go off DD. xx

mum2one

Just a thought - but i don't know if anyone else has seen the new subscription thats come out for cooking books - based on every day ingredients - the 1st edition is on offer for 99p (instead of £2.99) and you get 2 books (5in x 5in), 1 x cadburys dairy milk, and 1 x golden syrup.

I brought 3 spare sets - and buying bar of choc, small tin or bottle golden syrup, (staples for the recipe), - but thought they would look good as a base for a hamper for bdays - pamper hamper of food. In the milk choc book theres a recipe for cookies with a suggestion that you can layer the dry ingredients in a jar.
I reckon, that even adding ingredients for recipe from each book, 2 books, choc and golden syrup - less than £5. xx

Digressing again!! - finally tried my homemade orange marmalde with brandy - it was lush even if I say so myself I give it a 10/10. Now going to be saving jam jars as want to do other flavours for xmas prezzies. xx

dottygirl

I love all your ideas thank you. I made my friend a jar of ideas and gave her a cheap notebook so she could record what she did. I wrote 365 ideas on different coloured paper and folded them into different shapes and put in the jar. The ideas are all cheap to do ie. Take a walk in the park. Phone a friend. Make a cuppa and think of happy holidays. She said it was one of the most thoughtful gifts she had received. Keep all your ideas and photos coming please x

lushlifesaver

mum2one wrote: »

lushlifesaver - those ideas sound fantastic, I am so jealous of the sky diving, I would love to do it.

I love the sound of the jewellery roll, I haven't got the patience to sew...

Weve come up with an idea of painting bowls (order porcelain pens from ebay) and design a pattern for the person, then fill it with sweets, and cello wrap, so they can go off DD. xx

I figure if I aim to make one item a month then that gives me four/five weeks to complete each project for the harder things. The bags for the two kids I will do in the same day as drawstring bags are the easiest thing ever to make :P

I was also thinking about making the kids a customised fabric covered notice board each - so cut their names out of felt then glue on to a fabric covered pinboard which has a layer of wadding under the fabric and then ribbons pinned across. A bit like a a memory board/French board (thats what my nan used to call them!). Although the little lad may not appreciate that as much as the newborn girl may when older - hmm my head is full of ideas now.

I made a few coffee cosies a couple of month ago so I may try and sell those on etsy/similar and see how these other crafts go to maybe do the same!

sarahg1923

mum2one wrote: »

Just a thought - but i don't know if anyone else has seen the new subscription thats come out for cooking books - based on every day ingredients - the 1st edition is on offer for 99p (instead of £2.99) and you get 2 books (5in x 5in), 1 x cadburys dairy milk, and 1 x golden syrup.

Hi. Where did you buy the cooking mag from? I've seen it advertised on TV but haven't been able to find it in any of the shops.

Emmarillo

I saw it in WHSmith yesterday. There was an enormous stack of them.

mum2one

sarahg1923 wrote: »

Hi. Where did you buy the cooking mag from? I've seen it advertised on TV but haven't been able to find it in any of the shops.

I got mine from WHSmith. xx

BloomingTasty

Asda had them too!