Favourite HM Christmas presents?

miniloopie

Hello everyone!

In my new OS style Im already thinking about Christmas presents for this year and what we could make... so I wondered what everyone's favourite HM presents were to give and/or receive?

My favourites to make so far have been calendars for the grandparents with pics of the little ones for each month...
In the past Ive made chutney, jam, spiced pears...

It might give me some ideas to get started on and save some money for this year

Boatie_Bird

Spooky,

I was just thinking about this on my drive into work.
I must ask my work colleagues to start saving their glass jars for me,
I shall watch the replies with interest.

Pink.

Hi miniloopie,

These older threads might give you some ideas:

Homemade Gifts

Foody gifts

Home made Xmas gifts

homemade kids xmas gifts

There are also lots of other threads listed in The Complete HM Gifts Collection.

Pink

mossstar

I make sweeties, lots of sweeties LOL

Favs are toffees and Whiskey Fudge....mmmmmmmmmmmm

All prettily arranged in (charity shop) containers with nice tissue paper and ribbons etc.

I also make christmas decorations and home decorations etc.

Isn't it lovely? When I was a kid i used to make tons of stuff for christmas... and now we're (ahem) grown up and we still get to do it! :T

x

Hardup_Hester

I make Scarves, aprons, socks, lavender/rice heat bags & shopping bags

grimelda

I like to bake, so in the past I have:

Baked five or six different batches of biscuits, put one or two of each into a cellophane bag and tied with pretty ribbon. I gave these out at work and to acquaintances I didn't feel the need to give a proper gift to. Usually I make easy recipes such as Anzacs, jam drops, peanut butter biscuits, spice biscuits, shortbread or choc chip. Don't bag them too far in advance lest they go soggy.

A couple of years ago I had a huge Christmas cake bake. I made up the fruit/rum mix in early November, baked the cakes a week later (I used Nigella's Christmas cake recipe) and kept them wrapped in paper and foil, periodically sprinkling with more rum. They aren't cheap gifts but they were soooo tasty, and elder members of the family who don't have much money and who don't bake anymore really appreciated the home made cake with lots of flavour. Plus it keeps really well. I also kept one cake back and gave out thick slices wrapped in foil to casual acquaintances I visited during the season.

My grandpa loves Anzac bickies so a couple of years in a row I've made a double batch and given them to him in a store bought biscuit tin, along with a promise to refill periodically throughout the year.

A really cheap gift which didn't go down well with my family but may with someone else's was to put dried fruit (raisins mostly, with apricots and pineapple if desired) in a canning bottle and then top up with rum. It makes a tasty ice cream topper and gets better with age.

Pies are also good. I usually cut out left over pastry in the form of holly leaves and berries to decorate the top (sometimes I paint them with food colouring depending on how kitsch I want to be). Apple, cherry or apricot are usually popular flavours.

I like your calendar idea. I would also make sure to get everyone's birthdays and mark them in ahead of time. Every year I wish I was organised enough to put everyone's BDay on a calendar but I never get around to it, so that would be a nice gift for me.

I also like sewing so sometimes I make up cushion covers for people in their favourite colours. Oven mitts and pot holders can be nice. For knitters I have made a knitting needle holder out of sturdy fabric (here is an example: http://www.xtreme-knitting.com/Photos-knittingneedleholder.htm). If you want to get more complicated you could make an apron for cooking or gardening. All of these small projects can be made out of remnants or recycled clothes. The last needle holder I made I used scrap fabric: I had found a doona cover on sale that was a size too large so I had to cut it back to fit. The pattern on it was the perfect size and the fabric was sturdy so the only other material necessary was bias binding (in a contrasting colour I had left over from another project) and some satin ribbon that had been wrapped around a gift someone else gave to me. The perfect gift for an avid knitter and it cost me nothing but time!

Hope my ideas help. :j

miniloopie

Some fantastic ideas - I shall look on those other threads to see what I can find!

Hester - do you use patterns to make your aprons etc? I was considering making some little bags for the younger girls in the family out of an old pair of jeans I have - but I dont want them to look too cheap!

Thanks everyone

boo81

Ive glass painted bottles and filled with penny sweets and made half dipped choc biscuits before. I made hm toiletries last year but people seem suspicious of them to be honest which was a let down.

Chutneys and jams work well, seems to be very wintery fare.

Just have fun making it!!

kayjay1809

I love my wheat heatbags - how do you make hm ones Hester??

I've done little cross stitich embroideries to hang on Christmas Trees in the past and this year I'm doing a tapestry spectacle case for my mum

Angelraesunshine

Over the past few years my kids have made the pressies for grandparents and aunts / uncles etc

I bought cheap large white Hankies and fabric pens and each child drew a picture on them and we gave to the men
Made salt dough xmas decorations for everyone
Bought tea light holders and glass paints and let kids decorate
mini mugs and kids drew pictures on them
kids made ginger bread men
bought in sale glass star xmas decorations and the glass paints the kids used again

there a few for you HTH

p-pincher

Hello everyone!

i'm new in today and was hoping somebody would be able to give me a bit of help. I'd like to make so of my christmas pressies and would really like to make some scarves for the 2 little ones but it's years since i last knitted and i really cannot remeber how to do it. Does anybody know of any good books or websites with the basics to point me in the right direction. thanks