Homemade Christmas

Out,_Vile_Jelly

tatabubbly wrote: »

Forgot about making homemade paper chains! I'll have to get out some colourful paper!

I read somewhere that old sheet music makes lovely traditional paper chains. I picked up some battered Chopin from a charity shop in the FREE bin so looking forward to using that.

I was thinking of spraying pine cones silver. Is there a particular type of spray that's recommended? I never know where to buy things like that now Woolworths doesn't exist.

mardatha

You know those wee glass dishes that creme brulee comes in... well I kept hold of these and have saved hundr- ermm a lot. (I like creme brulee) Can anybody think of anything nice to do with them for xmas gifts??

PasturesNew

We were so poor when I was growing up that we had to hire a regular black taxi cab to get to Harrods' toy dept, instead of using the chauffeur/Rolls like our neighbours

[Deleted User]

Baby pot pourrie bowls, give half a dozen to spread round the room, make nicely scented candles in them, glass paint them and pop in a tea light and use them as Christmas votives, make bird pudding in them and make a wire hanger so they can be put out in the garden and hung up for the birds?

tuskel

mardatha wrote: »

You know those wee glass dishes that creme brulee comes in... well I kept hold of these and have saved hundr- ermm a lot. (I like creme brulee) Can anybody think of anything nice to do with them for xmas gifts??

You could definitely make candles out of them! If you've got old candles, you can melt them and pour them into the glass dishes, the only thing you need to get is wicks. Tie one end around a barbecue stick and put it on top of the dish, then melt the candle, add some bits and bobs (dried orange, cinnamon, maybe essential oils etc) and pour the melted wax on top. Cut the wick to about 2-3 cm high, and voila. And you can tie a nice ribbon around it too.

Anyway, I can't see myself doing a completely homemade Xmas, as I do buy presents, but I am not going to buy any more cards or wrapping paper this year, as we've got so much left from last few years. Idea: swap wrapping paper with your friends to have "new" paper "from Santa"

And we always make decorations:
* I've got several paper chains I've saved over the years (one of them is made with junk mail and old magazine/calendar pages, looks great),
* I made a wreath last year out of cling-film wrapped plastic bags and hot-glued baubles,
* Every year we make snowflakes to hang up in our living room (I made a blog post here years ago http://kerliandanimals.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/tutorial-how-to-make-lovely-snowflakes.html)
* Last year I made crackers for the first time in my life, and they were a hit. I used toilet rolls, wrapping paper and bought snaps. (Got loads left over for this year!) I filled them with tissue paper hats (made by me and my daughter), a joke and a little gift (lego minifigs, little pens, little torch etc). This year I'm thinking of getting some charity scratchcards, because it was a nuisance trying to buy tiny gifts that fit in a toilet roll!
* We always make gingerbreads, because they are a traditional Xmas food where I'm from. And it's the German version (I suppose english easter biscuits are more like german gingerbread)
* I have tried making other gifts as well, whenever possible: crocheted mug cosies, a pair of mittens or gloves, homemade chocolate or fudge (no-cook fudge last year was rubbish, I'll stick to the cooked version :P), little coasters etc.
* EDIT: This year we (me an my daughter, 7) are making little felt hearts with buttons sewn on and filled with cotton wool balls + a bit of lavender oil in the middle (only put one drop in if you make them though, they smell to high heaven otherwise!). A great way to teach my daughter to sew buttons!

I like making things, especially recycled stuff and I think giving the gift of time to someone is worth much more than just going out and buying it. However, nowadays I try to give useful things first and foremost. Consumables are great, but I can't make my own cheese and I'm not that good at preserving things or making chutneys etc, so it will have to come from a shop.

And I do love the smell of real Xmas tree, so I will have to go and see whether the Xmas market has a few branches left over. Holly is abundant around here, so maybe I'll go and cut a bit of that too.

tuskel,
sincerely

pigpen

mardatha wrote: »

You know those wee glass dishes that creme brulee comes in... well I kept hold of these and have saved hundr- ermm a lot. (I like creme brulee) Can anybody think of anything nice to do with them for xmas gifts??

candles.. or glass paint and ribbons.. ganache.. mini cheesecakes.. they are pretty good for growing cress too lol. coloured sand with a votive candle in looks quite cute. fill with sweets.. they are quite good for nibbles when people visit too.

MMF007

Little glass pots or jars are great for HM marmalade or jam. If the recipient is in a single person household they appreciate having several small pots of different preserves, rather than having to eat up a whole jar before starting another variety.

Love this thread. I do try and make some HM pressies but as earlier poster pointed out not everyone appreciates this.

My successes last year were damson gin, 'baileys' type cream liquor, biscuits, unsalted roast nuts. This year i have made some candles in nice teacups and have plans for a few other hampers with HM preserves.

Will prob try making some flavoured vodka too, so easy and if you get the bottles from Lakeland or similar, they have proper tamper-evident seals so it looks very professional. A litre of vodka can go quite a way once you've steeped fruit or sweets in it, decanted into smaller bottles, pretty ribbons and printed your own design of label. What's not to like?

ooh, now I am itching to make som things but am away from home this week.....doh.

M

meritaten

Under my bed right now are boxes of home made chutneys, picalilly and various jams - most of them made out of the produce from mums garden (AKA 'the family allotment'). it will be rather poignant as mum has passed away - but I think it will be like a last 'gift' from her.
so - with the addition of the pickled eggs and red cabbage I am about to do will make a very nice hamper for each of my grown up kids. this will be in addition to a 'bought' gift probably. I figure each hamper will have about 12 different homemade items - and will probably make my Honey Fudge and Turkish Delight (known as Ticklish Delight in our house as grandson always called it that) for more sweet elements.
and Christmas dinner will be 'homemade' from scratch.
I buy the cheapest crackers I can find - as the whole point is to have everyone groaning over how bad the jokes are! and the hats must NOT fit or flatter! and we have to have 'fortune telling fish'! which are generally in the cheap crackers.
I like people to have fun - and a real 'formal' Christmas dinner is just not my style!

bossymoo

I love granny's pickled onions and I really enjoyed making flavoured vodka - the kola Kube one went down well. Mince pie flavoured brandy, not so much :rotfl:

Could the creme brûl!e pots be used for pots of gold gifts?

meritaten

those little pots make nice 'moulds' too! either for 'recycled' soap or to make little Jellies. I have errrrmmm loads of them too! usually they get used when the grandkids have '70s style Prawn cocktails served in wineglasses - they love the marie rose sauce so I decant some into the little dishes for them. or I squirt mayo or salad cream or ketchup in them for the kids to 'dip' into - and yes they get used for 'dips' too!
and if doing a buffet they really come into their own for 'dotting' around the table with various nuts in them. and right now there are several in my fridge! one or two have 'dripping' from joints of meat in them - ideal for making a small amount of gravy. some have some 'nibbles' in them - julienne carrots and celery.