Making Christmas Presents

[Biscombe]

Just wondering what you are making for christmas presents?

Here's what my friends and family are getting, made by me
http://www.allchillies.com/products.html

I may get my mosaic tiles out and have another go at some plant pots

What are you making?

[invisiblepiper]

Hot gifts?

[LBR]

My brother and sister and I agreed a few years ago not to exchange birthday or Christmas presents anymore. Whew, are we all relieved. We just give each other things if we have something, or find something we think the other one could really make good use of, just anytime.

For the parents, homemade baked things. I'll probably make gluten-free cookies for my father, and ginger cakes for my mother. I'll cut my mother's hair before Advent. Perhaps get them some cheery helium balloons. I've got a couple of small things from the Methodist thrift shop to tuck in.

I've a friend who'll probably get a box of homemade cookies sent in the mail.

A couple of folks might get crocheted bookmarks.

A few cards thru snail mail, and a few emails.

I try to do as little of all that as possible nowadays.

[Milims]

My sis and BIL are getting a signed ish bible - I'm getting Andy to sign it when he comes! I'm in the process of knitting slippers, hat, scarf and a stash blanket for my niece - she's 19 and a student so I figured she could do with something to keep her warm round the house! Not sure what to give my nephew - I think a hat may be in order there too - for when hes out and about round the farm. I may wrap it round a bottle of home made raspberry vodka - medicinal of course - just to keep him warm MIL will be getting slippers and a cloth shopping bag - I picked up rather lovely some sample curtains from a shop so I'll be making it from them. Think I'll add some fudge and maybe some fondants too. Oh dear so much to do and so little time! Hey Ho!

[Penny Lane]

I'm making sun-dried tomato pesto, tapenade and a cake each for my parents & sister, they'll all be getting small bottles of our blackberry wine too.

My little brother doesn't want anything and my littlest brother is getting cash.

[MrsD'ville mkII]

This thread is perfect - with a baby due on 23rd December I'm trying to get organised now! We're on a miniscule budget of course so I'm knitting one or two things and will be making soaps and candles and things like ginger cakes. For teacher presents I'll be repeating last year's successful plan: make a square Christmas cake, cut it into four (or more if you're a neat cutter) then get the relevant child to decorate as many as needed for teachers. I found a pack of 10 laydeez hankies today for £1.99 so will keep a few for myself and will wrap the rest round soaps as pressies for one or two friends, stocking fillers for my stepdaughter, DD and mother and will probably give one like that as a present for the school present sale, along with a mini Christmas cake. For a pretty small layout you can make loads of soaps and small Christmas cakes which look quite effective and are fun to do.

Dd is getting a knitted fluffy scarf, and today I found the perfect gloves to match for £1.50 - I wouldn't know where to begin knitting gloves and in my scatty state now is not the time to start! I thought I might do a willy warmer as a laugh for DH as I have masses of yarn. Will make a candle for SS. Other than that waiting for inspiration to strike >drums fingers<

[invisiblepiper]

OK - look at Mirkwood Designs on the web - get a free box template - make pretty boxes - fill with home made sweeties! Jingle Bells!

[rebenny]

I haven't really given it all much thought yet, although see my other post in eco parenting re 2nd hand christmas presents.
However, I made a really cool (although I say so myself) gingerbread house for a friends kids last year, I was thinking of doing the same for my wee ones pre-school this year.
I also made dd's xmas presents last year too, I made her a shop, I made loads of salt dough fruit and veg and bread and cakes and put it all in an old wooden cd rack. I got her a little till for 14 euro and she loves it, I also made her a doll sown out of scraps, although she never plays with this.
I have no inspiration yet for this year, might decorate her a box and put loads of art supplies in it.
I admit I never do anything for family other than that, although I'm liking the idea of personalised gingerbreads of something...
Rebenny x

[MrsD'ville mkII]

I decorated a box for DD one year. I cut lots of pictures out of catalogues - anything with fairies, ballerinas, all the real cliche little girl things! Well she was 4 at the time! My big mistake was to cover it with sticky back plastic, what a nightmare that stuff is. I think I'd use craft varnish or something like that another time. It was a huge box as well, it had had tall boots in it - never again!

[Biscombe]

personalised gingerbreads! cracking idea!

[StripyPixieSocks]

For my friend who has done alot for us recently I'm making a pampering basket with some luscious hand-made toiletries such as soap, hand cream, bath salts etc along with a bottle of wine, some tea lights and a box of chocolates so she can pamper herself on Christmas day as she's having a 'ME' day and just stopping in and... well.. pampering herself

Most of our family are getting bottles of wine, cookies and maybe a few home made chocolates too.

We're having a KISS (Keep It Simple Silly) Christmas this year and the only thing we will be buying is a book for my parents on wine making as they have just decided they want to make their own wines!

[SarahJane]

The adults in my family and friends will each be recieving homemade onion marmalade, mango chutney, apple, walnut and ginger chutney and some pickles (onions and beetroot) I am also going to make some chocolate truffles and give a small box of these too.
It worked well last year and saved me lots of money.

[StripyPixieSocks]

We will be doing stuff through the year next year so we don't end up in November scratching our heads lol.

... of course I say this every year HAHA