Making gifts for Christmas

We are a family who celebrate Christmas. However, I am sick to death of the commercial thing it has become.

One thing I like to do is something small and personal for family (Parents, not kids) Recent years have seen us paint pot plants, make a calendar with a collage of our photos, pillowcases with art work from the children.

We use newsprint and decorate for wrapping paper. (Recycable that way)

This year, I am knitting my MIL a knitting bag. (She is a knitter also) And I saw my girlfriend made fruit and vege bags out of a tulle type material. Saves using the plastic bags.

Last year I tried to make chocolates and just munted them. No one I know has ever making chocolate making.

Any other ideas ??

red and green pepper/chilly plants in a pot (xmas colours)

Are you wanting to spend money on (eg) kits that you can then make up and gift? You could make lovely paper, home-made soaps, plaster picture frames (that the kids perhaps could then paint) etc if you wanted to spend a little initial outlay.

In the past I've made up home-made Bailey's, put into decorated bottles and given them as gifts. I've also made up cardboard 'cones' which we have then filled with home-made fudge, coconut ice, etc. Just recently made hokey pokey with the kids and am pleased it turned out - it's easy to make but might be a bit difficult for wrinklies to eat with false teeth! Sorry, it's obvious (is it?!) that I'm not into gifts which may turn in to clutter (which I personally have waaaaay tooooo much of).

What kind of 'parents' are you talking about - your parents? Do they need or want help in any way? Vouchers for a few rounds of weeding? A spring clean voucher? Um, a fishing date with a favourite grandchild?

Does this help, or not along the lines you were thinking of?

Place mats or serviettes that go with the dinner set, T-shirts with art work, seeds and stuff for kids to grow their own radishes or whatever, jams and chutneys - especially the more 'modern' stuff like onion or chilli jam, small uniced fruit cakes for oldies. Try googling craft christmas gifts and see if anything appeals.
We all agreed to do the charity gifts last year and everyone loved it as we all had fun choosing things appropriate to the receiver as well as seeing them get the reason why when they received them.

Thanks guys.

Prim, I have no problem with outlay, just want to do something personal and homemade. We have just done the parents in previous years as I am trying to wean people. (God, does that sound awful? I don't mean it that way)

My MIL and I always buy a present that would suit a boy my son's age would be had he lived and put it under the tree for those who might not get presents.

I was hoping to look a bit more at homemade for the kids this year too. Just that personal touch. In the past, I have bought kits for the girls in the family.

Thank you for the ideas. I have been feeling a bit addled about it this year.

Thanks guys.

Prim, I have no problem with outlay, just want to do something personal and homemade. We have just done the parents in previous years as I am trying to wean people. (God, does that sound awful? I don't mean it that way)

My MIL and I always buy a present that would suit a boy my son's age would be had he lived and put it under the tree for those who might not get presents.

I was hoping to look a bit more at homemade for the kids this year too. Just that personal touch. In the past, I have bought kits for the girls in the family.

Thank you for the ideas. I have been feeling a bit addled about it this year.

Last year my then 11 year old made wheat bags for everyone....out of my chook wheat! Put some lavender for the ladies and looked really good. My other son made bath salts and bath bombs for his gifts. Unfortunately your sense of smell disappears when making them en masse, so the last ones were not exactly delicately scented....more like an explosion of smell!

What about planting up a herb garden in a pot for each single/couple. Was suprised when my daughter asked me today what I was doing with a certain terracotta pot and when I asked why, she said it would make a really good herb garden. At end of the day, it truly is the thought that counts.

Great thinking Didi.

Will make a list of all this and discuss with the kids.

another idea I have used and will do so again - a biscuit mix in a nice jar. Choose a recipe that only requires dry ingredients and say butter and an egg. Layer the dry ingreds and attach card giving baking instructions as to adding the egg and butter and cook!.

I'm doing a 4 weeks course starting next week making Christmas decorations from flax! So guess what everyone is getting this year!

Our group of friends have a christmas pressie plan and every year it's different ( but inexpensive) A lot of the fun is coming up with the idea of what we're all going to do.

This year we are all making our presents for eachother.

It's great as we're all goodish at different things.My DH is making chilli sauces, chutneys, and flavoured vodkas - see where his talents lie!

I'm making tea cosys, cushion covers, shell/driftwood mobiles, and aprons ( think mine will be more for the girls! ) I'm also doing an IOU to one friend to make her curtains.

Another friend just wants 'time' so he's getting an IOU from everyone of a day out on the Bay for a picnic and all he has to do is turn up.

I love this way of present giving, so much less commercial and more in the spirit of christmas.

Didi I did some herb gardens last year and they were very loved!

Home made cookies and baking are a nice treat for members of the family that may not get a lot of xtra's. I make these for the "aunts" and "uncles" that have become part of our extended family. There is so much that you can put in herb pots and it is a gift that lasts through the season.

Brandy apricots, onion marmalade, baking, all in a nice wee gift basket.

Seeds, garden gloves, marker thingys for the rows, string, maybe an inexpensive garden had tool all gift wrapped in a plant pot.

Mosaic rock for the garden.

OOOoooo Mosaic Rock. FIL is a prolific gardener. And hubbie and the boys are driving south to see them for Christmas.