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Original poster

Does this sound like a good enough Christmas present?

97 replies

Christmasiscomingitis · 05/08/2022 14:40

Selection of home made jams and chutneys (made now)
Biscuits (home made nearer the time)
A house plant (grown by us from seed) and a watering can (bought in bulk so quite cheap)
Hand made Christmas decoration for the tree, one for everyone but personalised
Also a second hand book or a treat such as chocolate that would be different for everyone depending on what they like. But over all cost per person/ couple would be less than £5 as the home made bits are basically free or cost a few hours pence to make.

This is the only thing I can think of that I can make myself, so basically everything will be free. Is this good enough or am I going to be embarrassing myself?

I'm not really worried about my family as we aren't very materialistic but I don't want to embarrass my self with Dhs family.

We usually get different gifts for everyone, ask what they want and have a £10-15 spend per person (bought throughout the year to spread costs, also what they asked for so nothing like this.) Sometimes someone will ask for something and I can find it for a fiver or something, find one second hand (fine for our family) so it comes out cheap enough.

I have asked that we exchange no gifts or just for the children but everyone has said we don't have to buy for them but they will still buy for us. I don't want to be only receiving on Christmas and this is the best I can think of.

If anyone else has any easy(ish) handmade gift ideas I'm all ears. I can bake, sew and knit so anything along those lines would be great.
(all gifts are for adults but if you have any ideas for kids let me have it)

Thank you for reading if you got this far. We struggle at Christmas as it is but this year with everything going up I just need to get it sorted now. Sorry for the essay.

OP posts:
KangarooKenny · 05/08/2022 14:42

Personally, I wouldn’t do anything second hand, but the other things sound nice and thoughtful.

Original poster
Christmasiscomingitis · 05/08/2022 14:45

oh I should add, I usually give the home made bits on top of everyone's gift, as a little extra but I usually choose one craft or bake or make a year as an added extra for fun. Always well received (and eaten on the day) so I thought why not make the selection and give as a hamper?

if its too rubbish I need to regroup now.

OP posts:
Original poster
Christmasiscomingitis · 05/08/2022 14:48

only books or one year someone wanted a game and I found it in cash converters.
I would only do that with certain people who I know like shopong second hand for ethical reasons anyway. I wouldn't give dh family second hand because I'm not sure they would like that buy a couple of mine specifically ask for it.

the others would be getting a Terry's chocolate orange, after eights or Box of whatever their favourite treat was.

OP posts:

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Christmas Events & celebrations
DanceWithYourBalloon · 05/08/2022 14:51

I would love all of those gifts and would really appreciate the effort put into them.

If you feel you cant go down the home made/second hand route with DH family, could you suggest they do secret Santa instead? Spend a tiny bit more but everyone gets a present they like rather than tonnes of rubbish?

skgnome · 05/08/2022 14:53

Sounds lovely!

AperolWhore · 05/08/2022 14:55

I think this sounds a perfect gift and there are pages and pages of Pinterest of lovely homemade gifts that are cheap to make. If you haven’t thought of it roasted spices nuts are really easy to make and taste amazing x

Tonz · 05/08/2022 14:56

I would love any of those gifts

Waterfallgirl · 05/08/2022 14:56

I think homemade gifts are fine and so much goes into them they should be appreciated.

How about homemade fudge instead of chocolates?

if you are worried about DH family don’t be but if they are adults have you thought about making sloe gin or even toffee vodka!?

You have given it a lot of thought - just do what you can - Christmas is getting so materialistic now so your ideas are great.

Original poster
Christmasiscomingitis · 05/08/2022 14:57

@DanceWithYourBalloon

It's a good idea but we have divorced parents and grandparents nobody ever sees so we are the link that sees them all, they don't all buy for eachother.

I'm trying to save by doing edibles for the whole family/couple, so reducing numbers.

OP posts:
Redglitter · 05/08/2022 14:57

Sounds great apart from the second hand book. Personally I absolutely hate second hand books. I think the idea of chocolate goes more in keeping with everything else

undermilkjug · 05/08/2022 14:59

Most of that would be great but I second the fudge suggestion instead of biscuits as it can last longer.

Also, I'd go for jam rather than chutney as people in my family are incredibly picky about chutney so it often doesn't get eaten whereas ham and marmalade are wolfed down.

Johnnysgirl · 05/08/2022 15:01

It's sounds lovely. And second hand books are not a problem at all.

Original poster
Christmasiscomingitis · 05/08/2022 15:04

I will have a look at the nuts, fudge and gin and vodkas. Actually, I know that dhs family really like flavoured vodkas and I might just say I got them from a stall or something. So home made but still expensive 😉

I really like fudge, I didn't know you could make it at home. same with nuts, we used to buy some but they were quite expensive and I haven't seen them for a while

if anyone has any tried and trusted recipes I'd be very grateful

and thank you all so much for your suggestions. I love homemade things too, my favourite present of all time was a home made gift. I suppose I'm only getting embarrassed because I know its not made for fun or out of love but out of necessity this year.

OP posts:
Secnarf · 05/08/2022 15:04

Sounds like lovely thoughtful presents. Whether appreciated or not depends on the recipient.

for another idea - flavoured gins! Ridiculously easy to make. You basically steep fruit and sugar in gin, and then bottle up.

The cheapest possible gin is better for this as less flavoured in itself.

Blackberry gin is absolutely delicious, and it is nearly bramble picking time.

Rhubarb and elderflower also good, but currently out of season. I found marmalade gin less successful.

WeAllHaveWings · 05/08/2022 15:04

Can you get your dh to speak to his family, sooner rather than later, to say that while he appreciates they are trying to be kind, but can they respect that you are having to tighten your belts and they are putting pressure on you and will embarrass you both if they do give you gifts you cannot reciprocate? You are really looking forward to spending time with them at Christmas and don't want that ruined by this.

If not I would love the handmade/grown food and a plant (if I can keep it alive) over a boots toiletry set everyday! Just watch you don't end up spending just as much on these.

I hate all the tat that is exchanged between adults at Christmas, we stopped exchanging adult gifts over 20 years ago and it makes the run up to Christmas much less stressful and a much nicer time spent with family.

Secnarf · 05/08/2022 15:09

Oh, and elderflower cordial for your hampers next year - elderflowers, lemon, sugar, water +/- citric acid.

Original poster
Christmasiscomingitis · 05/08/2022 15:12

@WeAllHaveWings I've suggested it every year for as long as I moved out. Christmas is for children and even then it's too much. We also have a very large family and a very small house so space is a problem for us too.

We have a new girlfriend in the family now who made comments at the last birthday (birthdays have always been £1-5 event for us. Unless we find something we thing someone would really like. so I suppose I'm lucky there.

I don't why but the people I don't even like that much are the ones I'm worried about getting the best gifts for. the people I love the most are the ones I know would be happy with a home tied friendship bracelet like when we were children.

I annoy myself!

me and dh have had problems in the past with certain people trying to price up what the equivalent relation has got (so grandad a and grandad b or sister 1 or sister 2) and its caused friction on the day so now we get mostly the same for everyone or tell porkies about others gifts its a midfield.

OP posts:
Original poster
Christmasiscomingitis · 05/08/2022 15:15

minefield

OP posts:
Secnarf · 05/08/2022 15:19

The problem with knitted or sewn items, is that I usually find that the cost of the materials is more than purchased clothes. In particular, some people think about the price that things are sold for in supermarkets and assume that they have to be cheaper than that, rather than bespoke, made to measure, properly pattern matched ethically made garments.

That being said, these don’t use that much fabric. Christmas crowns. I made a load last year, and a pretty but quicker way to do it is to sew the body of the crowns as usual, but then turn out and sew the points right side out, and finish with pinking shears.

Waterfallgirl · 05/08/2022 15:21

Christmasiscomingitis · 05/08/2022 15:12

@WeAllHaveWings I've suggested it every year for as long as I moved out. Christmas is for children and even then it's too much. We also have a very large family and a very small house so space is a problem for us too.

We have a new girlfriend in the family now who made comments at the last birthday (birthdays have always been £1-5 event for us. Unless we find something we thing someone would really like. so I suppose I'm lucky there.

I don't why but the people I don't even like that much are the ones I'm worried about getting the best gifts for. the people I love the most are the ones I know would be happy with a home tied friendship bracelet like when we were children.

I annoy myself!

me and dh have had problems in the past with certain people trying to price up what the equivalent relation has got (so grandad a and grandad b or sister 1 or sister 2) and its caused friction on the day so now we get mostly the same for everyone or tell porkies about others gifts its a midfield.

What did the new girlfriend say? How rude if they criticised a gift they were given!

WeAllHaveWings · 05/08/2022 15:28

Could you try and front it out for a couple of years until they get the message?

Get your dh (it is his family after all!) to tell them clear and final no more gifts. Then just go and accept any gifts graciously, say they were unexpected, with a big thank you very much.

If you give no gift at all when you had told them, they cannot criticise their perceived quality of gift!

RuthBrenner · 05/08/2022 15:29

I'd really like everything apart from the watering can, that just seems a bit too random to me.

Johnnysgirl · 05/08/2022 15:30

Secnarf · 05/08/2022 15:19

The problem with knitted or sewn items, is that I usually find that the cost of the materials is more than purchased clothes. In particular, some people think about the price that things are sold for in supermarkets and assume that they have to be cheaper than that, rather than bespoke, made to measure, properly pattern matched ethically made garments.

That being said, these don’t use that much fabric. Christmas crowns. I made a load last year, and a pretty but quicker way to do it is to sew the body of the crowns as usual, but then turn out and sew the points right side out, and finish with pinking shears.

Are they for wearing, or just decorations? 😬

Cakeandcardio · 05/08/2022 15:30

Would love this gift! So thoughtful and better than some of the stuff exchanged at Christmas for the sake of it.

BeastOfBODMAS · 05/08/2022 15:32

I think if any of your friends/relatives WFH some knitted fingerless gloves/wrist warmers would be ideal what with the cost of heating. I often find lovely wool in charity shops