General opinions on homemade christmas gifts?...

[walkingonair]

Okay, I'm coming over all Kirsty Allsop this year and have made some homemade Christmas chutney. I've also tried my hand at fudge making and I have to say, so far so good!

What are peoples thoughts on receiving edible, homemade Christmas gifts? naff or not?

i think its fine, if they are presented nicely

I think it can be rather lovely, especially preserves.

Not sure about all the run of the mill biscuits etc.

i think there is nothing nicer than a homemade card, it shows people you are thinking of them

Yummy :) I have made fudge this year :)

I would a million times more prefer a handmade card, sweets, cake than some naff xmas pressie.

It can be really diffucult to get decent presents without spending an arm and a leg and people tend to spend what they can afford (whilst buying for loads of people) and buying not brilliant things.

Ive made 5 of my gifts this year. SPent very little and think theyve come out really nice.

I love them. Not at all naff imho.

I'm doing Biscuiteer Biscuits this year... have got the book, got the ingredients, need to get the piping kit and decorations and we are set to go.

did fudge last year, and truffles, they were great!

They get my vote, particularly fudge!

I love them, and I make them.

Nothing naff about it.

brillaint, love them.

makes me feel really special because I know that person's taken loads of time making me something. :)

especially grape and port jelly to pour over ice cream

Depends on the people. I did a homemade gift (not food) for a secret santa lunch last year and it did not go down well. The £2 fleece blanket from Primark bought minutes before the lunch by someone and presented in a plastic bag was cooed over .
Don't care tho

Sue- they are obviously heathens of the highest degree

love them. There are no calories in homemade fudge.

It depends on whether you take into account whether the recipient actually likes chutney (or whatever it is you've made).

Crap.

But I am a materialistic, shallow cow.

I make for people know appreciate it ( my sister and gran) but buy something which is probably cheaper when you work it out for people who don't ( like my dad and step mum)

I like homemade gifts but that's probably because I'm a crafty type myself so I can appreciate the effort that goes into them.

Saying that, you need to know your audience and give them things that they will like!

It depends on the receipients. DHs family for example would hate anything like that. They are all about the costly, useless shit. its all about how much you spend. For my birthday I actually told his brother something I really needed which would have cost about a tenner and he ignored it and bought me DVDs I will never watch and a CD I will nevr listen to. Other thing was too cheap!!
On the hand my family would love anything homemade. So thoughtful. Although I would be disappointed with chutney as I don't eat it.

Depends on the gift and the recipient. I made my DB a two pound batch of Tablet last year and he was well happy (until his friends got their hands on it!)

Depends on the gift and the recipient really.
IMO it should be "chosen" with as much care as you'd choose a shop-bought present - i.e. you should decide what to make according to what someone would like to receive, and not according to what you fancy having a go at. Otherwise it does smack of something you had left over from when you made a big batch, rather than what it actually is, i.e. something you've spent time and care in making for a specific person.
I do think homemade presents can be absolutely fab and are not remotely naff when done thoughtfully.

I would love fudge! I like chutney too, but my parents make gallons of it so it would be a bit coals to Newcastle... But generally, a yes from me if in a nice jar with a bit of effort to make it look pretty.

This year I have made a few gifts including a sock monkey for my 3 year old niece, a scarf in really gorgeous pompom yarn for MIL (although she will get something bought as well), and I have made scented candles in vintage 1930's teacups (with saucer and cake plate too, and tied with ribbon) for SILs.

Lovely if edible, or consumable (like soap), but you can keep your hand made shell mirrors.

I think fudge and truffles are a lovely idea!!! Would anyone care to share tried and tested recipes?

hijack

I would love to receive it and would give it too. Only thing that has stopped me giving homemade unless I'm close to someone is less the thought that the recipient would think it was crap/naff and more that they'd think I was trying too hard to be Nigella/Martha Stewart.

Well said, about "knowing your audience", Squitten!

I have got an Xmas meal with old college mates coming up, and given that almost every one of them has given self-made presents in the past, Mssrs Boots, Debenham and Lewis are definitely off the hook for that round of presents!