Homemade food gifts as christmas presents

[FlowersAndShit]

What do you all think about homemade hampers with things like hm shortbread? Would you appreciate them or would they go straight in the bin?

Me, I would love it, many people won't. Never spend the time and money it costs to make lovely homemade food gifts for people you don't know very, very, very well indeed.

They would be eaten very quickly!

I would very much appreciate the time and thought gone into making and giving me such a gift.

Lots of people don't like receiving home made food though.

So can I have theirs?

Depends what it is. Biscuits, meh. Jams, chutneys, booze, much more appealing

I'd rather just have a card and a box of chocs/nice tea/smellies tbh. Not keen on jams/chutneys/booze infused with stuff. Home made biscuits are OK or cake, but I never get round to eating them before they go off. Sorry, I know a lot of time and effort goes into home made hampers, but they are wasted in my house.

Not something I'd want tbh.

I think that unless you are exceptionally good at whatever type of product you intend to 'homemake' then it's generally a bad idea.

There's nothing worse than receiving badly cooked/ baked food or hand sewn/ knitted items of clothing you wouldn't be seen dead in.

It's also often more expensive to homemake things than buy a cheap and cheerful 'gesture' type item.

I would much rather have something homemade than 3 for 2 toiletries from Boots. Don't actually understand why someone would object to a homemade gift.

I just don't like them. I feel that it's a shame because people take all that time but I'm so weird about food other people have baked. I'd rather a fiver bottle of wine!

It would depend on your hygiene levels. If I'd been to your house and seen your kitchen and it was really clean and I knew you always washed your hands and never let your DC lick the spoon and then put it back in the mix I would love it.

I've got several friends who make amazing food, but one lets her dog lick the stuff in the dishwasher (!), one lets her kids 'help' with the making and the other doesn't always wash her hands after nappy-changing so anything from them goes in the bin (or DH as he is otherwise known).

I love other homemade stuff though, anything thoughtful. I used to love getting mixed-tapes .

I'm not a preserve / jam kind of gal although I do love biscuits.... although depends totally on type of biscuit.

Sorry that isn't at all helpful is it?

I do it every year for a select group of people. I usually make things such as fudge, coconut ice, biscuits, jams, chutneys, embroidered hankies, knitted scarf/gloves/hat and the old favourite lemon vodka.

Yes please, that is wonderful, homemade buscuits, jams, chutney all great in my book. Anybody who does not like it, can sent them to me . Much more thoughtful, than something quickly bought off the shelf or online.

I would love - but would prefer that the stuff in the hamper had a long shelf life. There is so much food around at Xmas that it would be better to give something that could be enjoyed in a couple of weeks.

Everyone's different. I would prefer home made stuff to a soap and glory gift that took no time or effort to think about or buy. I've had some great little hampers.

Personally I would love a home-made hamper. Last Christmas I made biscotti for family members and they went down very well with everyone.

I know there are people who don't like being given home-made food and, sorry to posters who have placed themselves in this category, I do find that a bit weird.

It depends on whether or not the person making the stuff is a good cook/baker. Some people are not as good as they like to think they are. I couldn't do it as I stink at all those house wifely things.

If I suspect you let your kids "help", well that's going straight in the bin.

I think it depends how well suited it is to the recipient. If it's just a of "I'm going to make everyone x this year to save money" then I think it's just as thoughtless as a boots box set.

I think it's lovely, but make sure it's given at the right time.

Too near Christmas and most people have loads of food in and planned.

And sil always gives us one when we go away for Christmas, then guilt ensues when we can't eat it all!

I love this sort of thing. Much prefer it to people giving money to faceless offshore companies for crap I don't want :)

I would be very pleased. Although I feel bad when something we don't really eat ends up going off in the cupboard. I was thinking of doing hampers for family with homemade truffles, hot fudge sauce in a jar, jam, biscuits, and then mix in some other bits like bought alcohol, nice crackers, cheese....

But then you have the weirdos on mumsnet who are afraid of whether someone has washed their hands or not so decline anything homemade from anyone else.

Interesting that a lot of posters who say they'd like homemade stuff are also the ones who are planning on making homemade things for other people ...........

Sloe Gin here. 3 litres on the windowsill though it may not make it into gift bottles if there's a party at Christmas