Homemade Gifts. AIBU or is he?

[WonderLime]

This evening, whilst stuck under a sleeping baby, I’ve spend the evening browsing Pinterest. I’ve seen some great home made gift ideas and I was feeling really inspired.

DP comes home and I tell him about my idea to make a homemade gift for my Secret Santa present this year, as I think I can do something really cool with a limited budget (I’d been thinking bath bombs and sugar scrubs as they look easy).

DP says that ‘no one appreciates home made gifts unless they are really, really good - and anyway, it will end up costing you more’.

I’d told him just today how I’d been feeling quite low and fed up being on maternity leave, so it was nice to feel excited about something. However now I feel disheartened and don’t see the point anymore.

AIBU thinking about making home made gifts, or was his response unreasonable?

[SaucyJack]

Mate, you can just make them for yourself. Just for the fun of it. It's as good a reason as any.

And if it turns out you have a talent for homemade cosmetics, then there's always birthdays throughout the year for the stuff that actually benefits one's skin.

[BuzzKillington]

I am with him, sorry.

If I was given a homemade bath bomb or cordial, they would be straight on the school fete pile.

[JellyBabiesSaveLives]

Do the crafts for yourself, anyway? It's the doing that is fun and feels good, even if the result is something you'd have to bin use yourself.

And if they look amazing, give them as presents. Can't be worse than some of the utter dross in the Christmas Gift aisles at the moment.

[missbattenburg]

Today I have learned that I feel completely differently about presents than anyone else...

I'd love anything handmade. A present, to me, is just a token of affection or love. It could be as ugly as sin and made at home or the finest choice from the most expensive shop; it could be something I've always wanted or something I would never buy myself in a million years - the result is the same. I will have been reminded that someone cares.

[SharkiraSharkira]

I'm going to go against the grain here OP and say do make the homemade stuff! I would much rather receive something home made with love and care than some crap generic stuff from Boots.

[PeapodBurgundy]

I must be in the minority. I love a home made gift, and give them often too. There are currently 8 Christmas cakes maturing in my kitchen that I was planning to ice and gift. Am I a crap gift giver?

[MadMags]

I think he’s right, sorry!

[Insomnibrat]

If you need a feel good hobby, sweary stitching really helped me.
I made this really cheaply our of scraps of fabric and felt. Perhaps you can do one for DH....

(Might even be appreciated as a SS)

[MadMags]

I would throw out any food or drink that was homemade. 😷

[ReanimatedSGB]

Have a try, and see if you have any aptitude for the things. The problem with a lot of 'homemade gifts' particularly if they are the sort of thing that there are Youtube how-to-make-this tutorials, is that not only are most of them shit, they are often the sort of stuff that no one actually wants in the first place (twiggy gingham hearts and lame jewellery). Home made bath stuff is maybe a nicer option, but when you are just starting out, it's as expensive if not more so than just buying some from Boots.

[GherkinSnatch]

If the people you give them to like them then you're a great gift giver Peapod I have 7 Christmas cakes maturing in my cupboard to give away as presents, but only to people who I know like Christmas cake. I always appreciate the effort of a homemade gift, but threads on here have taught me that others don't, so I'd never give anything edible that's homemade to DS's teacher, for example, because she doesn't know that I don't let the cat help in the making process. If I received bath bombs (homemade or shop bought), they would be appreciated but not used, because of my skin.

[bushtailadventures]

Even if you don't give them as gifts, do them for you! I'm not very good at crafts, although I have tried a lot (hope over experience). I took up knitting this year, and the sense of accomplishment when something works is lovely, and gives me a real boost. Plus it gives you something else to think about that isn't baby related, and that's good for all of you.

[RagingFemininist]

What you have been linking though is basically food. Maybe homemade butbstill food that will be prevailed by most people.
Bath bombs etc..it’s variable really depending on how good you are. Butbthe bottom line is that you will have no idea how good you are at it until you’ve tried it!!

So actually I would encourage you to go for it and keep an idea at the back of your j8nd of what else y U could buy ‘just in case’.
If it comes out great, then give it.
If it doesn’t, it will have been a great project for you and you can still use it yourself.

Your DH was miles too abrupt in his answer and could with thinking twice and using compassion.

[LemonysSnicket]

I’d find this difficult ... I have eczema which co workers can’t see and am sensitive to lots of ingredients , if you do it I’d need an ingredients list as on the purchased versions. No list and it goes in the bin. List and I think it’d be very nice of you an£ would appreciate the effort ... but I’d probs prefer a purchased version for peace of mind ... and skin.

[CotswoldStrife]

I don't mind homemade gifts, I don't often receive them though.

It depends if you have a talent for the item being handed over (OP, I do see your DH's point in that buying all the stuff at the start can be costly) or if you are making the item to reduce the cost of Christmas (fair enough, but some people might prefer to receive less or nothing instead).

[Hippee]

I made sloe gin for the first time last year and it turned out brilliantly - and no-one was complaining when I turned up with it as a gift. You're too late for sloes this year, but I would highly recommend it for next year (need to identify trees though - fellow sloe gin makers are notoriously tight-lipped about where they get their sloes from)

[RemainOptimistic]

Just do stuff because you enjoy it. DH is presumably at work most of the week having the freedom to drink hot tea and go to the loo when he fancies, chat to his mates etc? So take some time at the weekend for yourself. DH can have baby all day, you just do bf if you are bf, and spend the time having a lie in, then a leisurely breakfast, make some bath bombs, go snuggle DH and baby on the sofa, etc.

When I have a couple of hours to myself I'm more present and less stressed as a result. My DC is 9 months old so I totally understand what it's like!

[Hadjab]

OP, if you would like to make me something, I'd receive it gratefully! I love a handmade gift!

[cherish123]

Your other half is right. No one wants a homemade gift. It is possibly ok for your parent -if you are child. For secret Santa, it will just look mean (even if it cost the same).

[GherkinSnatch]

No one wants a homemade gift

Well that's plainly not true, even based on the people on this thread saying they like homemade gifts.

[WonderLime]

Oh, I love the idea of Sloe Gin! Actually one of my colleagues brings home-made flavoured liquors back from her home country that her mum makes, and those are way better than shop bought, so I know alcohol is a winner at work!

[tigerbasil]

Make them for you! If they go well, make them for gifts! If it's getting you excited then go for it, nothing wrong with doing something you enjoy!

[SharkiraSharkira]

Can I also just say I think its really fucking rude to just dump something in the bin that someone has taken the time and effort to make for you?! Fair enough if you taste it and it is rank but to just throw it away because it doesnt come from an official shop is just bad manners

[KurriKurri]

Why would you throw out any home made food items? I'd much rather get a home made gingerbread man or some home made fudge etc for secret santa than some regifted toiletry set raffle prize from the 1970's (which is the usual standard of secret santa round here).

In fact I like home made presents in general - even if they are a bit tat.

[Trills]

I do like the bastard bunting

A brightly-coloured homemade bath bomb, I'd wonder if it was going to stain my skin.