To think about MAKING xmas gifts for family memebers as money is tight?

[littleboyblue]

Was speaking to dp earlier about the cost of presents etc and how I would feel awful about going to my parents and recieving lots of pressies for ds and not being able to give much in return. I know people give because they want to and can afford to, but I'd like to do something so was thinking about me and ds (16m) doing some drawings or clay models or paintings etc so we at least give something and hope this will make presents that bit more special, or should I not be such a tight arse and find the money and get crappy bath salts?
Must dash, will check in later.
Thanx for all opinions

What about making some nice little boxes and then making biscuits or sweets. I think this is a lovely pressie. I think you must do what you feel is right, affordable and manageable.

I do hampers of local food, and homemade bits to different values and sizes. Sometimes I add in odd bits like socks, or a woolly hat.

I could afford to buy, but who really wants crappy bath salts, I'd rather receive a thoughtful gift!

Try Times online for Christmas children's bakes!

I think making things is fab! And absolutely alright. Go for it!

Making presents with your DS is a gorgeous idea.

Homemade presents are the ultimate present. Spending time making something for someone makes it very precious indeed.

Do not spend money you don't have on presents. That's crazy.

What about a picture collage of all family? i have done these for my mum and mil this year. you can get cheap frames from wilkinsons. hope this helps.

so YANBU!

ohh blackrock I love your idea; what sort of food items do you put in your hamper?

Definitely not BU.

Yes! Make make make! It's the new "buy, buy, buy"!

Food a def great idea. I did truffles last year in little boxes. Just read up tonight about turkish delight. Might try that. I also give any chutney or jam I have spare. My friend gave me 2 whole branches of bay leaves that have just been hanging around. Decided I'm gonna jar them up and put pretty cloth lids on for culinary types. My DH thinks I'm weird but I think it gets depressing the amount of tat that gets bought otherwise.

What about mince pies or xmas cookies wrapped in cellophane with xmas ribbon?

Photos are def brill prezs, esp for family.

Have fun!

Depends if you have any skill in that department. A wonky clay pot with a few sequins on is not really going to be greeted with love by many people (if made by a NT adult - grandparents etc do love this sort of thing if made by their grandchildren).

But sweets, biscuits etc are usually liked as long as you are not a really horrible cook who will inadvertently mix up chocolate and marmite for icing things...)

When i was at uni my mum used to make me up a food hamper, but it had v.useful things in as well such as toothpaste and loo roll!!!It wasnt posh it had packets of add water pasta and such like! TBH it was gratfully recieved!! i didnt get anything else!

No, go for it

I've made things for the past few years...

had ds's paintings laminated for table mats and coasters (they do work!)
bought very cheap diaries and covered them with ds's paintings
bookmarks are also good for relies who read
calendars - use photos and downloadable calendars from internet or outlook
home made chocolates and biscuits in nice boxes, can also cellowrap them with a nice ribbon

etc etc........

Most family love them as the ds's are involved.

Have fun. I personally would rather have something home made.

We also make hampers for dh's family as they are so hard to buy for. I make chutneys and put in. Like blackrock, it's not because we can't afford to buy pressies but sometimes I think it gets a bit obscene with the mounds of crap goodies . You should see the ds's faces too when they hand them out.

Go for it. I think that made pressies are just lovely. How about a little photo album with some nice piccies and covered with paper with your ds's handprints? Or else home made beads rolled from colourful pieces of paper from magazines and then varnished and threaded to make jewellery? Handpainted cloth shopping bags are popular or perhaps homemade toys such as decorated felt balls or Christmas tree decorations (I made a little peg soldier last year with a furry 'bearskin' hat). And of course food is always a great option - bugger buying stuff!

Thanx everyone, there are some great ideas in there.
I'm not very god at buying for other people and really hate buying bubble bath. We've got a new baby coming in feb too, so money is really needed for all of that. Know people will understand me not going crazy this year, it's just nice to do something isn't it?
Thanx for all your ideas. X

Brill idea. I'd love gifts that thought like that went into.

marmalade
coconut ice
truffles (cream,chocolate, cocoa dusted)
shortbread
gingerbread
chutney
a liqueur...locally made, can be expensive, but depends on the person. My sis loves cherry brandy.

I go to lots of small retailers ad delis and pick up what is nice. Then organise the hampers later and supplement with other bought or made bits and bobs.

Mini christmas pudding cooked in a small baked bean can and decorated with ready roll icing and a plastic holly berry.

We make a calendar for my Mum on www.Photobox.co.uk last date is 8th Dec for orders I think.

We're doing it for the second year in a row and everyone loved it last year. We spent £10 a child from Boots (so £7 each with the 3 for 2) and the adults got a calendar we made. We didn't pay anything for them as TBD did them all at work but they looked really good and professional.

I've just done one for an MNer today and in a couple of hours I had it ready enough to have something to show her. My own is taking longer because I'm being too clever (they're all personalised this year [eek]) If you want me to do you one just drop me a line on FB, I won't charge, I'm just bored and trying to keep myself occupied because of everything that's happening and you can arrange to print it yourself.

I think you are very thoughtful to want to give even when money is so tight. I would be happy to receive any of the things suggested on this thread littleboyblue, I especially love the boxes of home made sweets or biscuits idea, I would want that even if you could afford more.

I bought a cheap packet of canvas sheets (the painting sort) and some quite cheap wooden frames. Ds did his Picasso impersonation and we stuck a little picture of him painting in a beret on the back.

Total cost for each was was under $5 and they will be on the grandparents wall forever probably.

We have some friends who have tons of money - they could buy themselves practically anything they wanted. Dd made him a box of 6 cupcakes for his birthday - really prettily decorated - and he was so pleased he cried!

People love home made. I would go to a Pound shop or something like that and buy some nice but cheap tins or jars and make biscuits. If you've got a baking shop maybe you could buy one or two new cutters appropriate to the person you're making for - flowers for a gardener, musical notes for a musician - that sort of thing.

Lots more good ideas. TBM, will get on FB later. I love the idea of making personalised calenders, will have to get loads of good pictures of ds over next few days!
I'm panicing now tbh as leaving it a bit late! Dp gets paid on 12th and we've got mortgage, council tax, store cards to pay, plus a few bits for new baby and it's all getting a bit on top of me! Never mind.
There are lots of really good suggestions on here, so sure it'll be ok.

The thing that got me the most, was I spoke to dp's niece last night, she told me they were sending ds's gifts this week (they live 160miles away) but that there wasn't much because money was tight, I told her it was the same here and we hadn't bought anything yet and she told me not to worry, her other aunt had already told her she wouldn't be getting anything this year from her either. I told her she'd get something and that I'd take her shopping just the 2 of us when we next visit, and she told me to just make sure I had everything we needed for new baby and that could be my present to her. She's 12, how sweet is that?

I love home made presents.

As long as I can eat them .

Aww bless, it's great that she's so understanding at her age. I think a lot of people are going to be in a similar position this year with everything that's been happening.

What's been nice about the calendar I did yesterday was the baby was born in January and she's given me a picture from each month so you see him growing up through the year. I'm trying to do it with Tink but her father lost my camera half way through the year so early '08 pictures are rather rare Next year is going to be fab with having a baby early in the year.

I took loads of pics of ds in the early months, but because dp was working all the time, it was only ever me and ds through the day so all baby pics, he's on his own. I've been a bit slack with taking pics lately because I forget to charge/buy new batteries for camera so all pics are a bit old and as ds is pfb, whenever I print photos, I print loads and give them to everyone , think I might do the calender next year and keep all pics to myself. And maybe make some cookies or shortbread (and by make, I mean buy 2 for 1 tins at tescos, wrap them in cellophane and pretend we made them )
Not really, do like the idea of making stuff though and all my family have said there isn't anyting they want, so a nice tray of biscuits would be ideal I think.