Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

All the homemade Christmas people over here please, lets share our ideas :)

944 replies

BabyDubsEverywhere · 29/08/2011 20:04

Do we have a 'Homemade Christmas Thread' going yet? Ive linked to last years below, I am determined to MAKE MAKE MAKE this year and bugger the responses Grin

I need a fail safe mulled wine kit to give people please if anyone can help, Thankyou :)

Last years thread!

OP posts:
ilovemyteddy · 12/09/2011 18:24

Thanks mogs0. I'll check out those websites.

CheerfulYank · 12/09/2011 18:54

I usually stock up on small items throughout the year (candles, teeny bottles of hand sanitizer, gourmet cocoa packets, etc), especially things in holiday colors like red, green, or gold. Then I put them in a mug and wrap with cellophane and pretty ribbon. People always seem to like them. I know it's not really homemade as such, but it can be cheap :) and really nice looking too.

LRDTheFeministDragon · 12/09/2011 19:25

Ooh, I'm excited - just bought a load of bulbs in Homebase because I left it too late last year and was jealous of everyone who'd done forced bulbs. Any tips about them? I don't want to splash out too much on containers for them and I'm not mad keen on teacups.

debka · 12/09/2011 19:50

Just bought 4 packs of raspberries and a bottle of vodka... just need to find another bottle to bottle it all in!

CouldIBEAnyMoreChaotic · 12/09/2011 20:09

LRD have you thought about something like this little buckets?

That website seem to have a few colurs, and there's some with heart cut outs that I guess would look cute lined with moss and then a bulb pooped in.

[smilke]

WholeLottaRosie · 12/09/2011 20:39

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

LRDTheFeministDragon · 12/09/2011 20:45

CouldI - oh, they're cute! I've seen them before as wedding favours but hadn't thought. Thanks! Smile

CouldIBEAnyMoreChaotic · 12/09/2011 21:05

Thanks.

I'm CTR in HomageToFriendsOnE4Demise disguise btw.

Wink
Onlyaphase · 12/09/2011 21:19

LRD I was going to suggest little tin buckets as well, maybe with a red or green ribbon tied around them too. I'm going to look in Poundland or Wilkinsons for the buckets or to see what else they have that might be useful for hampers WholeLottaRosie

LRDTheFeministDragon · 12/09/2011 21:29

Oh, hi Chaos! Smile I did wonder.

Only - yes, that'd look great! I'm tempted now, hope I can find them for not too much.

mummymccar · 12/09/2011 21:42

Loving this thread and Pinterest! Really looking forward to making the peppermint vodka for DSis.
Does anyone have any recommendations for cheap places to buy some nice little glass bottles for holding the vodka and bath salts?

debka · 13/09/2011 07:12

(I guessed it might have been Chaos from the [smilke] typo!)

mummymccar the website Chaos linked to has small bottles on too, although they're a bit too small perhaps, and the delivery is outrageous

Kveta · 13/09/2011 09:27

mummymcar - I got some 200ml bottles from Philip Morris, they are attractive, with stoppers. Think they were £36 for 12, so £3 each, which is the absolute cheapest I can find. That JBConline place I linked earlier has a lot of nice bottles and jars, which you can buy in bulk if you plan to do this again next year. Otherwise, IKEA has great cheap jars, as do Wilkinsons, Tesco, Sainsburys. For cheap bottles, I am not sure where's best - I found my local corner shop does 200 ml bottles of vodka for about £4.50 each, so if you are getting the fruit for free, or cheap, it makes an affordable gift just to use that vodka and soak the label off the bottle.

buzzgirly · 13/09/2011 09:30

Wow - I have just read through this whole thread, all your ideas are wonderful. I am a long time lurker and have registered to get some more ideas! The snowman sounds fab! I have never so much as made an xmas card before but am going to try to my hardest this year. Planning to do some hampers, saw some really cheap jars on jcbonline.co.uk - think that might be on here already!

As a complete novice would you be able to give me some tips? Am I too late to try to do the raspberry/strawberry vodka? Was going to do some skittles vodka for sisters as it doesn't seem to take long, has anyone every tried to other sweets like toffee etc? Also with chutneys and stuff, should i sterilise all equipment first, i have some milton tablets kicking around i could use? I'm probably overthinking it all! Also for shortbread when should i make it for hampers, worried about it going soft/off?

Thanks for the links to pinterest, although can't seem to stay off it now!!

hormonalmum · 13/09/2011 13:06

Had a browse of the thread - looks fab, will be back later on for more ideas.

Last year we did some bulb planting and they went down a treat, so may give those a miss this year in favour of homemade hampers.

I have made chutneys, jams and marmalades this year so far. Lots more to make though. I will be making a small xmas cake for selected hampers.

Hoping to add chocolates of somekind for some hampers too. Maybe the spiced nuts?

My colleague and I have just made some boxes from large sheets of cardboard that work was throwing away. Will let the children decorate them or wrap in xmas paper.
Am rather excited!

ZimboMum · 13/09/2011 16:15

Love love loving this thread. Have been buying supplies madly in all directions. Am going to do goody bags this year - cotton shopping bag decorated with fabric paint stuffed full of hugh f-w spicy nuts, marinated olives, White choc and cranberry fudge, some sort of Christmas biscuits, Christmas butter and jar of sugar hand scrub.

Just wondered if anyone knows how long the lemon hand scrub would keep for? Ditto fudge, nuts and butter? The more I can do now the better! and spreads the cost!

Oh and I've started making those button Christmas trees everyone has pinned on pinterest - feel so crafty! And they look great if I do say so myself

Better go, 10mo ds is currently trying to chew on a cinnamon scented candle! I do feed him, honest guv!

DoodleAlley · 13/09/2011 17:05

buzzgirly when I make jam I wash the jars in warm soapy water, dry them then place in oven at 100 degrees for about ten to fifteen mins. This is what my mil does too and neither of us has had a problem.

With jam I put the lid on as soon as possible to make a vacuum but you'll probably find people do things differently. I've never made chutney so others may be able to advise specifically for that. Hope this helps.

angelpantser · 13/09/2011 17:30

ZimboMum I bought cotton shopping bags like these from the Clever Baggers website and decorated them with fabric pens for Mother's Day. They are really nice bags. I'm sure they would look lovely decorated for Christmas.

The same site has drawstring bags in lots of lovely colours. The small ones are great used as plimsoll or dancing bags with a name embroidered on (in chain stitch - I don't do fancy!) The bigger ones can hold lots of small toys - cars of farm/zoo animals, again with a simple car or animal shape embroidered on in chain stitch.

ZimboMum · 13/09/2011 19:30

Thanks angel, I bought some off eBay, but will het some from your website if I need more as lots more variety!

ENormaSnob · 13/09/2011 21:13

Could anyone tell me how to make those flavoured vodkas?

Kveta · 13/09/2011 21:36

Christmas Pudding Vodka:

1 litre vodka
4 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
peel of 1 orange and 1 lemon
25g each currants, raisins, dried figs(halved if large)

Combine all ingredients in large bowl or jug, then decant into large (they recommend 1.3 litre) sterilised (dishwasher okay) bottle. Seal with cork or screw cap.

Leave for at least 2 weeks in a dark place, shaking occasionally to agitate the ingredients, then use a funnel lined with a coffee filter paper to decant into "pretty sterilised bottles of your choice" (but no info on where to get them!) - add a fresh piece of lemon and orange peel and a fresh cinnamon stick if you like.

Citrus whiskey:
1 large orange
1 lemon
1 lime
225 g granulated sugar
600 ml whisky (I use co op middle of the range own brand, not the mega cheapy stuff)

Scrub the fruit
Pare the rind from each fruit, but make sure that there is no white pith. Squeeze each fruit. Add juice and peels to whisky and sugar in a kilner-type jar, and stick somewhere cool and dark - shed/garage/back of cupboard. Shake daily for a fortnight, then weekly til you forget . If you make this week it should be ready by Xmas, 3 months is recommended. Strain and bottle.

blackberry vodka:

500 g blackberries
200g sugar
700 ml vodka

mix in a jar

put at back of cupboard and shake when you remember to.

strain after 3 months.

also, raspberry vod with frozen rasps, same principle as blackberry :)

i found the blackberry one needed more sugar, but the rasp one is delicious after a week (just tried it :o). xmas pud one is AWESOME. haven't tried citrus whisky yet.

just google flavoured vodka recipes too, for millions more ideas!!

TheLadyEvenstar · 13/09/2011 21:37

I need an idiots guide to making a cake Blush

give me a screw driver i am great give me a cake to make and i am lost!!!

cherryboomboom · 13/09/2011 21:51

Can someone tell me how pinterest works please?

Is it just idea that you find from other websites and 'pin' on your board or is it stuff you make/do yourself and 'pin'. Also do you have to have a board to be able to access the recipes/how to make?

chirpchirp · 13/09/2011 22:19

In principle, yes, it's just as you describe however I have pinned a few things that I've baked (like my stormtrooper cupcakes) and if you have your own blog there is nothing stopping you from sharing. You don't have to have a board to access the recipes and tutorials, just by double clicking on the pin it should take you through to the original site that the pin came from.

HippyHippopotamus · 13/09/2011 22:29

LadyEvenstar are you talking about a christmas cake or a normal sponge cake?