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

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

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

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

Last years thread!

Yay, the jars I ordered on Ebay arrived today, I can now start making things

Have just made a jar of Lemon Sugar Scrub for a friend's birthday tomorrow! My hands are very nice and soft now!
Will probably do some different scrubs soon!

Thanks Bettymum. He is a bit of a poser!

chirpchirp I did grow up in the 80s but somehow wham bars passed me right by. Must have led a sheltered childhood I guess! Your photo is very artistic, it will make lovely cards.

I think I've narrowed the vodka flavours down to Christmas pudding, candy cane and marshmallow. I'm also going to do jars of candy cane cocoa and cake mixes. For my sil I'm planning to make a sundae kit with sundae glasses, lots of sprinkles and homemade chocolate sauce.

I suppose I'd better start making a list and order some jars.

Marks place to steal respectfully look at ideas.

WillNotHaveMuchTimeThisYearTiggaxx

I have just informed everyone that this year they will be having either handmade or homemade for Christmas, and anyone who complains will be struck off next years Christmas List!!

I'm planning on making Snowman Soup for teachers etc, and jams, marmalades, chutneys, fudges, shortbreads and cakes for others.

Unwilling that sundae kit sounds lovely.
Just remembered what I did for all the men of the family a couple of years ago - using the Douwe Egberts coffee jars that I save all year, I bought bags of old fashioned sweets and put those in the jars in layers, and then just tied a gingham ribbon round the top. It worked out really cheap but they looked fab. I was really surprised by how much they all liked them - my brother and all the BILs. Funny also how popular the boys all suddenly got with all the little ones!

:( Ive been trying to make shortbread.......

HELP!

IDIOT proof recipe please :)

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/shortbread_1290

This is the recipe I use babydubs. Don't get much easier than that!

this is my tried and trusted recipe - www.mumsnet.com/Recipes/i/5350-Easy-shortbread remember to keep the oven cool, if it's too hot, you end up with shrapnel!!

Marking my place. Never tried to make the things I would like to but this year (encouraged by current nesting needs) am going to attempt it! Do I need an invite to pinterest?

Am quite excited about all this!

Aha, Shrapnel is exactly what i got

It says paste....as in not dough? so it shouldnt look like pastry?

Yes, i really am this clueless that i cant make effing shortbread.....[numpty emotiocon]

I'm so glad I stumbled across this thread. I start my maternity leave in 6 weeks but baby isn't due until January. Everyone is getting home made hampers for Xmas this year!! Will keep me and 3 year dd very busy. I have 4 female and 4 male hampers to do. Thinking chocolates, flavoured vodka, candles, hot chocolate and hand scrub for the ladies. Has anyone good ideas for male hamper contents?

BabyDubs - I learnt the hard way how to make it! it should be quite dry, like breadcrumbs - or like very dry pastry crumbs!! you then press it down hard into your tin, and chill it for at least a couple of hours before cooking it in a relatively cool oven.

my first attempts were all like shrapnel, and once i turned the oven down, it suddenly became edible :o

it's very very yum with pecans in it too :o

LilBB how about Chilli Jam, alcohol things? Am just learning so am sure someone will know way more than me! Am such a novice!

LilBB, if your men are coffee/tea drinkers, biscotti are good (although don't overcook - see above :)). They keep for a while too so you can make them a little bit in advance, you can even freeze at the half-way stage and just finish the cooking before christmas.

here's my shortbread recipe. it works really well every time (even when trying to produce it under pressure!)
be warned, it is gorgeous when fresh out of the oven!

8oz butter
3oz caster sugar
4 oz cornflour
8oz plain flour
Soften butter, mix in sugar, cornflour and plain flour until you have a dough-like mixture. Spread out in a well greased baking tray and cut to size. Prick with fork and then leave in fridge for about 15 mins while oven warms up to 160C. Cook for 40-50 mins. Turn off oven but leave in for 10 mins. Remove from oven but leave to cool but cut into pieces before goes cold.

Mmmm... biscotti sound lovely and I like the fact the lads will like them with coffee. I love home making gifts, and am reasonably able to turn out a decent 'girlie gift'. So it's plain bad luck that my rellies run MUCH higher to males than females :-( Women seem to appreciate the thought and the time you put in making it. Men less so.

I'm going to visit friends this weekend so have used it as an excuse to practice some ideas for Christmas - I LOVE making/eating cheesecakes so have made a couple of individual cheesecakes and packaged them up to look as cute as possible. Like the idea of doing a hamper filled with different flavours but would need to keep them refridgerated so couldn't wrap them and put them under the tree. Hmmmm. I've put up a pic on my profile.

I couldnt work out what to do for the guys either, so I'm cheating! Im doing a hamper for a couple.
So it will be 5 different homemade food goodies, (Im doing coconut ice, shortbread and gingerbread stars piled up like christmas trees, tia maria truffles, spiced nuts, and honeycomb.)
Then a bottle of either toffe vodka, or a mulled wine kit, (or snowman soups and mugs for the non drinkers.
Then chucking in a pair of bed socks, a couple of bath products and a cheap dvd.

Guys seem less bothered anyway so hopefully this will do. Although i do really like the DIY sundae kit....so it may change

Hello dee.

What the actual scarf is Snowman Soup?

Water?

Arf at water!

(btw I have no idea either!)

I would love to do more home made gifts this year. I think I will start off with some flavoured vodkas and tree decorations. I may make some soft toys or Rag dolls for my nieces and nephews.

Is it ok if I continue to lurk?

Can I throw my shortbread recipe into the mix?

It has inspired offers of marriage.

I kid you not.

Do you have a food processor?

Ok

250g Buttuer.
250g Plaif Flour.
125g Caster Sugar.
125g Fine Semolina.

Make sure the butter is super cold.

Blitz all ingredients in FP until resemble bread crumbs.

Tip into tin. (I recommend EyeCatchers line with cuttosize reusable silicon sheets)

Press down gently - I use the bottom of a pint glass.

Pop in 170c oven for approx 30mins.

Let cool in pan.

Smother with more caster sugar.

Cut while still warm.

You will make friends and influence people.

Oh my very gosh.

Bittttttteeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Lurk away, pudding.