Handmade hampers? Good present and economical?

[BOOareHaunting]

So, like many, money is tight at the moment.

So I was thinking of doing individual hampers (ie cardboard box decorated) for family members and making them general and personal at the same time.

So a bath puff and toiletries, fav drink, homemade christmas biscuits/ mini xmas cake etc.

I usually spend about £20 per person but really want to get down to £10 (6 to make).

Or would I be better off buying something for a tenner and choosing carefully what it is?

Has just dawned on me I have 9 weeks and need to start NOW!

Sounds fab!!

I personally love it when I receive a gift that someone has put some real thought into instead of just being one of 3 hat/scarf/glove sets picked up in BHS out of habit/duty/whatever....

My sis usually makes me something - some ginger fudge or gingerbread Xmas trees - that sort of thing, I love ginger - you could include handmade stuff in your hampers - makes it really cheap, but very thoughtful.

Google Martha Stewart bath fizzies, and make your own. Pinterest is vv good for homemade xmas bits.

Do you have a nice wine place near you, you could smile nicely and ask if they have any wine crates? Ours lets me have the wooden crates the magnums of champagne come in, so they're all stamped up with bollinger or whatever, look quite good!

I think that homemade is better. Something about shop hampers makes me feel like I'm paying for surplus like packaging and Christmas pricing (3 for 2 basically means that all things are priced a third more so retailers don't lose out) and they usually have one or two pointless/unloved items anyway.

Best thing to do is shop around. My local charity shop often does great brand new mugs/paper/gift wrap. Pound shops can be surprisingly good. I've seen children's books (including Christmas themed), little notebooks printed with shabby chic designs like cupcakes, candy canes, big boxes of Maltesers... that would be appreciated in a hamper.

One of the best gifts I received was a magazine and packet of biscuits. I don't usually buy magazines so it was a nice treat.

Another thing my daughter does for presents for friends and family is choose a fun spotty mug and fill it with either a load of single sachets of hot chocolate/horlicks etc + some mini marshmallows, or for younger members, with their favourite sweets - e.g. Her last one contained a curly wurly, bag of chocolate buttons, a couple of lollipops and some little Thorntons fudge packs that she knew were liked.

She did a dark chocolate one for me last Christmas - it included some marshmallows on sticks she had dipped in chocolate then sprinkled edible shimmer on - it was most appreciated.:o

Make mini christmas puddings -

Chocolate rice crispie cake into a pudding shape. Drizzle White chocolate on the top and cut out leaves in green marzipan. Wrap in cellophane (can buy lots from Hobbycraft).

I think it is a great idea BOOareHaunting. I am doing a goodie bag for everyone who is round our table on Christmas Day. Bought some very pretty silver snowflake bags online (really cheap) and am putting in things like fudge (made at home), hot chocolate and marshmallows, a mug (bought very cheaply in a local shop), coffee, shower gel and a homemade muffin (popped in at the last moment on Christmas Eve!). I have really enjoyed planning it and has not cost a fortune. I hope they will be appreciated.

Could look out for buy one get one free items, things like bubble baths and such, have often thought of being really organised and starting early and making hampers in this way :)

Oh fab ideas, thanks very much everyone.

I definately like the idea of xmas puds and fudge.

A mug and chocolates sound great - I am going to search poundland for cheap mugs (may even get DS to decorate) and chocolate moulds and make our own chocolate.

What's lovely is all these things will take up the weekends during this horrible winter weather - therefore saving money on entertaining DS and keeping him amused.

Thing is I have loads of bath bombs etc that have been given to me that I just don't use, chucking a few of these in should bulk it out! No-one will use and I'm saving the planet through recylcing.

Hi I live in Spain and saw some lovely festive soap yesterday. They were just small bars wrapped in cellophane with an organza ribbon around them with a tiny Christmas tree bauble or a little ceramic santa etc stuck on top, they were 10 euros but I really loved them and am now thinking I could probably make something very similar for a fraction of the cost.

I always make DH a hamper of things me misses from home (Scotland)