Come on then, you clever people, share your christmas gift ideas with me.

[DreamsOfSteam]

I'm fed up of buying rubbish presents. You know the ones, 3 for 2 bath gift sets and the like.

So inspire me with you cheap but lovley gift ideas that will leave my family feeling really special this year.

:)

I've done pots of gold for my awkward to buy for people.

Pots of gold?

Like, actual ingots??

Books are good, but you have to match carefully to the person. A good bookseller will be able to help you. I've bought Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel because I work with books and EVERYONE seems to be obsessed with this series. Also the graphic novel Feyman, based on Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman, a comic biography about a physicist which I loved despite knowing nothing about physics, Three Men in a Boat for someone who's never read it - everyone should have this book as it's so funny - I got the special edition illustrated by Vic Reeves in a paperback. I might get someone Feed by Mira Grant but I'm not sure yet who it would be right for - great book though.

Happy to give advice on books where I can. Might be worth posting a separate thread, or even one in books section. I think giving books as gifts is a special art, easy to get wrong.

Meripac bird feeder that sticks to window for bird watching family, and some teapigs special xmas tea blend stuff. And some spy glasses things which I've not decided who they are for. So far.

I bought a quirky Cadburys chocolate teapot reduced from $35 to $10 (pound) from urban outfitters, sorry I can't link on phone, but they have some genuine bargains.

More book related ideas -

Copy of Pride And Prejudice plus a copy of the Kiera Knightley DVD plus a huge bar of choc = instant bliss

The Times History Of The World is on mega-special offer at WH Smiths. They do a superb atlas too.

Origami book plus origami paper from Muji for 'crafty' children.

Book of card making ideas plus pack of blank cards and some trimmings.

Cupcake book plus fancy cases plus silver balls etc.

For angsty teenage girls - copy of Jane Eyre plus the DVD plus chocolate OR copy of The Bell Jar plus snuggly fleece blanket plus chocolate

For angsty teenage boys (will prob need to be 15 or over) copy of A Clockwork Orange plus a chocolate orange :)

I bought DH a crowbar for his birthday, which was a big hit. They're only about a tenner and I think most men love stuff like this to put in their shed even if they'll never use it.

just gave my husband a firestick from the ray mears website and he loves it!!

Pots of gold pics on my profile, also lots of ideas for these on the moneysavingexpert website.

I'm loving the image of Prima's DH excitedly opening his crowbar!

I've bought DS a HUGE world map from WH Smith, I know he will love it and it was reduced to about £4.

I've bought one of these that I'm going to fill with a bag of popcorn and cinema vouchers for SIL and BIL.

WhoWhoWhoWho your pots of gold look amazing.

Was hoping you were part leprechaun though and were giving out gold bars or something.

I once brought my dad a new Yale lock thing for his 'man room' he was so happy he bounced up the stairs to put it on immediately.

whowho, those are genius! I have nabbed the idea, I hope you don't mind!

I made lots of flavoured alcohols and got some nice bottles to decant them into, so lots of friends getting various vodkas for christmas. I had great plans for baked goods, but will see what morning sickness does before committing to anythign!

Hmm well, I maybe mind a little - but I could pretend not to mind in exchange for a flavoured vodka.

Just kidding! I can't take credit for the idea, I saw them on MSE forums and thought it was a good solution to those awkward to buy for.

Thanks for the compliments they are pretty much done apart from I need to put a gold tag on them with a little rhyme on (which I will be stealing from the wise people on the MSE forums).

Anyone wanting to make them I got a pack of four glasses from wilkos for 79p, and used a nutella jar/glass for the 5th of mine.

iloveblue - there are loads of lovely gifts on that website you linked to! DS would love the popcorn holder. I did movie hampers a couple of xmases ago and they went down really well, wish I had seen those popcorn holders then!

I love that website iloveblue. Thankyou.

Just wanted to say that my satchel made from recycled tyres arrived today and its bloody lush. It cost about £40, but looks like it cost so much more.

Hi
I'm new and a bit of a craft obsessive. If you want it to be a little more personal you could make up gift baskets with smaller versions of their favourite treats; homemade jam, I've made this the last couple of years and it's lovely. I've got a recipe here littledoers.com/divine-strawberry-jam ; or you could make onion chutney, I've got a lovely recipe for that 2 somewhere. You could get a large family photo framed as a special gift; make some soap, candles, bath bombs, flannel cupcakes etc...... I'm going to be adding tuts for all those kinds of things to my blog in the next few weeks. If you wanted your kids to join in, depending on their age you could make stuff like jam jar tea lights; jam jar snow globes; get one of their pieces of art work scanned into your computer, blow it up and put it in a nice frame.....

There are loads of possibilities. I hope some of these ideas prove useful to you.
HTH
B

I bought this clockwork tin car from Jesters for my DH's stocking two years ago. When it was delivered I realised I had made a ridiculous mistake - he's a 45 year old man with his own car, what on earth would he want with a cheap toy that doesn't even have remote controls? I laid it out on my bed to remind me to take it to the post office later that morning and went for a shower, coming back ten mins later to find my DH kneeling on the bed, eye's shining, face suffused with joy. I have been trying in vain for ten years to get that reaction to a present. It duly went into his stocking and is still his favourite stocking filler EVER. Good website with lots of quirky old school man toys.

two years ago i scanned lots of my parents old photos. burnt to disc, in lovely paperchase manilla boxes along with a few of them printed and a photo frame and gave box each to DB DSis and mum and dad.

I like that website theancientmarinator :)

I have just found this camara lens mug for the photography/coffee lovers out there. I think thats my dad sorted then! :)

my friend bought that mug - it is really good.

Those pots of gold are a lovely idea, some great ideas on this thread.

I make home made jam (nigellas real easy no stir no fuss jam basically raspberries and sugar lol)
homemade chutney's
vanilla sugar (nice jar sugar and vanilla pods)
Lavender sugar (lush in hot milk)
bath salts (sea salt like maldon with rose petals in it)
nice jar of dried bay leaves from a tree (for free) good for stews
calenders (make your own with uploaded piccies in sainsburys usually 5er a pop)
dipped spoons in chocolate and wrapped up all fancy for stirring into hot choccies
cake pops
books
monthly magazine subscription (country living)

A bootle of good fizz Newyears eve, when all the visitors have gone.
Doesn't have to be champagne, good Australian or USA will do.