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

[theancientmarinator]

Phew! For a minute I thought the thread wouldn't accept my message because I just wasn't making enough stuff for Christmas this week. And then I realised it was because we had reached 1000 posts. Thought I'd lost you all!

We were all listing what we need to finish still. I'll be back tomorrow with mine - if I do it now I will dissolve in tears but tomorrow I will have had a night's sleep and a stiff drink. Not necessarily in that order, although....

Hi everyone. Just marking this thread. Busy! Everyone is, eh?

I have been really enjoying this thread (and the first two editions!) and have been storing away everyone's fab ideas for future reference!
I have just started my last homemade present (a hat for DS1) and I thought I'd share with you some of the things I've made this year.....
brushed cotton pj bottoms & applique t-shirts - for the boys
Jet pack back back - for DS2
Regdolls - for DD1 and two of my nieces
Soft mice toys - for neice & friends son
Christmas pudding hat - for DD1
Thanks to this thread I've discovered pinterest and I've uploaded a few pics...so, if you are interested, please have a look at my 'made' board!
pinterest.com/katedaniel/

Wow katy your things are amazing!!!

Just a quick one, but may be a dumb question...where have people bought their lolly sticks for cake pops etc? They are looking great on pics on here so going to give them a go

crumbletastic I got mine from hobbycraft. Lakeland also sell them. I also advise getting the little cellophane bags to wrap them as otherwise they tend to sweat if put in the fridge or left out unwrapped.

crumble you can buy the sticks for cake pops at Hobbycraft. I don't tink the wooden flattened lolly sticks would work.

I made some olive penguins for a christmas party t the weekend, along with mini burgers and stained glass butterflies.

I can't believe I have missed out on you all for so long - my last message was the 1000 and I only realised this morning ! I have been clicking the thread wondering on earth what had happened .
So.. I asked about peppermint bark .. What choc shall I use ?
How are you all ? I am decorating my fudge this evening and making mincemeat biscuits . Has anyone ever made those ?
I am very caked out after making 8 Christmas cakes. Am so pleased I have found you all again.

Welcome back sillyoldelf ~ despite your name, you weren't the only one to think we'd all disappeared into a mass of fudge and ribbons! :)
SIX SLEEPS!!

Made a HappyLand roll last night - a friend's asked for one for her DD - will add pics when I get round to writing it up on my blog.

Hey Flubba ! I started to think everyone had keeled over in a nervous breakdown . Am starting to feel ratty with DH for not contributing much to Christmas - part of me wonders if that is my fault though . I guess getting creative with pretzel stars isn't a necessity is it ?

Yes I felt like that with poor DH silly - he's done sweet FA towards this Christmas, but then I wouldn't let him even if he did try to get involved! :o :o

I wrapped most of the presents this morning. MUST remember to add the fudge, chutney and spicy mustard to the baskets when I get ready to give them. They may have to be stored outside to make room in the fridge for when Mr Turkey comes a-knocking on Weds.

3 hampers gone, 4 to go. Visited the inlaws yesterday to exchange presents as don't see them over Christmas. SIL opened her hamper while we were there & loved it! It made all the hard work worth it to know it is appreciated

Flubba I'm keeping the assembled hampers in the garage now - it's almost as cold as the fridge in there!

Meant to say that DH has done bugger all towards Christmas this year, even less than usual, as he is working away mon-fri. He didn't even help with the decs other than to help get them down from the loft!

Thankyou Zeeky and Flubba I am not the only one whose DH is oblivious to Christmas . All he does is turn up on Christmas day and eat and drink . Grrr. Anyway . I am making homemade chocolate spread tomorrow. I have just been asked to make a 9th Christmas cake . Am in CC overload .

Right - two pairs of googly-eyed monster gloves to finish, a secret book box to cover, a vast quantity of truffles to whip out the freezer and coat in chocolate, a pile of biscotti to bake and some wee packets of sweets to make up. At the risk of jinxing myself, I think I might actually get it all done on time. Too much to hope for?

I have given up caring that DH does sod all at Christmas. I love all the preparation, he loves admiring it all from a safe distance: we are both happy with our lots!

I finished the chocolate pizzas I posted about way back (when we were all young and carefree and thought knitting Christmas from good intentions and recycled denim would be a fine lark) and am pleased with the result - not least because it was both cheap and simple to do! I will try to upload a picture just to prove I wasn't completely barking when I suggested the idea.

Welcome back Silly - thought we'd lost you!

Have you got the days to yourself between now and Christmas ancientmarinator? That seems like loads!!

And I'd love to see the pics of your chocolate pizzas... (so I don't think you're completely barking )

Thanks for those that suggested hobbycraft- of course they sold lolly sticks, I have no idea why I didn't realise before!

Go go go marinator you can do it

marinator thankyou! I have realised that the key to not feeling irritable about DH is for me to start earlier next year . Way earlier , does July sound crazy ? Then at least I won't be stressing and getting tired . I have loved all my homemade activity this Christmas ! It makes it all so much more meaningful and less materialistic . And what lovely values and skills we are role modelling for our DC.

Yes crazyoldelf July is just silly! (Have I got my words the wrong way round there?

I totally agree with the more meaningful and less materialistic aspects of it - my main reason for doing it all like this this year.

Marinator are you buried under a pile of chocolatey truffles and biscotti crumbs?

Oh, you're all so organised!

I'm getting a bit nervous now. I went and spent loads in hobbycraft and paperchase on nice packaging but I still haven't made everything I meant to. katy I am in awe of your list!

zeeky may I ask what was in your SIL's hamper? I'm just putting one together for my mum and trying to work out what will get the best reaction.

I've just dug into some of the quince sweets I made a few days ago and they are damn fine if I say so myself!

Now: if I plan to make walnut marzipan and dip chunks in dark chocolate, make cranberry and juniper jelly, and passionfruit curd ... I'll have time to do all that before the 26th, right?!

... oh, and gingerbread ... and almond biscuits ...

Hi - having lurked throughout all 3 threads and bookmarked loads of ideas I now need some help!

I was thinking of making some Xmas tree shaped crayons out of old broken pieces we have lying around, but what do I need to do - I'm sure someone explained it but I'm up against the clock today so I thought I'd just ask!

I'm amazed by all the creativity here - puts my efforts to shame... I've knitted some wristwarmers for all the women and my two older kids and a teddy bear for the baby and I need to do fudge and spiced nuts for the men of the family, but I'm also making an activity book for the baby which is taking up most of my time (I procrastinated a bit and am now running out of time!) so the fancy dress costumes I was thinking of making have gone by the wayside and I'm just going to do crayons for dc1 & 2 stocking fillers instead. I have marked these threads tho and in the new year I'm going to start planning out next Xmas - hopefully I'll be more organised next year...

Good luck with finishing off all your gifts and thanks for the inspiration!!!

Hi ekka your wrist warmers sound lovely. I want to be more organised next year too, but if July sounds crazy does August sound any better ?

Thankyou Thunderboltkid I will get cracking on it now !

mmfmfmmmfmffffmf [voice muffled by pile of chocolatey truffles and biscotti crumbs]

Actually, today I failed to make a single biscottum (?) or truffle but I did cover DS1's secret book box which looks not bad and make him Mrs Claus's Homemade Nutella Kit and attended his school nativity with DS2 (20 mo's) who did a phantom poo* just to spite me right at the start, emptied my purse on the floor and announced that he had his toy "BOB!!!!!" the Builder very loudly indeed to each member of the audience in turn. AND I threw a strop at my lovely DH for not appreciating all my hard work/ overloading me with extra work/ etc - insert all the usual Christmas bugbears here - which just goes to show... (He had taken a day's toil today to give me time to get stuff done: how ungrateful am I?)

Anyway, during the nativity play I had a flashback to the previous year when I had a little epiphany as I sat there listening to Away In The Manger: overwrought mums, exhausted by weeks of superhuman effort to magic the perfect Christmas into existence for their families are not a failure, they are the essence of Christmas, as much a part of it as nativity plays and Santa. Go us!

Elf I started my Christmas making back in the 2nd week of September and I STILL have not finished it all! Next year I start in January. Honest.

*ie one that stinks so badly the head teacher has to evacuate the building but, irritatingly, does not actually exist!