Really REALLY easy homemade presents

[MegBusset]

I am on a tight budget this year and have lots of GPs to get something for, i was thinking maybe something homemade (food or crafty) that maybe the DC could help with. My poncey skills are absolute zero so it needs to be something with maximum impact for minimum talent!

Any ideas?!

Chutney? The ingredients are not too expensive, do you save empty jars?

Spiced cranberries. I'll dig out the recipe later, but basically, cranberry chutney/sauce that keeps like jam for a year or more and is absolutely yummy both at Christmas and the rest of year too.

A few years ago I was stony broke and made pretty much everything: Cakes, biscuits, bracelets, bath bombs, bath scrub etc.

All were from simple recipes/used simple ingredients, and were quite straightforward.

Probably a good starting point for ideas would be pinterest. :)

Home made mince meat is very easy too and can be made with veggie suet, which is much appreciated by a couple of people I do gifts for.

Both mince meat and cranberries do require a bit of shop scouring for good prices on ingredients.

Can you sew? Very easy to make lavender bags, wheat bags,any bag really!

If you were thinking of baking, then gingerbread would be good, with its Christmasy spices, also easy for children to join in with, or Christmas puddings especially if you spread out the buying of fruit over a few weeks.

Felt christmas decorations made from the DC's handprints? There is a lovely santa one on pintrest if you search. Great ideas on there.

What about a mug that DCs can decorate with ceramic paint? You could then put a hot chocolate sachet, marshmallows and a spoon in and put it in a cellophane bag with a ribbon. Sainsbos do plain white mugs. we did this for playgroup.

DD and I made bird food fat balls a couple of years ago when she was 3. We bought a big bag of bird food and other dried ingredient and mixed up with melted suet.

We set them into cupcake cases and stuck in loops of string to hang them for some people, and also bought some stick on bird feeders that attached to windows for other people.

Felt like a good gift for less mobile older relatives as they could get the birds to come to the window and watch them.

We packaged them up in nice paper and ribbon and also gave them as gifts to DDs nursery teachers etc.

Some tips here RSPB and loads of recipes online if you google. I just made it up from a combination of suggestions and I think they were well received by the birds and squirrels as well as the people we gave them too

A few gifts that I'm making is maps of special places to the recipient and putting it in a nice frame. You can't get much easier than that! I've already made some for myself but I wasn't keen on the foil background, so I changed it to black card and I'm not sure about that either!

I think I'd make the hearts either fill the frame or just leave a small border around it next time.

They're so simple to make but I think that they're thoughtful and special :)

Ah thank you, I will have a good look at all these ideas.

I think I need to get onto Pinterest, I have looked at it previously but it makes me feel rather inadequate!

Stick cloves into an orange, dry out in airing cupboard then tie a velvet/tartan ribbon round it for a festive decorations/pomander

pickled eggs - as easy as boiling an egg, although they are not everyone's cup of tea. yes to Pinterest but be careful it is highly addictive.........

Fudge.

Christmas stockings out of felt-you don't need to be able to sew properly, big fat stitches just add to the charm.

Dried citrus fruit slices for the Christmas tree. I think you just leave them in a low oven overnight to dry out.

Salt dough Christmas tree decorations, brooches etc.

Sets of napkins-just find cheap e.g.g gingham fabric, cut into squares, hem them and add a simple decoration like buttons, bows or ribbon.

If you have any alcohol in the house (vodka, rum, brandy or gin work best), decant into smaller bottles and flavour with fruit. Orange, lime or lemon peel is good, quinces are fabulous (but expensive). Bit of ribbon and a nice label, Bob's your uncle.

But mostly, just fudge.