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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Would your kids be disappointed to receive a homemade christmas gift?

102 replies

Songofsixpence · 12/12/2014 12:17

DD loves her Build A Bear and asked for some clothes/accessories for Christmas. The stuff is quite expensive for what it is, so I thought I'd make her some.

I used to do a lot of product photography and I had one of those old fashioned suitcases that I used as a prop stashed in the loft, so I got it down and have been making Build A Bear clothes over the last month or so and it's now full. I have bought a couple of pairs of actual BaB shoes to put in it, but the rest of it is homemade.

I've had various phases of being into sewing and crafting over the years, so had tonnes of knitting wool, fabric scraps and bits and bobs festering away in my junk cupboard so a suitcase full of stuff really only cost a few pounds.

I had thought she'd love it

Anyway, chatting to friends about Christmas and what our DDs are into this year, etc, pretty much all of them have said their DDs would be really disappointed to get a homemade gift, and gutted that the clothes weren't actual BaB clothes

So, I'm panicking about it now

Would your kids be gutted?

She has got other gifts, but this is one of her main ones to go under the tree.

OP posts:

AlmaMartyr · 13/12/2014 11:14

Mine would love that as a present. They regularly get homemade things from grandparents and don't have a problem with it. Your DD sounds very lucky!

Patienceisapparentlyavirtue · 13/12/2014 11:32

My grandma used to give me lots of handmade clothes for my dolls and I loved them. My faves were the ones that matched the clothes she made for me too When I did prefer the store bought ones it was only because they were occasionally a lot trashier than nan would ever allow!

If your friends' kids wouldn't be grateful, that is far more a reflection of how they are bringing up their own children than how your daughter will feel. I bet a special suitcase and wardrobe will be really exciting!

bakingtins · 13/12/2014 11:34

It sounds like a brilliant present. My mum has made some fantastic things for DS - latest was a Gryffindor bed tent - he was thrilled because money can't buy such a thing and nobody else has one. I still remember the stables for my Sindy horses my Dad built for me as a child - best present ever. At the time I didn't really appreciate the time and effort that had gone into them, just that it was exactly what I wanted.

whereisvioleta · 13/12/2014 12:50

Glad she liked the jumper OP! You've inspired me to try and make some simple doll's clothes for DD's beloved baby doll!

Llareggub · 13/12/2014 12:54

I don't have DCs that are into build a bear, but they would be pleased with something unique to them that no one else had.

My father obtained a sample version of a board game that never made it to production in the 70s. We played with it endlessly and all my friends liked it because they couldn't play it at home.

erin99 · 13/12/2014 14:17

My DD would be thrilled.

if you have used any old scraps of fabric, decorations, buttons etc tell her where they all came from.

Rowboat · 13/12/2014 19:37

What a lovely present! Can I just say, growing up with a super creative mum as I did, the other kids were and some friends are still jealous of the wonderful unique things I have had. (clothes, birthday parties, wedding dress, cakes, etc.)
Your daughter is a lucky girl

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 13/12/2014 19:41

It is an absolutely AMAZING present - your friends couldn't be more wrong!

One Christmas my sister and I each got a new doll, with a wardrobe of clothes my mum had made for them - we loved them!

ouryve · 13/12/2014 19:45

Nicely made home made gifts are lovely. And so much better than overpriced sweatshop produced tat.

Your friends are clueless (and at least you're forewarned never to waste any effort on hand made presents for them. Massed produced all the way.)

DS2 got this little chap, knitted by me, a few years ago. As you can see, he hated it

Would your kids be disappointed to receive a homemade christmas gift?

whereisvioleta · 13/12/2014 19:47

OP, as a result of reading this thread, DD aged 1 now has a pair of home made mittens to go in her stocking, made from a jumper dress she's grown out of! Thanks for the inspiration

Ludways · 13/12/2014 19:53

Absolutely not, they like anything they can get, lol

nothruroad · 13/12/2014 19:56

One of the best presents I ever got was a homemade wardrobe filled with homemade Sindy clothes. They had belonged to several other people first too. I still remember how exciting it was that nobody else had the same things as me. I think your DD will love it.

springalong · 13/12/2014 20:04

I haven't read all the thread (sorry!). But had the following thoughts. I think it depends slightly on the age of the child. My DS is 9 and his girl school friends are nearly all 10 and now acting 15 so they may be odd about it. My DS is immature - he loves BaB. I cleared out some of my old teddies and other soft toys (found a bag in the loft) - he had some of them and he moves all the clothes around. So my snoopy striped top is now on one bear, one of MY old dresses (so that is rather old now) is on another bear. He loves being able to dress them differently. We have a small suitcase for the clothes.

I just think you must be amazingly talented to do what you described in your OP. I am full of awe. I expect that your DD will see how much work has gone into them and will treasure them.

piggychops · 13/12/2014 20:23

OP your friends are probably imagining how their efforts would turn out if they tried to sew, which is why you got the negative comments.
But, you CAN sew and your daughter will love the clothes plus the outfits will be totally unique. What a fantastic gift!

MyIronLung · 13/12/2014 20:34

Sounds really lovely!

If my DS ever gets into BaB that's exCtly what I'll be doing.

frazzled74 · 13/12/2014 23:31

Well I have just spent the evening making mini frozen dresses for dn, dd and friends dd's build a bears, so I hope not!

mathanxiety · 13/12/2014 23:34

Mine would love it and I wish I were more artsy-craftsy. I made DD2 a little embroidered wall hanging last hear for her dorm room in university and she cried when she saw it, and not just because I suck at embroidery.

SirChenjin · 13/12/2014 23:39

Mine would have loved that, and wouldn't have been at all bothered if it was home made. They are very lucky to have a mum with a talent like that

I once made DD a bedding set for her doll's cot for her birthday (there was other stuff as well) - she loved it, didn't think anything of it being handmade.

Seriouslyffs · 13/12/2014 23:43

I've been reading this thread and feeling sadly inadequate as my sewing skills are erm, sadly
inadequate!
But the scarf toddler DD1 badgered me into knitting is around a teddy in her room (she's 18) and the gingerbread skirt- brown dyed cotton with white rickrack is now the christmas tree stand cover. Handmade things are definitely treasure.

MmeMorrible · 13/12/2014 23:50

It sounds like a wonderful present. My much older sister made me a similar gift of homemade ballgowns and evening dresses for my much beloved Sindy doll when I was a child. I loved them more than any other gift I received and we were not short of presents. I treasured them and I'm glad I did as my DD loved them too, although she's now a bit too old for them.

temporaryusername · 14/12/2014 00:02

I would have been absolutely thrilled to get that as a child or now really and still have some homemade gifts including cardigans for dollies that I treasure. Your dd is going to over the moon I predict, and well done!
ouryve - marvellous elephant! I wish I could create things like you both have.

nocutsnobuttsnococonuts · 14/12/2014 09:01

homemade is brilliant and im sure any child would love a whole suitcase of clothes.

ive made dd's a few tutu dresses im sure they will love. They adored the matching elf ones I did for the 12th

Greencurtain · 14/12/2014 09:06

My dd would love those clothes. She wouldn't care not BaB branded. Bet yours are nicer quality anyway. Only exception is if she'd been hankering for a costume that "belonged" to that particular bear (seen in shop).

Original poster

Songofsixpence · 14/12/2014 09:27

Thanks all

Ouryve I love the elephant!

I'm in the process of knitting a similar one for DD1 for Christmas. She adores elephants and was a little bit miffed that I'd spent ages making BaB clothes for her sister and not for her, despite the fact that she's 13 and far too cool for dressing up her BaB so I found a cute little pattern on Ravelry. I've unravelled more than I've knitted so far though . The head currently resembles a large grey penis

If anyone wants to have a go at making stuff, there's loads of free knitting patterns on Ravelry and loads of free sewing patterns on Pinterest

OP posts:

iamthenewgirl · 14/12/2014 09:51

Sounds lovely.

As a kid I think I would have preferred a suitcase of outfits rather than one branded outfit.

My Mum made me all sorts of things when I was little; cakes, dresses, all sorts of things. They stand out in my mind even now.

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