Home made gifts thread anyone?

[ProfessorPickles]

I hope I haven't missed another thread about this, but I was hoping to share some ideas for home made gifts!
I've decided to set a limit of only £100 this year on gifts to spend on 2 year old DS who will get £50 as he had plenty for his birthday, my parents, sister and grandma and grandad. Might have to spend on a couple of friends also!

Last year I made a chilli jam to go on crackers with cheese which went down well.
I'm thinking of making short bread biscuits and brownies to give as gifts too.

I also made cards with DS last year which cost us nothing and everyone seemed to like them! I'd normally spend £5+ per card for special ones so it saved me a fortune! I'm going to look on Pinterest or somewhere else for new designs to do this year.
I could possibly do my own Lino print cards to give out!

Has anyone got any reasonably priced ideas for things they like to make to give as gifts?

I can't believe I'm getting excited about Christmas already

On my list so far I have:

Peppermint body scrub
Cinnamon body scrub

Peppermint white chocolate bark
Cherry dark chocolate bark

Cinnamon butter
Bacon jam

Orange fudge
Vanilla fudge

(If it works... Every fudge I've ever attemped has never set, and I've tried many different recipes and methods, gah)

Now I just need to come up with crafty bits to put in.

this year i have made a beaded pen, and some earrings for my sister. i also got a wine decanter and matching glasses for the in-laws which will have a chain maille band put round it (looks better than it sounds), am sorting a pink dinosaur hobby horse for dd2, handmade notebooks for several people, and will be cooking up a storm making sweets, biscuits and cakes during december.

Ooooh love this thread! I bought 6 salted caramel cheesecakes for £5 from Costco that came in little glasses, kinda like Gu ones but taller and thinner, so i'm going to put some xmas ribbon around the top and a small xmas scented yankee candle votive in (£1 each roughly) as small gifts

I've done a trial run of toffee, it was very tasty but I'm not sure it ended up exactly as it should have

Loving this thread, thank you. Several people will be getting beady handmade presents and I'm already planning to make the "special" Christmas cards this year, as I can easily spend £2-£3+ per card

I'd like to make FIL some jams/chutneys too and I'm thinking (still at the thinking stage) of mini Christmas cakes and slow cooker fudge (I need to find a recipe for this)

I'm in the middle of making christmas eve plates for all the kids... Plates from Home Bargains and some porcelain pens.

Posted too soon - also knitting some christmas pudding chocolate orange covers.

Ooo liking this thread.

Dh made biscotti last year and I made ginger biscuits with DS from him and put them cellophane bags from Amazon
www.amazon.co.uk/20-cellophane-bags-Christmas-design/dp/B0048F5OL8

Sometimes make sloe gin. And have made snap type cards for kids before xx

TillITook have you tried making fudge in the microwave? That is the only method that has worked for me.

Love this thread. Was thinking of doing some homemade gifts to relatives from my kids this year. Any suggestions of simple things to make with a 3 year old and 5 year old?

Place marking! I'm feeling inspired!
I make the presents every year because we have a massive family and it would get so expensive otherwise.

Ideas nicked from this thread, I'm thinking of...

Adult females...
Hardback notebooks covered in lovely fabric, with ribbon ties and a place marker. Perhaps a homemade bookmark as well.

Adult males...
Flavoured vodka or cherry brandy

Kids...
Gingerbread men in the shape of theirself.
Snap cards with hand drawn pictures of family members/ pets etc

Female teenagers...
Lovely scented candles
Or whipped body butter

I'm now off to look at that other thread linked above...

There are some great ideas for home made cards on Pinterest to do with kids. I searched something like hand and foot print Christmas cards and there's some lovely designs like penguins, snowmen etc. Me and 1 year old DS did penguins and snow men last year, he did the prints and I added the details on top and they went down really well and saved me £20-£30

::Marks place in thread so she can continue lurking::

That rocky road sounds amazing- will definitely be doing that. And off to check out Christmas cards now, thanks

I've been doing homemade Christmas gifts for about 7 years now, they go down a treat. I usually start about now, then make up until the week before Christmas. Previously I've done...

Marmalade (tin of MaMade prepared oranges from supermarket, sugar, crystallised ginger, less than £5 to make 6 or so jars)
Chutney (Delia's Christmas Chutney is great)
Sloe gin (go foraging, add sugar & cheap gin, leave till Christmas then strain. Job done)
Blackberry & Apple jam
Gingerbread or white chocolate & cranberry cookies
Fudge
Christmas cupcakes (sponge flavoured with vanilla, orange rind & cinnamon, brandy buttercream, sprinkles)
Truffles (chocolate, cream, booze, done)

I save my jars all year and buy gusseted cellophane bags from Lakeland or Waitrose. Put a selection of bits into a gift bag - job done! I get requests now....

Dont mind me, just marking my place.

Marking my place

Great ideas on here.
[not so subtle place marking]

Stealing some ideas from this thread

I've made jams, chutneys and cookies for the last few years . I want to master fudge though. I do so much baking and it is one thing I can never get right

Another fan of Delia's Christmas Chutney here... Always goes down well. Good to make in the next few weeks so it has time to mature. Lots of faffing with making all the fruits etc small enough but it's so worth it.

Can't find the recipe I used but this one for marmite biscuits is similar. Great with cheese!

Can't remember who asked about fudge but I used this one for slow cooker fudge

Tried maltesers vodka a couple of years ago but made the mistake of buying value vodka thinking the flavour of the maltesers would disguise it... It didn't. It was harsh! And it became a NYE "are you brave enough?" drink. I'll buy better vodka if I do it again!!

X-posted with Santa above. I wouldn't class that fudge recipe I've just posted as 'proper'... If you come across a good recipe, and it works for you, I'd love to know!

Great chandelier thanks !

I made this chilli jam last year and everybody loved it .

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8257/sweet-chilli-jam

Oh so many ideas!

Place marking... But will be back to contribute later.

If you're into sewing then you could get Christmas fabric and make table linen - napkins, tablecloths etc. I've had the fabric for years now though and not got round to it