Do you think homemade presents are naff?

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Want to do homemade Christmas presents, but obviously not if the likelihood is people will think they’re crap.

I’m rather crafty if I say so myself so I’m thinking of things such as:

Aprons and felt flower crowns for my nieces
Homemade scented candles
Wood burned chopping board, wooden spoons etc
Patchwork quilt for my baby nephew maybe
Homemade tin of biscuits
Resin jewellery
Hobby horse maybe
Foodie gifts

The idea being I can get a lot done early!

Im going to go against the grain and say I don’t like homemade gifts, I don’t want jewellery that I’m never going to wear, chutneys I don’t like and no one will eat, homemade biscuits that will go in the bin as the kids will instantly go for all the Christmas food we already have covered in chocolate and Carmel instead. I don’t want knitted clothes such as scarfs and jumpers as il never wear them. The only one I would love is a homemade blanket, I love blankets!

some people love homemade and some dont.

biscuits (if you have a clean kitchen) I make cakes for a living and now teach sugarcraft so yes, hygiene certificate and 5 star hygiene rating with the council 🤣

I haven’t read all the replies, will read them later, but it’s looking like too many think no so I’m going to just start scouring the shops now.

P.s the hobby horse would be a fabric one on a stick not a hand carved fancy thing!

I don’t trust homemade foods so they go straight in the bin

Wow, how incredibly ungrateful and wasteful.

OP, I absolutely love homemade gifts. I'd much rather receive something that someone has put thought and effort into than generic tat. Go for it.

I make something every year for each family member and they are always very well received.

Often though, it’s more about what the giver can make than what the receiver would actually like and I think that’s a bit thoughtless

I completely disagree.

I have a friend whose semi-professional hobby is flower arranging and every Christmas she sends a flower arrangement. I have an uncle who makes amazing Christmas puddings. I look forward to those gifts every year. When I packed up my dc’s baby clothes to pass on, the ones I kept (just in case of grandchildren) were the hand knitted and hand sewn ones.

I appreciate, but can’t often afford, good quality ingredients or fabrics. I’d prefer to shop at craft markets than buy mass produced items. So for me a well made handcraft is an indulgence.

There can be a perception that making gifts is a cheap option which in my experience isn’t true. It’s cheaper to make than you would pay at a craft fair but far cheaper to buy Boots 3for2 or Chinese mass produced plastic.

Wish you were my friend OP to make aprons and flower crowns and hobby horses for my dc.

I am stunned people not eating food from people's homes. If you know them well enough to swap gifts surely you would trust what comes out of their kitchen.

I make a several small cakes as thank yous for people - elderly couple who saves newspapers for out Guinea pig cage, another couple who let my kids play ball with their dog, neighbour next to MIL who always gives the kids a packet of sweets etc. I don't want to get into tyranny of gift swapping with people I barely know but a Christmas thank you doesn't go amiss.

I think its a shame this thread has put you off. Forcing jam and chutneys on non lovers (I would love both) feels a bit 'meh' but if you have a skill or a talent and know their taste a home made is wonderful.

Instead of dismissing the idea entirely. Why not divide your list into be who would and those who would not. Less pressure either way.

That’s a lot of different skills for one person to have. I’m torn between awe at your range and a rather cynical suspicion that some of them might be a bit half arsed (semi-competent wood burning in particular looks dreadful).

OTOH you’re clearly a very good baker, so maybe you are really really good at all the others as well, in which case crack on, because your range will save you from the “when all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail” problem and you can match a suitable gift to each person rather than forcing jam on diabetics.

I love home made gifts! Would much rather have something made by someone I love rather than some crap made in a sweatshop somewhere.

I don’t trust homemade foods so they go straight in the bin

Lots of enemies attempting to poison you, eh? Ridiculous and wasteful.

I love homemade gifts and cards !

Last few years I have made hanging Christmas decorations for family members trees. Quite often they are kits from Hobbycraft or the Works. It is fun but sometimes takes longer than you think - so I am quite happy that the kits start appearing in the shops in August!!

Thanks for all the input.

Maybe I’ll just do the stuff for my nieces as the quilt I made the first one is still in use and appreciated 3 years later, so it seems their mum would be in the ‘yes’ camp.

I'm not that keen either but I've seen a lot of rubbish gifts and most handmade gifts seems to be about what the person can make rather than what the giver would actually want. I'd not want chutney or a kitchen gadget for Christmas.

I get that! I despise getting thoughtless gifts. As long as you tell people what you DO want rather than get pissed off when you receive tat then that’s fine by me! All of my ILs never suggest anything and it’s infuriating as we end up jusy syabbing in the dark. Have lately agreed not doing presents for the adults but they gave us something anyway 😠 but this is a whole other thread! 😄

From your post I say go for it, you have obviously thought about the recipients and it's not just one size fits all mentality

I love getting homemade gifts, both on special occasions or just because...my sister makes a lot of jam and chutneys so often gives us a few jars which go down very well!

However, and this made me think of this thread, I crocheted a tea cosy for my mother in a sort of basket weave with crocheted 3D flowers on the top, all in colours to match her kitchen. She'd mentioned that she needed a new one and doesn't knit very much now so I thought I'd make her one and was really pleased with the results. It fitted perfectly and each time I've been around since it's been in use.

I called in unexpectedly this morning (I usually visit on a Saturday afternoon) to drop something off and the old one was being used and the one I'd made was folded up on the other side of the kitchen so it looks like it's just used when she expects me to visit. It made me feel a bit sad actually.

God no.

I have a tat free home. You cant send them to the charity shop as they don't have CE labels and so they go in the bin or to the charity car boot. Someone made us a chopping board with our name burnt/engraved on- very unusual name. Didn't know what to do with it- cant even burn it as treated.

I love homemade food gifts and candles. Feel free to add me to your list, OP!

To the people who don't 'trust' homemade food items - what do you do if your friends invite you around for dinner??

Well, @hundredacrewoods, there was a guest on another thread yesterday who brought Dairylea Lunchables to a dinner party... maybe she's on this thread now!

You'd BURN a gift that someone went to the effort to make you?!

Fucking hell, I'm so glad I know nice people.

You'd BURN a gift that someone went to the effort to make you?!

What do you suggest I do with it?

It is hideous and massive. The quality of a Y7 DT project- but the giver thinks it is great and they could sell them (they couldn't).

It is a selfish gift- something that was done for the giver not the receiver. No-one could possibly see this item playing a part in my life and they gave the same gift to everyone- so it was not a thoughtful gift.

Do you also suggest that I keep the glitter covered glasses ? Luckily they went in the recycling.

Just because it is home made does not mean that it is not hideous tat.

No, I love them. Though I might be biased because I give them 😁

I adore homemade gifts. Some of the loveliest things I have ever received:

• baby blanket, cardigans & a gorgeous teddy made by SIL for DD
• lovely cardigans knitted by my nana for DD, and a hat and scarf for me
• birthday cakes and some homemade bunting from my mum

RedPandaMama, those sound lovely.

OP, if you ever need an unbiased quality assurance tester for your lovely homemade biscuits and foodie gifts, you know where to find me!

I like them. My cousin sends me a homemade tree decoration every year. 😆