Does anyone have any good ideas for home made presents and cards?

[iwouldgoouttonight]

Right, I'm going to have to stop hoping that if I ignore Christmas it will go away and start thinking about presents and cards and things! We're a bit short of cash and I normally make cards and presents for friends anyway but a bit stuck for ideas now. Previously I've made mini hampers with fudge, gingerbread, biscuits, etc but don't want to do the same every year! Also finding nice jars/packaging turned out to be quite expensive. Think I may have left it too late to do jams/pickles?

Also cards - have previously done:

1. taken photos of nice wintery things and stuck them on front of card
2. cut wintery things out of homemade paper and stuck in layers on front of card
3. sewed white beads onto front of card in abstract snowfall type affair
4. stuck little gold stars in patterns on front of card

All of these took bloody ages and when I'm up until after midnight with RSI and paper cuts and a bad back I always wish I'd thought of something simpler!!

So does anyone have any ideas for presents and cards I could make that don't cost much don't take too long and that everyone will think are wonderful??!!

(OMG I've just reread my thread and realised I have actually turned into my mother!)

I have made xmas cards for a few years now, and had to use an idea that would take less than a minute per card to make. Here are the 2 mmost sucessful ideas

1 - paint patch of red paint of front of card (few seconds per card), leave all cards to dry. Later, draw snowman picture using a stencil and silver pen in middle of red patch and write Happy Christmas beneath

2 - using computer write a block of text of all christmassy words. Print multiple copies (I did 4 per A4 sheet) and spray mount onto cards. Took a long time to arrange words to make attractive display, but then really quick.

Christmas tree decorations - everyone is short of good quality ones - (saw this done with cinammon sticks at show at Olympia this weekend and sold for a bomb): Collect some thin twigs and buy a ball of natural twine and then bundle up the twigs to make 'log piles' with the twine leaving a loop to hang on the Christmas tree! Sounds odd but they look great!

Take close up photo of all the leaves that are hanging around at the mo(!) and send it to snappy snaps (or do it yourself) to make it black and white and A4 size and give to them either in a glass clip frame or just in a cardboard backed envelope. Nic arty pic!

Have you posted this in the Arts & Crafts topic too? They seem to be rather good at ideas over there!

Thank you very much for suggestions - will post in Arts and Crafts too.

Make your favorite Loaf of bread. After it ools put it into a brand new loaf tin and tie with a new tea towel. Tie it up with a wooden spoon and the recipe on a recipe card. I use yarn that mathes the tea towel.

asda mag had a good idea

3 small pots cost 99p
it then gave you a recipe for christmas puds to go into the pots

when made wrap up each pud in cellophe and a bubble

looked really good