Homemade Christmas- Idea Sharing

[ImmortalNowBabyDoll]

In the interests of being a bit more intentional about gifting this year, we've decided for our adult friends and family we're going to do homemade gift baskets as a family for Christmas. We've pre-warned them and said there is no pressure to reciprocate (everyone is busy) but if they do want to make instead of buy a gift that's lovely. So far, we are planning:

Me:
Needlefelt Christmas decorations (a nativity set for our religious friend, baubles for everyone else)
Felted soaps
Lavender sugar scrub
Summer berry jam (frozen berries)
Winter spice coffee syrup

Husband:
Caramelised onion chutney
"Abbey crunch" dupe cookies
Beeswax wraps
(He's currently trying to come up with some more ideas)

6 yo daughter (with help ofc!):
Salt dough ornaments
Gingerbread people

Who else is doing homemade Christmas gifts this year? Or has done it previously and has ideas for things that were well-received? Disaster stories also welcome, I'm sure we will encounter some on the way!

Yes, I'm currently working on the Nativity set (I know my friend would like one of these as he mentioned it recently). I've only done the kings, Mary, Joseph and the baby and it's taken ages! I'm glad I've started early. 😂

I wouldn't give gingerbread people as a gift for your dc, I'd make it with them, more fun! (Oh just spotted you have that added)!

My ideas are:

homemade baking dry mixes in glass jars with instructions (much nicer than shop bought).

homemade hot chocolate set buying a mug, candy cane, marshmallows, mini stuffed animal (if for a child) etc wrapped in ribbon, always looks much nicer than bought.

Food hampers choosing high quality items that people tend not to buy themselves. Can also add some homemade baking.

Oh sorry, I should have been clear, it will be from her not for her. I'll make it with her (with rigorous enforcement of hand washing!)

The baking jar idea is lovely and the hot chocolate one too- in the past we have done the cellophane cones with red pom poms, googly eyes and pipe cleaners to look like reindeer.

They are cute!

Oh gosh no thank you. This would all be in the bin/charity pile so fast. I might eat the biscuits but that's it.

Again, this isn't AIBU. If you don't have any ideas, this isn't the thread for you.

I’ve just had to google felted soap. If I received it I would just think it’s an odd decoration

I would absolutely love that Nativity set OP but then I do like to collect them . I like the idea of a tailored homemade hamper and have received some over the years . Still have the basket .

What a beautiful idea, lucky family and friends receiving such thoughtful baskets of festive joy! 🥰

I did jars of homemade flavoured salts one year - lemon/rosemary salt, chilli salt, chicken salt etc. I figured if people didn’t like them they could bin the salt and use the jars!

Not sure if this counts but I'm making some home made advent calendars which are doubling up as Christmas gifts.

So far I'm half-way through making Gingerbread paper house advents for my niece (idea from Pinterest). It's far easier to get her 24 small items than 1 main present.

A beer advent but it will probably be a 12-day advent rather than a 24-day advent.

If I have time I've a few other things I'd like to attempt to make from Pinterest too! 🎄

Oh that's such a nice idea! Perfect as well if you don't see them close to Christmas, it can be given in November. 🙂

OP, I do this. You do have to know your audience, because as you can see the thought of it completely horrifies some people (so e.g. I don't do it for my husband's side of the family, we all love each other dearly but they don't do handmade). I don't know if it's a bit late for this year, but sloe gin goes down well. Also you could do fudge (https://www.carnation.co.uk/recipes/ultimate-fudge-recipe) , you can freeze it which is useful. I also knit and crochet people things - I only do this for very, very select people because it takes a while. This year I've knitted my mum a lace shawl, and I'm about to start some colourwork socks for my brother. I'm also going to sew a handbag for my sister in law. I love it when people make me things too. I particularly like your felted nativity!

(Also, another thought - if you have a sewing machine you can make a shopping bag to put it all in instead of a basket. And if you're feeling even more creative you can print/ tie-dye/ embroider the bag)

Oh that would have been a good idea! I do have a sewing machine but I haven't learned to use it. I have bought canvas shopper type bags instead of baskets as they can be reused for shopping or storage afterwards.

I'm not a fan of homemade, I tend to give sort of homemade hampers. But I'll buy the stuff to go in them, but they are specific to the person receiving them. So from the list, maybe the chutney and soap would make an appearance, but with some nice things from the shops that I know they will like.

I’ve got a 3d printer so I’m currently making colour your own pokemon and dandys world tree decorations for the nephews and grandsons. Also a colour/paint your own nativity for each family.

for personal gifts I tend to do Gingerbread with ready to use icing tubes as a few bags of sweets. I also do frozen home made sausage rolls in 3 flavours, ready rolled into 3 sausages ( from 1 sheet of puff pastry). I do sausage and stuffing, cranberry and clementine and almond. They go down very well and I just include a cooking instructions in a bag in the package. Home made sausage rolls are one of my most asked for things and I now have to do them for all family get togethers but they are so easy I can’t say I object.

Yep, sorry, I don't want any of that either. And I'd think that was very passive aggressive "no pressure to be as clever as we clearly think we are." I don't think controlling, I think nobber.

No need to apologise, you weren't on my gift list anyway. 3 out of the 4 basket recipients have already said they love the idea of going homemade and started thinking of ideas. I'm glad my friends are so much nicer than you.

The things you list are easy to buy cheaply tbh. I knit people hats, socks and scarves, all in best quality yarn and so far as I know the recipients love them

You really think they will tell you?

Trust me. Enough of us get this shoved on us. And because we're polite, we tell you how clever you are. How thoughtful/delicious/impressive whatever it is you want to give people.

Because make no mistake, it's not what we're asking for. I know I'm getting some more fuckimg awful chutney. Because when asked, and you are obliged to say you'd love some more, they jump at the chance to make themselves feel clever and superior again.

But yeah, all your friends love what you decide they want and are just "nicer" 🙈😁

One year when I ran out of ideas for my elderly grandmother I just made a whole load of mince pies and gave her some of them. I do a lot of cross stitch and often gift those, framed and unframed. I think its a lovely idea and homemade gifts show a lot effort and that us appreciated.

People will be polite. Very few people will actually like it.

Ultimately, what you want to is spend your budget for Christmas gifts for others on craft supplies for yourself, so you can do activities you enjoy and then palm of the result as 'gifts'. That's pretty selfish.

If you really want to go the less commercial route, how about paying for activities for them to enjoy?

Thank you for your unwanted suggestion, I did not need it, have a lovely Christmas.

Oh how lovely. I personally love being given homemade gifts that show the giver has put time and love onto them. I'm glad my friends and family are not as materialistic as some PPs. They'd be getting a lump of coal off me. My husband cross stitches and it really is a labour of love. He's made me some beautiful things.