Be completely honest, how would you feel about homemade gifts?

[SparklyAlice]

In complete and utter honesty, how would you feel if your relatives gave you homemade presents this year for christmas?

Or would you much rather have something small from the shop?

I've made people patchwork quilts as presents and I think that has genuinely gone down well. I would like to get that myself (if it wasn't something I do myself anyway).

But agree, I don't really fancy home-made food stuff. People do give me jam but I don't think of that as a xmas present, you just give people jam when you make some if you're so inclined. Homemade fudge, cupcakes , scary chocolate truffles that look os if they've been fingered a lot - not keen. Worst of all are the weird savoury type things like olive oil with stuff rammed into it or lemons in jars full of salt and all that craziness. I saw Jamie oliver do that on telly and recommend it as a gift but really why would you want that?

In general yes I would rather have a nice box of chocs from a shop, or even the shop

I like homemade, small, secondhand, or nothing. Anything that makes Christmas a bit less commercial.

Not all homemade knitted gifts are horrible, you know! Get that mental image of a nasty puce acrylic cardy out of your head!

If the maker's good, then I love homemade presents. I only ever get them from my mother, though! I think my best present last year was a beautiful knitted throw she made me in 'muted bright' vareigated yarn - it glows. It's 100% wool and very snuggly, and being a snuggle-under-a-blankie-on-the-sofa person, I can honestly say I've used it most evenings since.

It's funny, cos I'm not that keen on homemade food gifts - chocolates, pickles etc - they're nice, but either I can make them myself, or buy nicer ones, and anyway I'm not keen on edible presents. (They just don't seem like 'real' pressies to me! No offence to everyone making jam, truffles, etc) But if a talented knitter or quilter makes something lovely that they know I'll love and use, that's fantastic.

Just for the record, this year I'm knitting my mother a lace scarf out of very posh alpaca yarn, making my toddler a quilt featuring fabric with his favourite vehicles on, and probably someone will be given a pair of my silver earrings.

The really sad thing is - I think I'm pretty good at handwork and crafts, but most of the people I give christmas presents to aren't really into homemade, and it grieves me. So they get shop - definitely second-best.

I would love a homemade gift - I'm hoping to get some homemade chutneys from my Aunt this year, instead of a bottle of wine.

I would also love to be able to give homemade gifts, I'm crap at that kind of thing.

The hampers sound lovely and I'd be over the moon

MadameDuBain - sort-of cross-post! I agree - it's nice to have homemade truffles etc, but they're sort of the stuff that you might have around because it's christmas anyway, you know?

God, I really sound like a spoilt madam.

Fliberty - you've hit it on the head - no point in slaving over all those k5togs if the recipient doesn't appreciate that you've knitted literally weeks of your life into something that they say they could get from Accessorise. Grrr. Handknits and quilts have to go to people who will love them and appreciate how long they might have taken to make - ie. understand that you did them out of love, not because you're a bit flaky or tightfisted.

Sorry, rant over.

at the thought of knitted things.
several times i asked my mum to crochet me a pair of slipper shoes (like baby bootees but adult sized) and she kept saying she wouldn't because i could do some myself. she finally relented after i proved i really really couldn't. but she didn't finish them and gave them to me with straps to finish.

not what i wanted.
why couldn't she have just finished them and given me them in my stocking?! three years later they're still in their bag, unfinished.

I love homemade gifts. I have an incredibly dodgly-looking knitted hat, made with infinite love by my best friend.
I pinned a large, equally dodgy hand-made by me, felt brooch on it and wear it when walking in the woods/gardening on allotment when it is particularly vile, cold, pissy weather and it makes me feel happy.

Edible home made gifts are even better.

Homemade gift fine with me as long as it is edible/truly useful. (Same criteria as shop bought actually).

Truffles, biscuits, fudge - fine.

Sloe Gin - I don't know what that is

Knitted stuff - no. I don't wear scarves etc, I don't want anything for the home. I hate clutter.

I think you just have to consider the recipient carefully, again, same as shop bought stuff.

MollyRoger - that sounds lovely

I think it depends on the standard! I would love homemade quilt, hand knitted clothes for the dc, scarves etc if they looked wel-done - but I think you have to know you are good at making things like this. A friend knitted my eldest a woolen hat for his birthday when he was little and his brother is still wearing it today - it's gorgeous and I once spent 4 hours retracing our steps on the high st to find it again. But I do have a few woolen bootees 2 different colour wools and trousers with one leg longer than the other from well meaning aunties. These go straight to the dolls dressing up box. But I still appreciate the thought and would never say anything to them. I too am not keen on homemade food items tho.

One thing I do find a bit hmmm is some relatives of mine that buy the dc presents from second hand shops.

I love homemade gifts, although it does depend slightly on what it is I guess. If it's food, then I think a little miniature hamper thing sounds lovely rather than just a pot of jam IYSWIM? My mum does lots of knitted stuff/patchwork quilts/cross stitch etc and it's all wonderful but then I love stuff like that!

I love homemade gifts - both giving and getting, but I have to say, only if it is something well made i.e. if I am making something to give away, I want it to look/taste as nice/better as the equivalent that I might buy.

I have a self imposed rule that unless I can think of a present that someone will absolutely love/need then I must give something that will be used up - be that food, candles, whatever. Otherwise, I think you just end up with unwanted clutter when someone has dashed round doing the Christmas shopping and run out of inspiration.

From my relatives? not thrilled TBH because none of them have any discernable crafting talent so anything they churned out would be a bit crap really.

We have an Aunty that can make nice choccies but thats about it.

I love homemade stuff! I make lots at this time of year as gifts and have never had any funny looks or anything

Sloe gin - Yes, yes, yes , please.

I made it once - it was delicious and v v alcoholic. Never got round to making it since, so if someone else had and gave me some I would be most pleased.

Thank god for this thread Sparkly I have already starting making some home made pressies, I have warned people in advance, DH says it's been more expensive than buying something for them all but actually I don't think it is, you can tell who does the xmas shopping in our house!

i'm a giver of handmade stuff i'm afraid. i've given little quilts, kimono-silk boxes, fudge, glittery biscuits, a handknitted fairisle hat, crocheted cashmere scarf/shawl, handwoven tea towels, kid's apron in funky japanese cookware fabric, off the top of my head and let alone the stuff i've inflicted on my own kids...

i tend to only give to people who i know will appreciate it - who tend to give handmade in return, which i will always value and keep above bought stuff.

i have a dear friend with many many talented friends and relations whose house is a treasure trove of beautiful things that have been made with love by these people especially for them. it's fabulous to see, and to hear the stories behind it all.

Well, i have just made sloe gin, but it reckons it takes 8 weeks so perhaps these can be practice bottles, and i can make some for pressies next year

heartofgold Could I have your recipe for glittery biscuits please?

can't remember what i used actually, maybe a gingerbread recipe, with loads of edible glitter on the top, cut into snowflake shapes (you can get those cutters cheaper elsewhere btw).

Heartofgold - i love those snowflake cookies

When i was about 11, my Aunt made a cross stitch picture of my pony with exact markings and i loved it to bits.

i'd be happy with homemade

oh if you like those you might like these stencils too (scroll down for snowfalkes). you spread icing through them (getting the consistency right takes trial and error) and they look flippin fantastic

I always try and do homemade gifts but even if I do shop ones then I try and think of the person.

About 8 years ago I made my SIL some cushion covers with beading on them. I was visiting them a couple of years ago and they were still using them. I was really pleased that they were.

This year all the ladies of famiy and friends are getting tea-cup candles. Thanks MN for that one!

I was going to do the Jamie Oliver ketchup recipe and the chilli and pepper chutney recipe for the boys.

I also make soap so always have a few bars that can be prettied up for last minute gifts.

DNs both got dresses last year - though I clearly misjudged the length on one as SIL said "it was supposed to be a top wasn't it"

I do admit I have made some shockers - not sure what SIL would have thought of the crotcheted wire and bead necklace I made one year