CHRISTMAS (yes I know I know, it's ages away) would you really honestly appreciate being given handmade/homemade gifts?

[MadreInglese]

We are super skinto this year and I've been considering making Christmas pressies, is it a mental idea? (I'm artistic but not particularly lentil-weavery so my friends are likely to think I've gone a bit mad)

What would you truthfully think about receiving something handmade?

a) Oooh how lovely, what a nice personal touch!

b) hmm that's nice (will take it to the charity shop later)

c) blardy cheapskates, why have they given me this homemade tat?

d) something else

?

(be honest )

expat how do u make salt dough things and liquior?

I've made sloe gin before, used old small olive oil jars and glass painted them (very simply) then filled with sloe gin (made in October), added a few sloes for decoration and finished with old wine corks (seem to have plenty of those) Everyone loved it!

Also made green tomato chutney (had gluts of green tomatoes)and did the same thing with the jars. Also just plain olive oil and cut rosemary out of the garden and added a few cloves of garlic/chilli and let infuse. Glass painted again and added an old wine cork with some ribbons etc. I didn't see any embarrassed faces and I know everyone wants the olive oil again this year (and the sloe gin!)

Definitely worth weighing up how much they cost. I save my olive oil bottles over the year (as well as the wine corks )

I would rather have nothing than a home made gift, unless said gift is home made muffins.

salt dough is just 300g plain flour, 300g salt, 200ml water and 1tbsp oil.

roll out and cut, then bake at 150 degrees till it goes hard.

then paint and decorate.

i use a BBC recipe for homemade coffee liqueur and make orange liquer (have to dig out my recipe, but it might be online, it's from Southern Living magazine years ago) which i decant into decanters i pick up in charity shops all year for peanuts and tie with a ribbon.

my Xmas cakes are done. they're in the utility room wrapped in greaseproof and then foil and in old Roses tins.

ah very good thanks - am thinking possibly getting some big cut out thingys (gingerbread men type size and getting DS to paint them?)

my cakes will be started either this week or next, no brandy is needed in either as the grandparents don't/can't drink.

Personally I would love to receive hand made presents.

I'm slightly wary about making them to give to other people though because sometimes it ends up costing more by the time you've bought ingredients, nice kilner jars etc and I also worry they look a bit tatty (my own personal paranoia though) and have had the pil being a bit sniffy about gifts not perceived to be expensive enough in the past.

However, I'm becoming more proficient and fruit liquer and preserves and have actually already had requests for them as presents this year. I'm trying my hand at bottling quince for gifts shortly, very exciting!

I'd appreciate handmade/homemade presents or cards.