A Homemade Christmas

[Flytyer24]

This Christmas my family just decided that we are not allowed to go out to stores and buy gifts. I started this idea because last year around the holidays I realized we have moved away from the true meaning of holidays. It was here open this and a oh thanks response. So we have set the rules that its doesn't have to be hand made or crafty it just has to be a well thought out gift. So we have $25 limit for materials. My girlfriend and I had started this between ourselves earlier this year. For her birthday I built a planter box out of an old pallet. I also made a binder full of our favorite mountain hikes with maps and descriptions.

So anyone else willing to take the challenge? A homemade Christmas? I rather be cooking and making gifts and spending time with the family rather than in stores.

Also IDEAS PLEASE!!????

 

[Hinotori]

My Facebook chicken group is doing Christmas exchange. Limit is $15. It has to be chicken or farm related. Homemade stuff is encouraged but not required. We had the unique situation of having to state if eggs or live birds were acceptable for us personally.

I'm crocheting a chicken purse for the person I got. Lots of time into it but fairly cheap to make.

 

[Flytyer24]

That's great!

It's all about doing something nice and strengthening relationships. I remember the time we cut trees and made cookies more than what i actually got.

 

[Corn Woman]

I love the idea and making memories is much better. I would love a planter box from an old pallet hmmm must give a hint to DH.

 

[Flytyer24]

It's funny now my family has been calling me to get addendums onto the rules. They are actually having to think! No christmas eve shopping for us!

 

[moolie]

In our family we only buy gifts/toys for the children, we do stocking stuffers for all the adults and older teens so those gifts can't be very big.

I always try to do as much home made as possible:
-"gourmet" home-canned things with pretty labels (jam, relish, chutney, pickles, antipasto, chili sauce, bbq sauce--a set of 3 things that go together is a nice gift, especially if you make a small wooden box for the jars)
-baking jars (mason jar filled with all the dry ingredients for Brownies, Blondies, various types of cookies and loaf cakes etc.)
-home sewn or knitted items (slippers, tea towels, toque & scarf sets, socks, etc.)
-little "kits" (home made drawstring bag full of craft items, art supplies etc.--obviously some parts for these are purchased)
-jewelry (lots of possibilities here, I've made earrings and necklaces with beading supplies from the craft store)

In the past I've also made bed quilts, a baby play mat quilt, soft toys/blocks, framed botanical drawings from old books (or printed from online e.g. from http://www.botanicus.org/title/b11945369#) framed in inexpensive IKEA frames, scrapbooks (including one for my SIL that had themed pages for an entire year but no photos--my SIL added her own photos afterward.)

One year when hubs was feeling like a challenge he sewed his brother a winter/ski jacket--he did a fabulous job. Hubs has also made several wooden items over the years (toys, games etc.) and has done a few oil paintings.

My kids (teens) are pretty artistic so they often do drawings or paintings framed in inexpensive IKEA frames (for certain relatives who appreciate and collect their art--we have a beautiful piece by my oldest in our dining room). They've also sewn small stuffed animals, knitted items like scarves, and made Christmas ornaments for various relatives.

 

[FarmerChick]

I love your challenge

I already have all my presents purchased tho. I do holiday shopping now because I do want to enjoy the holidays with less stress and avoid stores in the rush time.


Adults we just have a blast but kids get good Santa presents.

We get together and have a feast and play cards and more. With my shopping done already, my time is available for all the fun things to do at the holidays. We are planning on 2 trips to places that have tons of light displays. Love those. One a botanical garden that goes thru the roof and is so gorgeous it knocks my socks off
I am also planning on a horse drawn carriage ride thru the christmas light displays at the other Christmas place.

Another is we have 2 charity organizations we will be helping as the holidays grow near. Giving time to others.

I love love love the holidays.



I agree with Moolie that handmade jewelry is a great gift. one can be so creative but also fit the type of jewelry to the receiver.


My daughter collected seashells from our last 5 beach trips and she got very pretty ones and tons of them. We got 2 beautiful jars from the discount store and filled them up and she wrote out a sticker for each. To Grandma, I brought the beach to you! Love DD. She loved making these and picked thru so many shells to find the perfect ones for each jar.

Plagues are nice also. My Dad made my daughter a name plague for her door. She loves it and of course he painted it pink and bought stickers wtih flowers to put on. Dad is a great woodworker. You can also make outdoor decorations for a garden. A cement stepping stone with embedded writing or adornament.

Another great thing to make is a bank for kids. you can be very creative in how you make it. Decorated jar with slit in lid. decorated plastic container. My Dad made a wooden cut out of a daschund dog and bought a round fitting for the bank to hold money. It is beautiful and she fills it up as much as she can and then puts that money into her savings account.

Scented pinecones. I do this in my house. When we go camping in the mountains we collect the monster sized cones. come home and scent them with cinnamon. A bag of scented pinecones is a nice gift. Just pour into a wide bowl, display and get a wonderful scent from them.

Fresh dried herb packages. Give everyone your own herbs you grew and decorate the packages or some containers. Great to use.

Any homemade goodies/cakes is what our men love in this family. They could just eat their way thru the holidays and be perfectly fine with that LOL
My bro is a pecan pie fanatic. Of course he gets a fresh baked one every season and he is just thrilled with it. Never gets old to him.

Pressed flowers or pretty leaves arranged in a picture frame. We made small sets of 3 one season for my aunt and cousin. The next time we visited she had displayed her flower pictures in her guest bathroom. My DD was thrilled beyond belief to see her present hanging on the wall and it looked beautiful.


oh, and don't forget a magic show or choir sing. if you have kids that love to do magic, a show at the get together is a treat. Also if you got kids that can sing, a few songs is a wonderful way to have a blast. Don't forget pics and videos of all this. priceless




Homemade gifts are wonderful. Now you got me more excited that the holidays get here

 

[Flytyer24]

Great Ideas,

I am a fly tyer so I have had quite a bit of luck making handmade earings. They come out pretty nice. I tie them a lot smaller and neater than the usual huge feather earrings.

I like the stepping stone idea my father is always making a patio or walkway out of rocks.

Anyone have any ideas of things to do with hollly?

Thanks

 

[Britesea]

Last year, I made homemade crackers, mustard, summer sausage, and farmer cheese. Each one was put into a decorative bag or jar, and then I made a decorated cloth shopping bag instead of putting them in a basket or gift box. Everyone loved the food (especially the crackers, apparently) and then they had the shopping bag to use as well.

 

[Flytyer24]

So We just made Homemade Pesto. My father loves the stuff. Really easy to make. I think we are going to make some crackers with it too.