Homemade Christmas Presents (for next year)

Typically the only people we actually buy Christmas presents for are the four kids in the family. All adults get pseudo-presents. Like a picture of us and a tin of cookies that I made. I disagree with buying presents just to buy presents. That is not what Christmas is about. Let's face it, they don't want that crap anyway and it's just gonna clutter up their space. But now that I have joined the crafting world I've seen lots of useful and cool stuff that would make good presents and on the cheap too.

Here's a list of free or almost free ideas:

1) Homemade trail mix. Everybody loves trail mix and nobody needs the extra crap that goes into commercial mixes. It's not just nuts in there but yummy cancer causing preservatives too!

2)Homemade bath stuff. Easy to do, everybody takes baths (I hope), and there's lots of options. Salt scrubs, sugar scrubs, lotions of all kinds, shampoo, conditioner, cuticle cream, soap, massage oils, body powders, body butters, on and on.

3)Cards. Turn pictures you've taken into birthday, Christmas, get well, thank you or blank cards. Give a set of six or twelve. Everybody needs cards on occasion (hello Hallmark) make your own collection and give them as presents. With basic or free software you can add any sayings you want. Plus now all those great nature pictures you took can be shown off.

4)Quilts or blankets. I have a ton of t-shirts that have holes in the pits, are too small (but strangely they're never too big), or we just don't like. I'm going to try and make them into a patchwork quilt. I am anticipating an unusual but super soft cuddle blanket. Course traditional material works too.

5) Aprons. Just cause I love 'em and would really like to get a super girly one. (And of course if I want it so does everyone else right?)

6)Cookbook. Put all your family favorites together in one spot. Be sure to get Grandmas.

7)Heritage book. Take all those pictures of relatives and make a living family tree book.

8)Framed pictures. Put several pictures that have one dominant color in them together, or you can use black and white prints. Place into matching frames. A great use for all those nature or architecture pictures you took. Give a set to those that are redecorating or recently moved.

9)Homemade candles. Everybody loves them.

10)Recipes in a jar. I like the ones where the receiver just adds water and heats. If they have to add five more ingredients what's the point?

11)Jelly. I just learned to make jelly from scratch this summer. Store bought jelly just doesn't have the same great taste. Use local fruit at the peak of season. Nobody will turn it down.

12)Advent calenders. This is one of the few I came up with that is kid worthy as well. Sew out of cloth or if you've been blessed with woodworking skills build one.

13)Calenders. Last year we gave calenders with pictures of Princess in that month. My mother-in-law tells me at the beginning of each month how she loves it. You could also make calenders with those beautiful nature or architecture pictures you've taken.

14)Mini scrapbooks. Great for the grandparents.

15)Bags. Can be used as purses, grocery, or to carry books.

16) Dried herbs or spice mixes. Put some herbs in your garden, dry them and put then in glass bottles you've saved up from olives etc. Mix up a spice rub, apple pie spice, etc. Spice mixes and herbs are expensive to buy plus homemade is a lot fresher.

17)Baskets. Either weave them or grow bushel gourds and dry them out then add a handle. I have not tried either but will this next year.

18) Magazine subscriptions. OK this isn't handmade but everyone loves magazine day. Most subsrciptions cost ten to fifteen bucks. That's much cheaper than at the newsstand and it gets delivered to your door.

19)If you knit or crochet (I do neither) you can make a sweater, blanket, stuffed animal, even leg warmers for the eighties babe.

20)If you woodwork the ideas are endless. Tables either end, coffee, or dining, a doll house or for a boy a Star Wars ship.

21)Netflix subscription. Same reason as the magazine subscription.

22)Seeds/cuttings from your garden.

Then of course you can always bundle them together. I like the idea of baskets since you have the ability to make the basket itself. A few ideas are...

The bath basket. Put in a pumice stone and a loofah (which you can grow as well) with handmade bath fizzes, chapstick, massage oil, etc.

The kitchen basket. Put in a handmade apron, the family cookbook, spice mix, herbs, and some jelly.

The garden basket. Sew a tote, put in seeds and cutting from your own plants. Maybe add gardening gloves (catch them on clearance at the end of the season) and some hand tools.

Now you may have noticed that these ideas are for next Christmas. That's because (for me) it's too late for this year. But I am going to start a "gift box". No it's not presents I am going to regift. It's going to be where I put all the finished crafts I am plan to give. I'm going to start in January (or now) and make stuff all year. Then come October I open the box figure out what else I need for whom and still have two months to finish it up. You may all stand in awe of my forethought. Too bad about this Christmas though. Oh well, better luck next year to all on my list.