Let’s just forget for a minute that I don’t have a crafty bone in my body, mmkay? The fact is, this year I would like to do some homemade Christmas gifts for our extended family and friends. I originally got the idea from this post from LeahPeah last year.
I’d like to do a giftbasket for Christmas this year, filled with handmade goodies. Not all of the goodies need to be handmade by ME, per se, but that would certainly help cut the costs. The only thing is… unless I want to do an exact duplicate of LeahPeah’s basket, I need some ideas. And I’m not coming up with any. My ideas are all shot.
So that’s where you fine folks come in. I need ideas of stuff I can make. Keep in mind the whole “no crafty bone in my body” thing. Links would be must appreciated (I need detailed tutorials with pictures, yo!). And, in the absense of something I can make, send me links to fabulous things off Etsy or the like. What would YOU like to get in a homemade gift basket? Bonus points to you if you’ve done this sort of gift before and can tell me what you included.
I’d love to see some fabulous participation on this one. Help me out and maybe get some awesome ideas for yourself while you’re at it. The economy may be circling the drain, but that doesn’t mean Christmas has to suck this year, right?
{ 4 comments }
Shannon 10.08.08 at 6:55 pm
A few years ago my sister made gift baskets for everyone in her husband’s family. She made some jellies, a loaf of bread, some strawberry butter, some syrups for waffles/pancakes (maple, blueberry, strawberry), and maybe she put in some waffle mix or somthing like that. She also made a little christmas ornament for each basket and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I have been known to make some quick breads and pass them out for christmas presents.
Susan 10.08.08 at 8:18 pm
A non-cooking/crafting idea that I’ve used with great success is a “movie night” gift basket. Fill a popcorn bowl with one microwavable bag of corn, several of the movie-sized boxes of candy from Wal-Mart (89 cents each), and any other type of treat you like — maybe some cream sodas or Yoo hoos or something fun to drink and then add in a gift card (of whatever denomination you prefer) to a movie rental house, and voila! It’s a movie night at home with everything your friends/family need to make it happen. It’s perfect for a family with kids, and great for the giver’s wallet. This gift and board games are my go-to family gifts, because you just have to give one item for the whole group, and it doesn’t feel like cheating.
When it comes to crafting gifts, the ones that I’ve had the most success with are actually photo albums. Grandmas and aunts LOVE a filled photo album. It’s just something they don’t have time for or think to do for themselves. I’ve also given my mother in law blank albums and an IOU gift certificate for my labor. I then took home her old family photos and filled the albums (one for each of her three children). When I returned them to her (on Mother’s Day), it was like giving her a gift twice — and she now loves me forever. Score.
michelle 10.09.08 at 7:04 am
Wow… see my problem is that I would love to do homemade Christmas presents. I even bought enough yarn to stock my own small yarn store so that I could make scarves for everyone. And then the big procrastination problem I have bit me on the butt. So, I have one scarf 2/3 of the way finished and a big basket of yarn staring me in the face. And that scarf? It was supposed to be a present TWO years ago!!!! Yeah. So, good luck with your baskets, Marilyn. I hope you have much better success with your ideas than I did with mine.
As for a non-crafty idea for you? Um… I did a hot chocolate basket once. I found a nice mug, got some hot chocolate mix, some marshmallows, and some nice cookies to go with the hot chocolate. But instead of a basket, I put it all in a gift bag that I had saved from a previous Christmas. Getting a basket to look pretty is a little above my skill level. I’ve also done “pamper yourself” deals. Get some bubble bath, a book (one that’s NOT twilight), some nail polish… you know, whatever the person you’re giving it to would consider pampering. Just 2 or 3 things and TA-DA, let the pampering begin!
Sara (3 comments.) 10.09.08 at 7:40 am
Well, I must shamelessly plug my etsy shop http://www.sdkent79.etsy.com. I’ve got great stuff for gift baskets for anyone. Coffee tumblers that are presonalized and then you just add tea bags, a nice book and a candle….or baskets for a new mom, great luggage tags, photo books, etc. You can also convo me and I can help you come up with the perfect gift idea!
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