Christmas Ideas ==Please Help me out!!

[dixieland]

Since you are by far some of the most creative and innovative folks I have met on the web, I thought I would start here:

I am looking for ideas for Xmas gifts for family & friends that are not terribly expensive. They can be something homemade, but most of all I want to do something unique and meaningful....

Last year we made gift baskets with all kinds of homemade snacks- Peppermint Brittle, Rum Cake, Chocolate covered pretzels, homemade trail mix, etc...

So----I would love to hear your ideas!!

Thanks so much!!

Jes

 

[redwing76]

There's a post here called "Crafters - What are you making?" That would probably be what you are looking for. There are several pages of ideas there! I hope this helps! I'm still reading through it myself. They certainly are a creative bunch here. I'm so glad I found this site! Not only has it been a useful resource for my first year of raising chickens but it's also a great outlet for my creative spurts! I LOVE the hobbies thread!!!

 

[KellyHM]

These are fantastic: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=160244

 

[squeakyballs]

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=32204.0 This is my favorite tutorial for making purses, I just make them twice that size! They are pretty easy and can be personalized.

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=283782.msg3215276#msg3215276 Here is one that I made

This year, I have the crazy idea to give everyone socks and underwear. I'm constantly checking the clearance racks. You should see the pair of panties I got my grandmother. XXL. Purple. Leopard Print. Thong.

 

[dixieland]

Thanks SO much! You all ROCK

 

[write2caroline]

We have a rule in our family that christmas gifts should either be made or something for a whole family like a game or activity.

One year I knitted fun hats for everyone, another year was the year of the sock monkeys, I am attempting socks this year but It has been a little harder, We do the food items too. Russian Tea is a huge hit every year for teacher gifts, One time I gave all My brother and sister in laws families these knitting circles and yarn - My brother of all people, decided to try it out and totally loved it.

We have 3 nieces and 3 nephews so it gets expensive. The age range is 12boy, 10boy; 12girl,11girl; 11boy and 5girl. So I am thinking of also making some funky and fun aprons and purses for the girls.

The first family with two boys are really into geo caching and they don't have a GPS so I am thinking of getting them a GPS but that can be expensive. When the kids were smaller we did a lot of homemade wooden toy gadgets. marshmellow shooters, puzzles. We have personallized wooden boxes with a wood burner, made chess sets. I try to do something around their personalities. Not just put their names on things but instead something I know they enjoy. I like to look up old fashioned handmade toys and try to make them.

Now they are tweens and it is getting harder. I have done homemade soaps with little plastic toys inside, fizzy bath bombs. The boys are sometimes a little easier. Hannah the littlest gets home made doll clothes for her biddy baby

Just some ideas

Caroline

 

[flgardengirl]

I had never heard of Russian Tea. Is it the instant one with Tang? I just looked up a recipe and I think I need to try it. Sounds Yummy!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Instant-Russian-Tea-2/Detail.aspx

 

[dixie&trixie]

Buy a few bottles of good extra virgin olive oil and create your own flavored cooking oils. Throw some jalepenos in one, garlic in another, experiment with different herbs. You can buy cheap bottles from crafts stores pour the evoo in them and jazz the bottles up with twine or cork.

 

[dixieland]

Great idea Dixie!!!

 

[NanaKat]

Last year I made bath wraps for the grandkids..ranging in ages from 6 to 13. Used elastic in a channel for the back area to make them adjustible.

For the girls they were wraparound toweling with ribbon straps. Used buttons for the front closure and used a ribbon tie for the waist too.

For the boys, they were the waist to knee length wraps like men wear in the the military. Those tween boys will be showering in the gym after sports and the waist wraps are a good coverup.