Budget homemade gift people go WOW over?

[Fyrefly]

Interesting how someone else's idea is referred to as a "dust catcher" but when talking about your idea, you comment that "people love baked goods". It has been my experience that we give what we would like to receive in a lot of cases. Not homemade, but i buy pajamas as a gift a lot because I love pajamas! So as not to throw the thread totally off course, I also have received homemade gourmet caramel and chocolate dipped apples that had a "wow" factor for me...and therefore,I will be attempting to make them this year!

Very well said, I suppose I generalized a bit but in my experience I never knew anyone who refused baked goods from my family. In fact my mom gave a big platter to our neighbors once, and when she was invited to tea a few days later noticed they weren't being served (this was in England). The neighbor took her aside and showed where they had hidden the cookies in the oven, because they were "too good for serving at tea," and they were keeping them for themselves!

I think a PP said it better than me, I think what's important if you're going to do a homemade gift is that it's well thought out, and not a "Look at me, I made homemade gifts so yay!" Like one cousin of mine mass-produced candle holders out of logs. Everyone in the family got that, regardless of their home decor, preferences to things made of logs, or if they even used candles. I mean, I know it's the thought that counts but where was the thought it when it took her one afternoon to cut a bunch of holes in logs and could say she was done with her gifts? That's really what it comes down to for me. I'm more than happy with thought, if there was actually thought.

Stepping back to the actual thread now that I think this topic of "thought vs. gift vs. thoughtless gift" has been beaten to death...

A lot of the photo gifts from Shutterfly, etc. that have been suggested, I like. As well as mixes and baked goods for people who actually like baked goods.

Would it be possible for OP to let us know where their talents lie or even what is an absolute no-go (I see that sewing isn't suggested)? I could say one of the best homemade Christmas gifts I got was an afghan from my mom's cousin. But not just because it was warm, but because my great aunt, her mother, had died around Easter. She unraveled her favorite sweaters and made them into afghans so people who were close to her got to keep her close to their heart, in a way. But if OP doesn't crochet, I can't really suggest making afghans.

 

[blackforest]

The white chocolate peppermint bark is so simple to make!

 

[Aliceacc]

The white chocolate peppermint bark is so simple to make!

Care to share the recipe??

I'll be your best friend forever!!!!

 

[beansmom]

Oh really?? I didn't know they had blocks that already have the hole in them!! I will have to go get a few and make some teacher gifts plus some to put around the tree.

I love the snowman...i wanna make one!

Hobby Lobby (if you're lucky enough to have one in your area) has their glass 50% off including craft glass. I would buy them there for $3 less each block.

I wish i had HL close to me...maybe I need a road trip this week to POughkeepsie.

 

[blackforest]

Care to share the recipe??

I'll be your best friend forever!!!!

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. A jelly roll pan is like a cookie sheet with a 1/2 inch or so "lip" around the edge. Buy white chocolate and melt in a double boiler or in the microwave. Once it is melted, quickly stir in crushed/broken up pieces of peppermint candy. If the mixture starts to thicken up, place back in the microwave and heat for 20-30 seconds more. Once it is melted spread on the paper lined jelly roll pan and let cool/harden. Once set, lift the parchment paper and break the peppermint bark into bite-size pieces. Store in baggies or airtight containers.

As an added treat, you can make a first layer of milk or dark chocolate, let harden then spread the white chocolate mixture on top.

The pieces of peppermint can be as large or small as you'd like. And a great use for all those candy canes!

 

[lukenick1]

I've decided to make cookie mix in a jar for teacher gifts.........that way they can bake them in the cleanliness of their own homes.
I must admit that I too would not want any baked goods from anyone but me. Alot of people have pets in their house and the hair flies around and does get into the food. I am a germ phobe and would much rather my own clean kitchen. I rarely eat out and if I do it's usually a place where you can watch them cook. Carabbas has an open kitchen and habachi Japanese places cook right at your table. We also eat at Panera Bread which we can watch them make our food. Too many illnesses can be spread from eating out.

 

[zoemurr]

Interesting how someone else's idea is referred to as a "dust catcher" but when talking about your idea, you comment that "people love baked goods". It has been my experience that we give what we would like to receive in a lot of cases. Not homemade, but i buy pajamas as a gift a lot because I love pajamas! So as not to throw the thread totally off course, I also have received homemade gourmet caramel and chocolate dipped apples that had a "wow" factor for me...and therefore,I will be attempting to make them this year!

We have made these too and they went over very well.. just want to save you some heartache.. make SURE you boil water and dip the apples in before you do anything else. You need to make sure to get all the wax off of them or nothing else will stick. I served them at an office holiday party and everyone went nuts for them.

 

[torinsmom]

I made photo clocks for my mom and dad. I got a cheap $5 clock at Walmart, and printed out an 8x10 picture of the three grandkids. I cut in into a circle of the right size, slit the picture from one side to the center and cut a hole in the middle. I opened up the clock's front cover and put glue on the face, then slid my picture over the hour and minute hands. Once it dried, I applied stick on numbers from the craft store. These were a big hit, and probably cost me $6-$7 each.

 

[aprilgail2]

I've decided to make cookie mix in a jar for teacher gifts.........that way they can bake them in the cleanliness of their own homes.
I must admit that I too would not want any baked goods from anyone but me. Alot of people have pets in their house and the hair flies around and does get into the food. I am a germ phobe and would much rather my own clean kitchen. I rarely eat out and if I do it's usually a place where you can watch them cook. Carabbas has an open kitchen and habachi Japanese places cook right at your table. We also eat at Panera Bread which we can watch them make our food. Too many illnesses can be spread from eating out.

I feel that way about eating at or anything from people that have cats--I have seen cats on the counter that they prepare food on in peoples homes and that so totally grosses me out!!!!

 

[Nik's Mom]

no I cannot sew

Do you have a glue gun? I've been known to use a glue gun instead of thread and needle.

 

[scbelleatheart]

The white chocolate peppermint bark is so simple to make!

I'm with the next poster! Please share the recipe!

 

[daddyof2]

wow...I have to say that people grumbling about getting ANYTHING for Christmas is the reason why most of the people I know are exiled to the card list until they can prove they are no longer unappreciative of the thought. everyone else gets nice cookies, brownies, the like or whatever cute project I discovered through out the year. I am only 28 and I was raised to accept the gift graciously and not complain behind someones back about not getting the gift that I wanted.

I Would LOVE!!!! some brownies

 

[lisa6373]

We have made these too and they went over very well.. just want to save you some heartache.. make SURE you boil water and dip the apples in before you do anything else. You need to make sure to get all the wax off of them or nothing else will stick. I served them at an office holiday party and everyone went nuts for them.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[dixonismydog]

The homemade gifts that I have given in the past couple of years, have been very well received! They create more of a "home experience" I'll call it! Of course, this wouldn't work well for everyone on your list but for families with kids, they loved it! And it's inexpensive.

1. Did the banana spit in a jar idea....with ALL the fixin's....nuts, cherries, sprinkles, whipped cream....and a $5 giftcard for our local grocery store, so they could go purchase their choice of ice cream. I included an inexpensive Christmas DVD and delivered it a couple weeks before Christmas, so they could enjoy some quiet family time together, during the busy season.

2. Same thing....with cute mugs from a local discount store....doing the hot drink basket. Gingerbread marshmallows, candy canes, chocolate kisses...........and apple cider for Mom and Dad. I'll probably put in some sprinkle (store bought) Christmas cookies. I got in on the Amazon Gold Box today, with the box set of all of the original Christmas cartoons. I think I will throw in some of those fuzzy socks from the Target dollar spot too....so they can snuggle up in their jammies and enjoy some family time together! I will deliver it probably the first week of December or so. It's more of a holiday gift, I call it!

3. Same as above............less the movie.....and did a sugar cookie package with all the fixin's again. Sugar cookie mix and a couple of cutters. I included a christmas CD for them to play while baking and decorating. This family has 3 little girls......and it was the best gift they said!

I guess maybe they don't qualify as totally "homemade" gifts but it's the best I can do! I just kind of like it because it's something families can do together, and it doesn't create any more "stuff", for people to deal with after the holidays. I would hope they keep the DVD's and CD's, but other than that I assume that the mugs and cookie cutters, are even disposable.

 

[phoenixphantom]

I feel that way about eating at or anything from people that have cats--I have seen cats on the counter that they prepare food on in peoples homes and that so totally grosses me out!!!!

My family of 5 has 5 cats. We eat in our home on average 5 days a week or more and hundreds of others have eaten food either in our home or made in our home and to the best of my knowledge no one has died!

You are certainly entitled to your hang ups, but I'm just saying....

 

[magiclj]

The homemade gifts that I have given in the past couple of years, have been very well received! They create more of a "home experience" I'll call it! Of course, this wouldn't work well for everyone on your list but for families with kids, they loved it! And it's inexpensive.

1. Did the banana spit in a jar idea....with ALL the fixin's....nuts, cherries, sprinkles, whipped cream....and a $5 giftcard for our local grocery store, so they could go purchase their choice of ice cream. I included an inexpensive Christmas DVD and delivered it a couple weeks before Christmas, so they could enjoy some quiet family time together, during the busy season.

2. Same thing....with cute mugs from a local discount store....doing the hot drink basket. Gingerbread marshmallows, candy canes, chocolate kisses...........and apple cider for Mom and Dad. I'll probably put in some sprinkle (store bought) Christmas cookies. I got in on the Amazon Gold Box today, with the box set of all of the original Christmas cartoons. I think I will throw in some of those fuzzy socks from the Target dollar spot too....so they can snuggle up in their jammies and enjoy some family time together! I will deliver it probably the first week of December or so. It's more of a holiday gift, I call it!

3. Same as above............less the movie.....and did a sugar cookie package with all the fixin's again. Sugar cookie mix and a couple of cutters. I included a christmas CD for them to play while baking and decorating. This family has 3 little girls......and it was the best gift they said!

I guess maybe they don't qualify as totally "homemade" gifts but it's the best I can do! I just kind of like it because it's something families can do together, and it doesn't create any more "stuff", for people to deal with after the holidays. I would hope they keep the DVD's and CD's, but other than that I assume that the mugs and cookie cutters, are even disposable.

I love your quality time gifts!! I am so going to do the cookie baking basket!! I love to make gift baskets, yours are such a cute idea. I know a family with four girls it will be perfect for. It will certainly be a WOW goft for them. I hope Walgreens still have the Mickey snowman cookie cutters!!!!

 

[blackforest]

White Peppermint Bark

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. A jelly roll pan is like a cookie sheet with a 1/2 inch or so "lip" around the edge.

Buy white chocolate and melt in a double boiler or in the microwave. Once it is melted, quickly stir in crushed/broken up pieces of peppermint candy. If the mixture starts to thicken up, place back in the microwave and heat for 20-30 seconds more.

Once it is melted spread on the paper lined jelly roll pan and let cool/harden. Once set, lift the parchment paper and break the peppermint bark into bite-size pieces. Store in baggies or airtight containers.

As an added treat, you can make a first layer of milk or dark chocolate, let harden then spread the white chocolate mixture on top.

The pieces of peppermint can be as large or small as you'd like. And a great use for all those candy canes!

 

[dixonismydog]

I love your quality time gifts!! I am so going to the the cookie baking basket!! I love to make gift baskets, yours are such a cute idea. I know a family with four girls it will be perfect for. It will certainly be a WOW goft for them. I hope Walgreens still have the Mickey snowman cookie cutters!!!!

Awweee thanks! I think we all get so busy and sometimes we forget to do special stuff like that! As parents, we think we need to drag our kids all around town to different activities (which I do as well) but kids just want to be with their parents, and feel safe and loved. The smallest things really can make them happy. AND there is no extra clutter after Christmas for them to deal with!

(Not sayin' the wine bottle idea is "clutter".....I think they are very pretty.....never seen them before!)

I just think that for a lot of people on my list "experience gifts", even if small are the way to go!

 

[beansmom]

well, i DID jam the lights in the Belvedere bottles and they look lovely!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

The homemade gifts that I have given in the past couple of years, have been very well received! They create more of a "home experience" I'll call it! Of course, this wouldn't work well for everyone on your list but for families with kids, they loved it! And it's inexpensive.

1. Did the banana spit in a jar idea....with ALL the fixin's....nuts, cherries, sprinkles, whipped cream....and a $5 giftcard for our local grocery store, so they could go purchase their choice of ice cream. I included an inexpensive Christmas DVD and delivered it a couple weeks before Christmas, so they could enjoy some quiet family time together, during the busy season.

2. Same thing....with cute mugs from a local discount store....doing the hot drink basket. Gingerbread marshmallows, candy canes, chocolate kisses...........and apple cider for Mom and Dad. I'll probably put in some sprinkle (store bought) Christmas cookies. I got in on the Amazon Gold Box today, with the box set of all of the original Christmas cartoons. I think I will throw in some of those fuzzy socks from the Target dollar spot too....so they can snuggle up in their jammies and enjoy some family time together! I will deliver it probably the first week of December or so. It's more of a holiday gift, I call it!

3. Same as above............less the movie.....and did a sugar cookie package with all the fixin's again. Sugar cookie mix and a couple of cutters. I included a christmas CD for them to play while baking and decorating. This family has 3 little girls......and it was the best gift they said!

I guess maybe they don't qualify as totally "homemade" gifts but it's the best I can do! I just kind of like it because it's something families can do together, and it doesn't create any more "stuff", for people to deal with after the holidays. I would hope they keep the DVD's and CD's, but other than that I assume that the mugs and cookie cutters, are even disposable.

Something like this would be a WOW gift for me. I don't know how many times I will try to bake something or do something special with the kids just to find that I don't have everything on hand. Just don't limit the baking baskets to families with daughters, boys like it, too.