Homemade Holiday Presents! Lets help each other! Ideas WANTED!

[hmdavid]

Gifts in jars-

I found this and thought it might be cute for those kids that have to do a daily journal theme.

Or even as a freebie teacher gift- for those kids that are always asking "what should I write about"

http://christmas.organizedhome.com/gifts-in-a-jar/childs-journal-jar

My step father makes wine hot plates- I have one that he made me that I LOVE.
You have to drink wine to get the corks-so I have started saving them for him.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6058577_make-wine-cork-hot-plates.html

is just one site with ideas on how to do it. My SD actually makes his own frames-simple woodworking project.

Going to make the journal jars for my nieces. I saw cute initial journals at Justice and will add a fun pen! They will love it!

 

[figment3258]

I've done home made tins of cookies. I also have made cute little reindeer ornaments from old fashion cloths pins.

My favorite was an ice cream theme basket. I found really cute ice cream glasses at the dollar store, bought an ice cream scoop, cute ice cream spoons and then some toppings. Also i put a gift card to cold stone for ice cream. Yum it was a big hit!

 

[kc10family]

I make jam for friends and teachers. It is easy and fast.

I have done cookies in a jar.... fun for kids.

 

[labdogs42]

I made these Peep Smores in a jar for Easter one year and here is a picture of them for Halloween: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/recipes/gifts-in-a-jar/smores-in-a-jar They make Christmas tree and Snowman Peeps, too, so these could be a cute Holiday gift as well!

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

I made these Peep Smores in a jar for Easter one year and here is a picture of them for Halloween: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/recipes/gifts-in-a-jar/smores-in-a-jar They make Christmas tree and Snowman Peeps, too, so these could be a cute Holiday gift as well!

Those look fun! and for some reason the idea of receiving it and getting to cut up all those peeps is, oddly, satisfying.

 

[CherylA]

Those look fun! and for some reason the idea of receiving it and getting to cut up all those peeps is, oddly, satisfying.

Right? It does seem like cutting up peeps would bring a certain amount of joy, maybe we're just weird! This is a cute idea, thanks!

 

[RangerPooh]

In my class this past year for Mother's Day we used large tiles (~6") and painted the childs hand, placed it on the tile and turned it into a fish, with a dot for an eye. It was very cute. I plan to do something similar with a large (~12") tile and place all 3 of my kiddos hand prints on it to form the top of a palm tree. Then I'll paint the trunk and possibly some sand and water. It's for the great grandparents who live in Hawaii

 

[Sn0W]

I got an ornate wooden box with patterns carved in it. Open it up and its filled with pictures from various holidays / nights out. I got this from my gf on valentines day

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

In my class this past year for Mother's Day we used large tiles (~6") and painted the childs hand, placed it on the tile and turned it into a fish, with a dot for an eye. It was very cute. I plan to do something similar with a large (~12") tile and place all 3 of my kiddos hand prints on it to form the top of a palm tree. Then I'll paint the trunk and possibly some sand and water. It's for the great grandparents who live in Hawaii

I love the palm tree idea -- nice if you want it for year round!

I've also done the tile where you make a reindeer out of your childs foot (the head, heel is the mouth area) and two hand prints at the top for the antlers. Googly eyes and you are set!

 

[maggiew]

I made these Peep Smores in a jar for Easter one year and here is a picture of them for Halloween: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/recipes/gifts-in-a-jar/smores-in-a-jar They make Christmas tree and Snowman Peeps, too, so these could be a cute Holiday gift as well!

These are really cute! But how do you eat them? I love smores.

Maggie

 

[maggiew]

I love the palm tree idea -- nice if you want it for year round!

Can you explain a little more about this? I can't picture it. But I think these would be great for my in-laws who live in Florida!

Maggie

 

[momtosam]

I am loving the Smores!!

 

[jacksmom]

The smores in a jar are so cute! They would be cute with Christmas peeps also!

 

[gerberdaisy1234]

I made these Peep Smores in a jar for Easter one year and here is a picture of them for Halloween: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/recipes/gifts-in-a-jar/smores-in-a-jar They make Christmas tree and Snowman Peeps, too, so these could be a cute Holiday gift as well!

OOOOO...sounds fun and yummy. I have some powdered butter milk that I got from the Dutch Market. I wonder if I could mix it in with the crushed graham cracker and just include the amount of water they need to add. I might test it and see since buttermilk might not be a staple in for some people. If I test I will report back (unless someone else has tried and lets me know that it doesn't work).

 

[disneycruising]

The Christmas before my mom died, she gave my sister and I a jar full of advice, memories and receipes written on little pieces of paper. It is my most cherished posession.
I gave my sister a memory book last year with photos, memories and inspirational phrases.

My sister did this for my DD when she was about 12. My sister filled a jar with strips of different color papers and each paper had either a memory (my sister had of her and my dd) or 'sister' story (stories from my sisters childhood that was funny). My sister told my DD to read one a day.

 

[maggiew]

I printed out all of the pages to make the journal jar! Thanks for the idea.

Maggie

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

I printed out all of the pages to make the journal jar! Thanks for the idea.

Maggie

I made this for my niece about ten years ago, as she always kept a journal and loved writing. I was very happy that when all the kids finished opening their gifts that Christmas, my niece went straight to her room and started answering some of the questions, even though she had a ton of really cool (and expensive) gifts. She acted like she loved her journal jar best of everything she received.

 

[indimom]

These are a BIG hit, especially with my mother and MIL. I do different variations each year, but here are some pics (from Google) to give you a general idea:


http://www.chattygal.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/candycane2.jpg

http://myecochicwedding.com/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/CandyCaneVase.jpg

http://www.clubhouseinfo.com/sitebuilder/images/Candy_Cane_Vase-163x183.jpg

http://www.debbiemumm.com/Projects/HomeDecor/2008/12/images/candy-cane-vase_Full.jpg

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/candy-stick-vase-669540/

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/...oliday-Napkin-Rings-and-Peppermint-Stick-Vase


Candy canes you can almost always get for a song ... I usually buy the "classic" red and white striped peppermint canes.

Dollar stores (and sometimes even Walmart) are great places for finding inexpensive glass vases.
With most of the vases, I have used coffee cans (aluminum) to serve as the vase.

You can also do the vase within a vase idea. The clear, "outside" vase can hold peppermint candies, red and green jelly beans, Christmas-colored Hershey's Kisses, Christmas-colored M&M's, etc.

The vase within a vase idea is also great for a Halloween and/or Thanksgiving gift ... Use candy corn in the "outside" vase. At Easter time, jelly beans or the pastel/Easter-colored Hershey's Kisses and M&M's work.

I absolutely LOVE these. They look so professional, but sound so simple to make. And what woman wouldn't enjoy fresh flowers on her table at Christmas!! I also love the one with pine branches and ornaments. It's going to be a tough call deciding which one to make.

I was just thinking of this thread the other day. I want to get started early this year. Last year I used a few of the ideas from this thread. I made hot plates out of ceramic tiles and put my kids hand prints on them using acrylic paint and covered the bottoms with adhesive cork. I also made dry erase boards. Using cardstock, scrapbook stickers and letters I created a "board" I liked then had it laminated and attached a pen (I actually found wet erase worked best) using velcro to the side. These were a huge hit.

I've heard of making your own white boards. Do they wash off clear with just water?? Where do you get them laminated? Teacher supply stores? About what do they charge for that, if you can remember? I have 12 day care kids who would love this. Especially if they can design their own. Then I can get them laminated and add them to their Christmas goodies.

Well it's been a really long night and I am beyond tired, but I wanted to get back on and post at least one idea I have, which is actually my favorite idea. I have been collecting Starbucks (and also Target brand) Frappuccino bottles and their holders (the bottles with holders come in 4-packs). I plan on turning them into hot chocolate gift sets (with one bottle filled with hot chocolate mix, one with peppermint sticks, one with marshmallows and possibly another hot chocolate or white chocolate mix, or maybe some kind of nice chocolates), and also I am creating one salsa-set with the jars filled with home-made salsa, along with a bag of tortilla chips and a gift card to a local Mexican restaurant (for a friend that absolutely loves that restaurant). I may vary it up even more once I get into the actual deciding of who gets what. They will be decorated using Christmas-themed scrapbooking paper and embellishments.
These are adorable!
Here are some pics of one set I made for a friend for her birthday this year. This one was a spa set, but you get the idea. Once I finish some Christmas sets I will post pics of those as well.

I was planning on making a spa set for my daughter and niece for a family party. One thing I kept reading on the websites was about preservatives? Sounded like those made without would "go bad" after a while?? How long do yours last on the shelf?? I was hoping to NOT use preservatives, but I want them to last a month or so, so the girls will get some good use out of them. They are 13/14 and love all things girlie, so the spa sets are an awesome gift...

The frap sets at Wal-mart and Target run about $5, most of the scrapbooking supplies I already have on-hand, and the fillings will cost very minimally considering I'll be making the mixes in bulk and they will fill several sets. So all in all I think it will be a really cute gift for neighbors, teachers, etc. but without breaking the bank

I made these Peep Smores in a jar for Easter one year and here is a picture of them for Halloween: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/recipes/gifts-in-a-jar/smores-in-a-jar They make Christmas tree and Snowman Peeps, too, so these could be a cute Holiday gift as well!

HOW CUTE IS THAT!!! And that's the first baked peeps recipe I've ever come across. I may have to use this for my day care kids and their families this year. Utterly adorable. Does anyone know if I might be able to do this with some sort of plastic container?? Ideas? Suggestions? I love the jars, but know that my little ones will want to hold them and touch them, and it doesn't seem like a great idea using glass jars. I just can't think of any clear, plastic containers that would be about the correct size??


I LOVE all these ideas. I've really been looking for some homemade gift giving ideas this year, so this is fabulous!!!

 

[maggiew]

HOW CUTE IS THAT!!! And that's the first baked peeps recipe I've ever come across. I may have to use this for my day care kids and their families this year. Utterly adorable. Does anyone know if I might be able to do this with some sort of plastic container?? Ideas? Suggestions? I love the jars, but know that my little ones will want to hold them and touch them, and it doesn't seem like a great idea using glass jars. I just can't think of any clear, plastic containers that would be about the correct size??

Thanks for pointing out that there are baking directions! I missed those the first time around!!! I couldn't imagine how you could eat those with crushed up graham crackers.

As far as plastic containers, would small peanut butter jars work?

Maggie

 

[DisneyBrooke81]

In my class this past year for Mother's Day we used large tiles (~6") and painted the childs hand, placed it on the tile and turned it into a fish, with a dot for an eye. It was very cute. I plan to do something similar with a large (~12") tile and place all 3 of my kiddos hand prints on it to form the top of a palm tree. Then I'll paint the trunk and possibly some sand and water. It's for the great grandparents who live in Hawaii

I love this idea! Did you seal them with anything after you painted them?

I have been reading this thread all day and can't wait to get started on a bunch of things! Thanks for all the great ideas.