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

[debbiet1]

Well afghan number 7 is just about finished. We had Oktoberfest in our town this weekend and for the cool times the kids wore their handknit sweaters. Some people saw them and ordered 4 for Christmas gifts and told me I should have a website. It was a nice compliment so once I finish this afghan and one more I'll be doing more sweaters!

 

[KLAIT]

What my son will do this year is really simple...I found very cute Christmas/Winter scissors in the Current Catalog...the handles look like a snowman, a christmas Tree or a Reindeer...we will purchase flat hot pads at the Dollar Tree stores and wrap so that it looks like a cone...with the tab for hanging on the top and then hot glue the seam..then tae some christmas embellishments of some sort and glue on....with an extra strength magnet on the back..this way people will always know where their scissors are while they are wrapping presents....

 

[It's A Happy Day]

*bumping*

 

[snowwhite84]

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/holiday_gifts_ms/holiday_gifts_ms.html

This site has a lot of great homemade holiday gift ideas!

 

[NemoMOm]

I know somewhere a while back there were alot of posts of movie baskets. I need to know what type of basket/box would you recommend? I have to ship it across country. I bought movies, cand and popcorn any other suggestions?

Also anyone have any ideas for spouses? I've done coupon books before.

 

[Kycha]

I know somewhere a while back there were alot of posts of movie baskets. I need to know what type of basket/box would you recommend? I have to ship it across country. I bought movies, cand and popcorn any other suggestions?

Also anyone have any ideas for spouses? I've done coupon books before.

I would use a big popcorn bowl. Sometimes you can find them at the dollar store or Wal-mart/K-mart. I would try Oriental Trading co.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/appl...e%2bmatchallpartial&N=0&sd=LARGE+POPCORN+CUPS

http://www.nextag.com/popcorn-bowl/search-html

 

[NemoMOm]

Thanks!

 

[snowwhite84]

http://www.eebeads.com/ideas.html

This has a lot of nice patterns if you want to make your own jewelry. It's expensive if you buy the beads from the site, but if you got your own at a better price you could still use these patterns for inspiration!!!

 

[cmbonneville]

As a kid growing up my aunt would always make something handcrafted (she was a crafty nut ) and then also bake/make something edible to go with it

I loved her gifts as a kid and cherish the ones I still have as an adult

She would make all kinds of things for holidays from trick or treat baskets, tooth fairt pillows, ceramics, t-shirts, personalized story books, and christmas ornaments. She would always include the year on the ornaments. My favorites were popsicle stick people and felt mitten sets with my kids names and the year on them.

My favorite edible item she would do is chocolate peanut butter buckeyes...If you have never had them...they blow reese cups away!
They can be a little messy and time consuming - but are inexpensive, fun, and always a hit -

For my co-workers, kids teachers, and neighbors - I will be making these and placing them in cellophane bags and then in the cheap (25 cent) bags from Walmart, in coffee mugs which were cheap cheap cheap at the Disney store, or plastic Christmas storage containers

 

[jacksmom]

As a kid growing up my aunt would always make something handcrafted (she was a crafty nut ) and then also bake/make something edible to go with it

I loved her gifts as a kid and cherish the ones I still have as an adult

She would make all kinds of things for holidays from trick or treat baskets, tooth fairt pillows, ceramics, t-shirts, personalized story books, and christmas ornaments. She would always include the year on the ornaments. My favorites were popsicle stick people and felt mitten sets with my kids names and the year on them.

My favorite edible item she would do is chocolate peanut butter buckeyes...If you have never had them...they blow reese cups away!
They can be a little messy and time consuming - but are inexpensive, fun, and always a hit -

For my co-workers, kids teachers, and neighbors - I will be making these and placing them in cellophane bags and then in the cheap (25 cent) bags from Walmart, in coffee mugs which were cheap cheap cheap at the Disney store, or plastic Christmas storage containers

Would you share the recipe? Thanks!

 

[It's A Happy Day]

If you have a local shaws - I know this is definitely regional. They had nice size pottery like mugs for $0.25 each on clearance!!! I picked up 10 to add to my gift closet. I figure I can use them at some point for teachers gifts - holidays, teacher appreciation week, whatever by adding hot chocolate, coffee, cup of soup, etc and wrapping in cellophane.

 

[aceandmee]

I haven't read any of the replies, so hopefully these haven't already been mentioned. I get those small photo album books that hold about 50 pics and kind of have a frame for the front. I look at JCPenney's etc. for them to be on sale. Get pictures of our family from the last year or so and fill them up. Fairly cheap, maybe $12-20 each if you shop around for albums and pics. Grandparents love them and I love going over to their houses and looking at them too!(I never seem to get around to making any for myself)

If you can cross stitch, you can make a nice looking bookmark that is pretty inexpensive, but time consuming.

Make cookie mixes in a jar. I have also made my own jam to give away to neighbors and family. A little bit of fabric and a pretty ribbon really dress it up. Lots of great recipes online for the cookies in a jar. I think I made cowboy cookies and they were delicious.

Have the kids "make" your Christmas cards and/or wrapping paper. Several different ways to do both.

Make your own basket of goodies. For example, a movie night basket with a gift card from blockbuster for 1 or 2 rentals, box of popcorn, cokes, candy, etc.

HTH!

 

[debbiet1]

Another great gift is .. go to Walmart/or a dollar store. Get the christmas cookie tins. They dont have to be huge and make homemade truffles. Easy to make and everyone enjoys them

 

[MKCP5]

From the wife of a teacher------any office supplies you can find on clearance!! DH spends alot on extra supplies each year from our own $$

When you see pens, encils erasers pencls etc on clearance, make yourself a stash and then put the together in a cello bag for xmas w/ a note saying thanks. It will be very very much appreciated!!!

 

[blackforest]

Hi! I finally found the recipie for the Caramel Apple Dip. See my previous post for how to package the gift!


Ingredients
25 KRAFT Caramels
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter (optional)


Cooking Directions
Place caramels, milk and peanut butter (if using) in canning jar.
Microwave on HIGH 2-1/2 to 3 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each min.

Serve warm as a dip with the apple slices.

 

[NemoMOm]

Anything for spouses?

 

[mum of two pirates]

Thanks guys

 

[kumash]

labdogs42 said : I made the fleece no-sew blankets for everyone a few years ago. They take 4 yards of fleece each for nice big blankets (3 yards for kids blankets).


Thank you, thank you, thank you for this GREAT idea!! I'm a very artsy/craftsy person, and DH and I were trying to come up with a cheap solution for Christmas presents this year. This will work out great!!!

Also, I found some excellent step-by-step instructions with photos here:
http://http://collectibles.about.com/library/articles/blfleecepattern.htm

 

[Karenj2]

I'm really into hand-painted pottery - in fact for a while I had turned it into a business... In our area, you can find something to do between $5 - ???. I've done mugs, plates, and wall tiles (hanging, not grouted).

This isn't a holiday gift, but it's an example of what I've done.

 

[NemoMOm]

You gotta share how you did the pottery. I love it.

I also forgot that I made ornamanets to go in the gift baskets last year. At Michaels they have pre-cut wooden gift tags. I painted them, added 3-d stickers from scrapbooking area (so pretty stickers) then added clear glitter, sprayed to seal. They were really pretty.