Thinking Ahead to 2010--Homemade Gifts

[luvsJack]

Hi all. I know there are several posters here that grow vegetable gardens each year, as do I.

My mom and in-laws are getting harder and harder to buy for and sometimes the gifts just get lost in the shuffle (especially with my in-laws as they have 7 kids and numerous grandkids). So-- I thought next year I would love to give all of them gifts from my garden. But what?

Do any of you make special jellies or relishes that you give as gifts? One I will do is pepper jelly but not sure of anything else. My inlaws grow a garden themselves so they would have the usual, I would really like something really good but maybe a bit unusual.

I cooked veggies from the garden that I had put up for Christmas dinner and got lots of compliments (brought home NO leftovers!!) so I was thinking of canning some veggies (a couple of jars for each family, maybe) to give as little family "happies" too for my sis and nieces and including my recipes for cooking them.

And ideas would be greatly appreciated!!



And another question: for those that make the flannel scarves and blankets, does flannel go on sale at the end of winter? I thought maybe buying ahead and starting on them might be better than waiting until later in the year. (these would be great for dd to give as gifts).

 

[sndfan]

I can't help you with recipes...although they sound like wonderful gifts to receive!

I crochet and there are huge yarn sales going on right now. Every year I buy a ton of yarn and then make scarves as gifts throughout the year. This year I bought extra because I'm hoping to start selling on Etsy and to do a Christmas craft fair next November.

Enjoy your garden come summertime!

 

[mward73]

From the garden, I make strawberry jam (I just use the recipe on the inside of the Sure-Jell box and it's wonderful). I also make bread & butter pickles as well as watermelon pickles - both of those recipes came from my grandma, so they're special to the family. I want to make spaghetti sauce - my best friend's grandma used to make us sauce for Christmas - she passed away, but we have the recipe.

I used to make cross stitch presents for people, but with 2 small kids now, I don't have time for that. I have the older (3 yo) make something for the grandparents, but that's as crafty as it gets these days.

 

[KibbyCat]

My favorite thing to make is fresh homemade salsa. I've never canned anything, though, so I don't know how that works (to preserve it and all). Everyone I've ever made it for stuck it in the fridge and ate it immediately.

 

[worm761]

If ya'll are going to talk about yummy food, you should share recipes with me!

 

[weewuvvdisney]

I'm looking for new ideas for next year as well.

Can't never be to organized............



Jan

So how many days left until Christmas?

 

[cjackearl]

I was considering growing gourds to make gourd bird houses or feeders.

 

[akcire]

Two thoughts. My neighbors make me a bottle of wine every year. I know they buy the grapes, they do not grow them and that they bottle "their" wine in any used wine bottles they can find. Since a couple of us neighbors just put our empties on their front porch (better than seeing the old guy digging in our recycling on garbage day). I have never looked into doing this, but it honestly is very good--maybe this is something you could try?

Also I think if you were to do jam/jelly I would try and make some that are less common in the grocery store. I am a great fan of thinks like cloudberry, strawberry-rhubarb, huckleberry, etc. Things that I can't get at Target--and will leave your family waiting for more next year.

My in-laws, including the kids (husband has 5 much younger adopted teenage siblings) would rather have me bake them something than any gifts we bring. This year they all got holiday gifts, but the biggest hits by far was a batch or a cake of their favorite holiday dessert that they did not have to share with each other (unless they wanted). My father-in-law took a tin of peanut butter blossoms and hid them---it was pretty funny. I have already decided for 2010 they are not getting "gifts" just gift cards and baked goods. Easier for me, and it will make them all happier.

 

[smokeyblue]

I don't have any great suggestions or recipies; but I love this idea. I'm just so sick of "stuff," I don't mean just presents people get me, but things I buy and really don't need. I know that gift giving is traditional and the extent of the tradition varies from person to person. I would rather just get a card or have a nice conversation or have someone give money to a cause I support.

A consumable like jam or pickles or whatever would be wonderful to get too. I'd just use it up and not feel guilty for having to donate or throw something away.

 

[neatokimmo]

I vote home made sweet pickles. In our family we fight over them. I am starting a garden this year just so I can make a cabinet full of them!

 

[pampam]

Since we don't know the parents or in-laws it's kinda hard to suggest ideas. Do they make preserves or pickles? What kind of gifts do they give, or what kind of gifts do they talk about receiving? Perhaps they would like homemade bread with a jar of homemade jam. It could be packaged in a nice basket (lovely ones can be had for a buck or two at a second hand shop) with a cloth napkin liner. Have you ever heard them speak longingly about something they miss eating? Even a few frozen casseroles so they wouldn't have to make meals might be appreciated.

 

[luvsJack]

All of the suggestions are great ideas.

My in-laws are very "country". I don't mean that as an insult, but they have chickens and cows and have always had a huge garden and mil puts up peas, corn, tomatoes, and the usual stuff (she doesn't do much jellies, relishes or preserves). I know mil would love anything unusual (found a recipe for caramel apply jelly that I am thinking of trying for example). They are talking about not having a garden at all this year so I might see what they do there and put up things that they will be missing from their garden for them.

I put up spaghetti sauce so that's an idea, as well as the salsa which is something they use a lot of.

If I do the jams and jellies I thought that right before the holiday I would make some homemade bread to go with it.

My mom is really a lot easier. She loves anything homemade to eat but isn't able to put anything like that up. Her favorite gifts are very simple and something she will use every day. The casseroles someone mentioned would be a really good idea for her so that she would be able to just pop something in the oven (and it would be better than frozen entrees).


All of these ideas are great and I would love to be able to work on all this all year and not have the expense and stress in Nov/Dec. And doing something for them that can be used up over the year would be great because it would ease the stress for the next year!

Actually, I will have two young dil's by next Christmas (younger ds and gf have set the date for 4/20) A basket of jellies, jams, pickles and all of it would be a good gift for both couples to go along with whatever else I buy them. As would some cross stitched Christmas ornaments for their trees.

 

[amyy]

I love the book For Bees and Me rom Gooseberry Patch. I have been meaning to try the potpourri but never have.

1 cup dried parsley
1 cup dried sage
2 cups dried rosemary
1 cup dried thyme
1 cup dried mint of your choice
1 cup dried cranberries
10 medium size pinecones

Mix together and display in a favorite basket.

 

[Juliegirl1]

I just wanted to post about a gift that my 9 year old made and gave to everyone in the family. He picked up pinecones in the yard, tied a long ribbon around the bottom, smeared peanut butter on them and rolled them in bird seed. We popped them into a clear bag and wrapped wire with gold stars garland around the top to keep them closed. They were a big hit with everyone and it is a simple enough project for little kids to do. He made about 25 in an hour. You just tie the ribbon to a tree and let the birds have at it.

 

[Goofy'slady]

I'm right there with you! I've been making homemade goodies for close family relatives, friends and neighbors for years now.

Every October my family goes apple picking and from the pounds and pounds of apples we pick I make homemade apple butter and applesauce. I remember the first year I did this, I wasn't sure how it would be received from everyone so I only made a few larger preserving jars. Well, those who got it loved it so much they told those of who didn't and the ones who didn't get any were upset and made me promise to include them on the list for next year. I did and the amount I make grows every year because word gets around. I even had to send some to my in-laws in Holland this year! LOL I also made this year corn relish and it was a hit. The corn relish has so many uses that make ordinary foods oh-so yummy. I can everything to make them last longer and decorate with seasonal fabric just like my great-grandmother use to do when she made the same things.

I still get my close family members and friends small gifts in addition to what I make. In my circle of friends and co-workers the homemade movement has grown so much since I've started to include some folks I work with in on my homemade gift giving that 90% of the gifts I received this year were those made by hand and not just eatable gifts either. To me there's no greater gift than the one that comes from the heart and hand.

T.

Anyone who wants my simple apple butter, applesauce and corn relish recipes are welcome to PM me.

 

[Colleen27]

I started making gifts for my two impossible to buy for, diabetic grandmothers, many years ago when low sugar products were harder to find. They're both gone now, but I still make gifts for my mother and inlaws. Making favorite recipes is so much easier than trying to find some trinket to buy for people who have everything they need/want!

I've done apple butter, blueberry or raspberry jam, zucchini or pumpkin bread, and homemade salsas for relatives. What I do in any given year depends on two things - what I grew too much of (there's always something, usually at least zucchini and tomatoes!) and what I'm in the mood to do. Some years I do pierogis or golabki from my grandmother's recipes, but that's a lot of work and I don't always have the time. Homemade bread to go with the jam is nice too, and there's nothing better for a cold winter day than spending it in the kitchen baking fresh bread!

As far as flannel or fleece, just watch the Joanns and Hobby Lobby ads and get on their e-mail lists. I got about a million yards of flannel for lounge pants at Joanns on Black Friday because it was $1.49/yard with an additional % off the entire purchase "early bird" coupon for going before noon.

 

[timzagain]

We put together some food gift baskets this year; baskets of the basics for some of the seniors on our lists. The baskets were well received.

Another DIY project we did this year - T-shirts! Bought some inexpensive T-shirts and some iron-on transfer paper, and created some customized shirts for 4 people on our list. Most of them featured "smart-alecky" comments, compliments of my DD17.

Next year, I'll be making up food gift baskets for a few other hard-to-shop-for people as well. The contents of the baskets will be tailored to the recipient (e.g. a jam basket for the jam junkie in the family) The kitchen is not my area of expertise so I will not be making any food gifts myself. I intend to buy a few items along the way as I do my regular grocey shopping to spread out the cost, leaving the perishables 'til last of course.

I'm also doing a few simple jewelry projects for some 'tweens on my list. I don't know why I didn't think of that before!

 

[CherylA]

Where does everyone buy their canning jars? I was looking for them a few days before Christmas at Walmart and they didn't have them. Is there a time of year you have to buy them. Also whats a typical cost for them. I'm thinking I would use a 12-15 oz size. Do they go one sale? I have a chutney recipe that is classic in my family and would can well but as you can probably tell I've never done any canning!

 

[thebeesknees]

I got mine at the grocery store, but Walmart usually carries them toward the end of the summer, too. I think the regular price was about $15 for 12, but there is normally a coupon in the Sunday paper around that time of year, and often the store will put them on sale, as well, so just keep an eye out around August/September. For myself, I can reuse old jars and just get new seals for them, but for gifts I usually will splurge on the new ones. You can get several sizes, and there are freezer jam containers that they sell now, too. Those are great for all those summer berries - we like to make a strawberry/blueberry/raspberry combo sometimes.

 

[CherylA]

I got mine at the grocery store, but Walmart usually carries them toward the end of the summer, too. I think the regular price was about $15 for 12, but there is normally a coupon in the Sunday paper around that time of year, and often the store will put them on sale, as well, so just keep an eye out around August/September. For myself, I can reuse old jars and just get new seals for them, but for gifts I usually will splurge on the new ones. You can get several sizes, and there are freezer jam containers that they sell now, too. Those are great for all those summer berries - we like to make a strawberry/blueberry/raspberry combo sometimes.

Thanks! I'll have to remember to get them at the end of the summer so I have them for Holiday time!