I think I am going to make my daughters each a quilt and maybe a matching pillow sham. Thinking of maybe pot holders for friends and family. How about you. What do you have in mind for Christmas?
My family are getting a jelly basket with a loaf of homemade bread, with a Christmas dish towel and if I can find them jelly knives, which will probably be cheese knives.
Some will get a basket with my honey, plum/apple/grape/ fig jelly/jams.
I have decided to make large shopping bags and put something on them about 'being green' for my dd's--if I can find some nice canvas.
I am going to make calendars with pictures of the kids (now all adults) when they were little--and make sure they have all the extended birthdays on it.
I will also add: nails, tacks, screws, picture hangers, cup hooks of lots of differnet sizes for them to add to their 'decorating' box! 'Decorating Box'== last yr. for Christmas, I purchased each of my children, those great little boxes (at Lowe's) that have removable cubbies in them of different sizes,contained in a plastic carrying case. Then filled them with everything I could think of that you use around you home.. Added a small heavy duty tote full of screw drivers, hammers, levels, pliers and a stud finder.. It was a huge hit and they have all stated they needed refills and how nice it is to have a place for all those little things! I have made it a part of my gift giving for all college grads and new homeowners, housewarming!
I took the same box and made a Quilting box for my mother in law and filled it full of thimbles, chaulk, thread, pins, needle threaders, and a lot of different size and color buttons., etc..
I made sewing one for a neice adding thread, pins, needles, velcro, scissors, hem tape, tape measure etc.
I am not good at crafts and with time constraints I don't bother.
We only buy for the kids. Adults don't exchange at all. All are teenagers now and I give gift certificates to them so they can get what they want, clothes, or electronics or dvds, whatever..
Nicole being little is easy now. So many toys to choose from. What I have been doing is shopping all sales on toys whenever I see them. Our dollar store had items marked down to a .25 and I got her a few stocking stuffers and a few small toys. Other than 1 large present, I will be close to done on a low budget. So I did well this year so far.
I think the food stuff basket gifts are a great idea. I love getting others' jellies and jams and such as a nice present. Handmade crafts are wonderful gifts, especially like an afghan or something. Very useful and shows you care with the time committed to a project!
We do the same...give to kids (nieces/nephews) only. Last year I made each one a double sided fleece blanket with their names sewn on them. This year? Not real sure...I have 7 of them, all under the age of 8!! I am such a procrastinator, so I have really no idea right now, lol.
Homemade soaps, lotions, sugar scrubs, lip balms. Dried flower wreaths, baskets and swags. Live Christmas wreaths, scented hearth baskets full of fire starter pinecones.
I don't have too many people to give gifts to here, so I won't be going all out. Noone here shares my interests and my gifts tend to follow the homemade, gardening, self-sufficient theme, so I doubt these folks would be interested in any of them. Country folk who live in town and no longer want to live "country"....
I was thinking the same as nccountrygirl as to baskets with all butters-apple, peach, pear and pumpkin-this year and a loaf of homemade bread. I like the idea of adding the jellyknives or cheese spreaders though.
I would LOVE to get into making soaps/lotions as well. Some day.