Well, this year we are doing a homemade Christmas with my family. The idea and cost of this sounds very appealing. However, the creativity involved sends me into panic mode. I have a couple of ideas for some of my family. But, I am looking for some good, cheap, homemade ideas for this Christmas.
I don't want to give trash to everyone to throw away after a week. So, I come to the blogosphere asking for help. As you give ideas, please keep in mind that I am not crafty or creative at ALL! I need something very simple and that does not involve any art ability :) Do you see why I am struggling here?
I hope you can help, because I am at a loss.
26 comments:
Yeah you better get help, I don't want trash!
Go to the craft store and grab a big bag of misc. beads. (all different colors and sizes) Get a roll of stretchy string, and make bracelets. It's so easy, and they could be really cute too!
A homemade Christmas - comments 2 and 3 are why you shouldn't have a homemade Christmas.
love amanda
By the time you go out and buy all your supplies - you could probably buy a real gift that people will like.
love amanda
This is the 1st time I've been thankful NOT to be on someone's gift list!!! I do have some good ideas thoughbecause I am crafty---so depending on who they are for I'll tell you when I see you
We are doing oriental trading craft kits for teachers. Homemade key rings for the family.
http://4my3kids.blogspot.com/2008/08/christmas-is-right-around-corner.html
Also, go to Michaels and get clear plastic christmas balls (ornaments) that open at the top. You can fill them with whatever makes the kids or that person special!! I love mine. The kids put their picture in them. The christmas light glow throught them on the tree!! Good luck!
Amanda and Andrea,
You are so helpful, as always!
Kelly,
I need a lot more detail about the key rings.
I always go with BAKING! It is fun, easy, & most of all, it isn't something UGLY that you feel you HAVE to display or wear after christmas. It is the SAFE homemade Christmas present
wool dryer balls? that's hysterical;)
our tradition is always to eat sticky buns on christmas morning. so i am thinking of making homemead from scratch sticky buns as gifts....and presenting it as a way for them to start the tradition. you could also provide cocoa to go with it.
my friend did this for me last year and it was a great idea and the rolls were out of this world!
i think she froze them before she gave them out so that they "kept" longer.
Cassie,
Do gifts in a jar. There are tons of recipes on the web everything from bath salts to cookies, to hot chocolate. You can even do some marbles or beads for a kid. I have been saving tons of cute jars to do this very thing then run out of time.
We are doing homemade Christmas this year too. I made everyone homemade stockings. I had to get very creative and I found lots of fabric right her in my home that made awesome stockings! They turned out so great that Pottery Barn is jealous! LOL
AMEN Brittani
How about safety pin trees? We've made dozens, the kids can participate, and they are really very pretty.
Look for some easy to make christmas tree ornaments. You can add messages and dates.
- or fruitcake - a picture in a frame - framed kids art - homemade gourmet christmas cookies and candies(this should be easy with four kids)- make a family recipe cook book - fruit baskets -
ummm..........let me do some more thinking.
coupons for free babysitting , to cook a meal, wash a car, massage for hubby, etc.
Cassie - e-mail me and I'll share something you can make and your family will love it. I don't want to put it out on my blog yet...Kim
kim@momunscripted.com
Possibly this will give you some ideas...
http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/holiday_gifts_ms/
I like the photo books, family calendars, handmade napkins (it doesn't have to be holiday-ish).
I told you already...clip my coupons...the PERFECT gift! And I think a start up kit for your mom is still a good idea.
Somebody already said gifts in a jar, so I'm going to second it! They're cheap and really easy and you can customize them so each person gets something they will actually use. If you have a signature recipe that your family raves about that would be even more special.
I bought some mason jars from Wal-Mart last year (it was around $7 for 12 of them I think) and printed out the recipe for some M&M cookies and glued it onto old manila folders. With a little help, my husband's then-8-year-old son layered the dry ingredients in the jar and I punched a hole in the recipe card and tied it to the jar with pretty ribbon. One hint, put the brown sugar on the bottom since you can pack it in, and save the M&Ms or chocolate chips for the top, otherwise they just get covered in the flour and sugar.
Another easy project is cinnamon ornaments. You can find the recipe online easily, but it's basically lots of cinnamon mixed with applesauce to form a dough. You roll and cut it out like cookie dough and use a straw to put a hole in the top then gently bake them. You can just string them after that or you can decorate them with craft paints. They smell sooo good!
Wow..you already have some great ideas! I don't know if all the women in your family enjoy cooking, but when I read magazines, I tear out pages that I'd like to keep, whether they be craft ideas or recipes I want to try out. Anyways, how about a decorated binder with those plastic pages in it where you can slip some recipes in there?
I also like the cookie mix in a jar idea and you could get the supplies cheap.
Just a Girl held an "I Can Make That" carnival a few weeks back. There are over 100 links to great ideas for homemade gift ideas. Here's the link:
http://j-a-girl.blogspot.com/2008/11/welcome-to-party.html
Hope you find something great!
and here's one more idea:
when I couldn't think of something really special for my brother one year I gave him the gift of my time. We don't often get to spend time together and he was living in Tampa at the time so I bought a calendar (you can make one) and each month chose an activity to do together---all our activities weren't free, but they could be. We both love being together so it was a hit. If the date I had chosen didn't work we agreed on one that did.
Oh and one more....
last year I rounded up my siblings and we went and caroled for my mom (she was sitting with an elderly patient)one evening--she had no idea we were coming, my sisters came up from W.P.B. and my brother came down from Atlanta.
It was too funny, we were caroling out in the front yard, she heard us and came to the door, she didn't recognize us at first and asked if we were from a local church. I'm still giggling as I type this. Its a Christmas memory none of us will ever forget.
And you guys have PLENTY of people to carol!!
Lisa E.
I see all of my great ideas were already mentioned...and I have a lot more now just reading your comments!
Do you live close to your family? You could do a bread of the month gift, or a homemade dinner once a month. Do you sew? I am going to make myself a table runner with Christmas themed cloth, you could do something similar either for a specific holiday or to match someone's decor.
Ok. . that was a LOT of ideas! I think the most comments I've ever seen on your blog! wow. . .
I saw someone auctioning off a "treat of the month" idea and thought that might work. . You cook more than bake so what about dinner of the month? You could make dinners that you bring to their homes once a month on a regular schedule.
Love ya!
Bran
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