I am definitely guilty of planning to make too many Christmas presents then ending up in an absolute flap three days before because I haven't finished them. This year's plan is to get everything bought by December the 1st, then everything made in the first two weeks of December so when we get the tree up and start decorating the house everything is done!
On that note, today I'm sharing some ideas for gifts you can make yourself. Some are super simple and others are a little more time consuming, but hopefully it's early enough and if you do want to make some presents this year you'll have plenty of time to get everything finished!
I'll be adding more ideas to all the gift guides throughout November and December so keep checking back if you're enjoying them. I've added a tab to the menu bar above where you'll be able to find them all!
My parents seem to get given two or three plants for Christmas every year, poinsettias or hyacinths that are picked up in the supermarket, last five minutes, and (in the case of hyacinths) smell bloomin' awful!
You can buy much more stylish (and longer lasting) cacti and succulents for a few pounds, and repotted into a homemade planter they can become something really special. I love this woven planter tutorial from Teri at The Lovely Drawer, and she has several other planter tutorials on her blog too, like this hanging one, and this painted rope one.
Baked Goods in TinsIt's always lovely to get something homemade, and you cant go far wrong with a tin of homemade goodies. The set of three in the image above are from Ikea are only £6, and you can usually find similarly priced ones in supermarkets, or Tiger were pretty good for tins last year too. However if you put a little more money and thought behind it the container can also double up as an extra present.
These personalised jars are a little pricey, but I think they're beautiful. A quick search on eBay will uncover an array of vintage Quality Street tins for a bit of festive nostalgia, or this set of Orla Keily tins could prove quite good value as they can be split to give as several gifts.
If you have children to buy for but like to steer clear of things that will become additions to the plastic mountain, making a gift is perfect. There's nothing better than seeing someone really loving and using something you've made for them and handmade things are sure to become firm favourites. I made a farmyard version of this little backpack last year and was SO pleased to see it still being used at a recent family gathering. If you can sew straight lines, you can definitely make this and I've split the tutorial into three with really clear visual instructions - I'd love to see what you come up with if you decide to make one yourself.
This recipe is a bit of a Christmas tradition in our house. We've been making it since we were at uni and it never fails to go down well, it's not too spicy, but not sickeningly sweet like some chilli sauces and you can vary the heat too depending on how hot your chillies are. It's really really simple to make and looks really festive tied up with twine and a pretty tag. Package it up with some nice crackers and strong pecorino for extra brownie points!
It's all too easy to fall back on bath and body gift sets at Christmas, and while it's always nice to get some nice bits you wouldn't necessarily buy for yourself, you can quickly end up inundated with too many body lotions. This lavender sugar scrub is a bit different, really easy to make and feels luxurious, especially when it's used as part of a foot soak ritual. If you click through to the recipe I've also added a downloadable gift tag with instructions for the ultimate at home pedicure that you can add to the jar. You could make it really special by adding some nice socks and perhaps some lavender tea or chocolate treats for the recipient to enjoy while they're treating themselves to a post-Christmas-pedicure.
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ReplyDeleteI also love handmade things, it's very nice when someone gives a thing, for which he made his own efforts. When you do something, you give it a piece of yourself. I have thesis assignment now and it's work become part of me, because I give for it a lot of time. Therefore, time is the most expensive gift.
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