Tis' the season for gift giving: calling all crafty mommas

WanderingA

Hubs and I both have big families and the past few years I have been making small handmade gifts to give out to extended family at holiday parties.  Last year I made hot chocolate mix and filled mason jars with that and marshmallows and tied a little bottle of Kahlua to the outside.  The year before I gave everyone little bottles of vodka that I had infused with fruit.  I need ideas for this year!  Something that I can make a lot of (I give out 10-15) fairly inexpensively. 

I'm also looking for other, larger DIY gifts for the family.  Last year I made a coconut oil lotion for all the women and gave it to them with other bath products I bought.  I have absolutely zero sewing/knitting skills so I'm looking for something easy!

munchkin8590

I do the same thing for our families. I think this year I'm gonna do the pretzel, rolo and pecan treats and maybe some labored coffee syrups

mommadozer

I saw this at Costco. They were pre made gifts, where it was a tiny cast iron pan and you tie a cookie mix to it. I saw them and decided that they would be super easy to make!

Not sure if you have a BJ's restaurant near you. But they make pizookies which are about a 6" cookie and served it with ice cream. Very similar concept. Yummy dessert!

I'm thinking about doing those this year. If the cast iron pans are too much maybe a baby baking sheet with edges.

I'm excited to see everyone else's ideas! Last year I made re-usable grocery bags out of fabric and tied a dried soup mix to it for a bunch of people. Hardest part was making the bags.

CdnFarmGirl08

I want to do a small jar of homemade jam. I think the hardest part will be finding the time and finding strawberries! I'm hoping my mom still has some frozen from the summer!

I like the idea of the hot chocolate. I might do that too or instead of the jam!

CogDis

Last year I knitted scarves and hats on a knitting loom. I can't knit well with needles at all but even my 9 old niece picked up how to use the loom in about 30 minutes. It's a pretty quick and easy present and everyone seemed to love them!

2 years ago I made t-shirts for everyone in the family. For some I drew things and scanned them into the computer to print on iron-on transfers and for others I used quotes that I knew they'd like. Everyone was thrilled. The most work went into thinking up what to do for each person.

3 years ago I didn't have time for much so I bought stockings at the dollar store and filled them with treats from shoppers drug mart (I always save my points to spend on Christmas presents).

I'm thinking of knitting dish cloths this year (with needles, not the loom) and packaging it with homemade soap. However, I may not get to it as making a baby quilt is my #1 crafting priority.

The best homemade gift I received for Xmas was a bedazzled long sleeved shirt. I loved it. We all got one with our names bedazzled on them.

Sahara6971

I make lip balm, body butter, bath bombs and lip scrub

AnotherSun

I'm crocheting mittens this year. But one of my favorite gifts to receive was homemade pancake mix and a bottle of syrup.

delaneykai

Oh, my gosh, @WanderingA - I love the idea of adding the mini bottle of Kahlua!  I was planning to do the mason jar hot chocolate mixes for my 2 co-workers and 2 sitters for DD, so I'm going to borrow that idea!  

reneamac313

Infused sugars and salts are a good idea. You can find a lot of really easy recipes and it usually makes a good amount.

digwriter

Homemade vanilla extract is great for any bakers on your gift list. You can also make your own Irish cream.

Dannylion24

If you try google or pinterest there are tons of ideas and how-to's for creating homemade wreaths using a variety of materials. My favorite are the wreaths made entirely from large swaths of thick ornate ribbon! Burlap, live plants/vines, and even uninflated balloons look really neat, too

ConstanceGoodspeed

Last year I got the best caramels I've ever had, and didn't realize they were homemade because he individually wrapped and packaged them so neatly. I told him I want them again this year.

nbad311

Last year I made DIY drink coasters for my female co-workers.  I think they liked them, and I thought they came out good!  You'll spend a few $$ getting all the needed supplies (mostly from a Michaels craft store, and tiles from a Home Depot), but after that it's fairly cheap!

 

https://www.cremedelacraft.com/2013/06/DIY-Tile-Coasters.html

 

 

Neesey

I'll second the vote for homemade vanilla. If you want to so it get on it ASAP since it takes about 6 weeks to be usable. I've not bought extract in three years after I started making my own. Homemade kahlua is fabulous too.
I always have to throw out the paint-your-own-pottery option too. I need to get on the mugs that I'm making for everyone this year. I'm putting together little gift baskets with keurig cups, sugar sticks, flavoring syrups and other goodies for coffees and hot chocolates.

SquirrelsRWatching

I bake. Everyone is getting cookies.

 

ETA: words.

WanderingA

Ohhh homemade cleaning products actually might be a perfect gift for my SIL who is also expecting in April and has just gotten into switching out chemicals wherever possible.

I was Pinteresting last night but there seemed to be a lot of repeats or things that I just don't think would get used.  I'm thinking either chocolate dipped dried fruit or hand made kahlua and vanilla extract.  Can't go wrong with food and booze!

StephanieLBerg

SquirrelsRWatching said:

I bake. Everyone is getting cookies.

 

ETA: words.

This is what I'll be doing this year. With the exception of both sets of grandparents, they will get something else since they are all diabetics. I MAY bake them each a sugar free loaf of pumpkin bread, or sugar free cookies, but that's it.

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umbcpt

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you ladies, I never considered homemade gifts, and it appears to not only be doable, but cost effective! Thanks for getting my brain working!!!

erobbins09

Has anyone made the crock-pot sweetened-condensed milk caramel sauce before? I saw mason jars of that and you could throw together little baskets of apples, pretzel sticks, etc for dipping? I was thinking of making some this weekend to try it out and if it works I'll probably do that...

If I understand correctly you just submerge a whole sealed can of SCM in water, leave it in the crock-pot all day and it magically turns into caramel sauce... Then pour it into a jar and you are good to go.

WanderingA

@erobbins09‌ - let us know how it turns out, I love the idea!

wirtlehm

This year I'm thinking about making homemade "XYZ Family Est. 19XX" signs for my ILs... might also make one for my parents if I'm feelin' really frisky...

I'd love to get started on them right now but DH needs to go over to our barnyard and find me some distressed barnwood first!

I love all the alcohol related ideas, we've done a lot of drinking related gifts for siblings in the past but w the Wee Baby Hiner coming this year I'm thinking homemade might be the way to go!

jennjilljo

I'm talking notes and feeling inspired here. I think I'll try infused salts and oils for the cooks in the family.

jaymo517

Homemade sugar scrub is my go to gift! All you need is coconut oil, a bag of sugar, a couple drops of the oil scent and jars to put it in!