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Since my husband and I were married in 2003, we started making things for people at Christmas along with purchasing that perfect gift. When we became a one-income household, we cut back to just making gifts. This worked out well because everyone received the same gift and we spent the same amount of time and money on all of the gifts. Here is a list in case you are looking for last minute ideas.
For the adults:
- Soap: You can purchase kits, molds, and dies at your local craft store. We are fortunate enough to have access to lavender and made lavender soap with a sprig in the middle for decorative purposes.
- Bread: We have made bread but it goes stale quickly. So, one year we put together baskets with the dry ingredients for making beer bread, a good bottle of beer, and a handwritten recipe card.
- Project bag: Most of the women in my family are into some sort of fiber art. We made project bags one year for the women, and gave beer with the dry goods for making beer bread to the guys. For those who don't knit/crochet, I crocheted hot pads.
- Lavender Sachets: Sachets are SUPER easy to make. If you grow your own lavender, these are practically free, and all you need to know is a straight stitch, or even use fabric glue if you don't sew. For the guys in your life who wouldn't be likely to appreciate sachets, why not make a neck wrap with rice, buckwheat, or lavender?
- Pickles: Who doesn't like pickles? It's an easy canning activity along with jams, jellies, and sauces.
- Brag Books and Calendars: We made brag books for the grandparents the first years of the kids lives. But, the company stopped offering a half sheet size book. This year we chose to order calendars from Costco for all of the grandparents. We also purchased School Days picture frames
one year so that when we give a wallet and 5x7 at Christmas, the pictures have a frame.
- Bonbons and Bark: Bonbons are complicated, messy and had to be refrigerated. They were our first gift, and we won't do them again. We have also made hard candy, peppermint bark, and cookies for Christmas.
- Coupons: I made up certificates for free photography sittings and gave them to the family members who have kids. All I had to do was print them, roll them up and put a bow on them. If you offer a service that is useful, this is a great gift.
For the kids...
- Name Frames: I looked up what each child's name meant and made a framed collage based on the name meaning.
- Drawstring Backpacks: We did these as the main gift and put other little stuff in them. A good pattern for these is easy to find.
- Soap: Again, you can find kits
at your local craft store. We put toys in the soap for the kids to look forward to getting when the soap was gone.
- Amigurumi: Last year I crocheted this bear or something similar for all of the kids. I knew what I was doing early in the year, so I was able to pace myself to finish all of the projects (since I had 10 of them to make and I am a slow crocheter).
- Find It Game: You can sew one or save clear pop bottles and fill them with rice and found objects. Just be sure to make a list or take a picture of what you put in the game. These are great for car trips or quiet time.
SPOILER WARNING for those family members and friends who read this: This year we are making spaghetti sauce and homemade pasta for the adults and freezer paper stenciled T-Shirts for the kids. You can check out most of the shirts on my Pinterest board. Next year we are already making plans for the adult gift, but that will be for another post (Hint: Wil Wheaton might have some advice for us).
