Is it Christmas Yet? Part II – Homemade Presents

 Christmas Presents - Homemade

Many people have mixed feelings about homemade presents. Some people feel that they come across as “cheap”, others feel like there is nothing better or thoughtful than something homemade. I take the second approach. I guess it can depend on who the present is for, or the time and effort you put into it. When I first got married, neither my spouse nor I had a job and we ended up doing homemade presents for just about everyone. I like to think they were well thought out and tasteful however. J Since then, even though our financial situation has improved, we still do a few homemade presents each year because we simply like the idea of giving homemade gifts to people, and it’s a great excuse to do crafty things! So we have made (with some help from bunnies) a list of crafts / projects that make great Christmas presents! Enjoy. :

Baking:

Food might seem cheap, but it is one the most heartwarming gifts to give. In the winter, and around the holidays people enjoy having extra treats to celebrate the season. Whether or not you have a secret recipe or a talent for baking doesn’t really matter. I love cookies and desserts (ask anyone) but I don’t always have time to make things. People get busy with life, and hobbies like cooking can fall by the wayside. Taking the time to bake something will always be appreciated. Here is a small list of things we usually make for people around this time:

Pumpkin Bread. It freezes well, travels well, and is perfect with a cup of cocoa or coffee.

Cookie / Cake mix. Prepare a jar with the dry ingredients (flour, salt, chocolate chips, etc.). Then print out the directions and the other ingredients needed (1 egg, ½ cup milk, etc.) and tape the directions to the jar. You can also decorate the jar with ribbons or bows.

Baked cookies, in a tin or glass jar.

Fudge, seasonal treats are always a good idea.

Pretty much anything chocolate ;)

Snack basket. We’ve done this a couple of times, where you fill it with cheese / crackers / meat, popcorn, etc.

Games:

I’m not quite sure how I started, but a couple of years ago I began designing personalized games for people as presents. In my case I started out with a known game, Dominion, and built a new expansion for it. This project took weeks, but was a lot of fun to create. First, I started out with sheets of notebook paper and wrote out what each card was going to do and what I wanted it to look like. Next, I downloaded a free image editing program called paint.net and set to work editing and building cards off of images from google. Finally, I sent all my digital cards to Walmart to print them. Eventually I realized that Office Depot has better deals on printing and would even print double-sided and cut them out for me. Anyway, I’ve done this kind of project maybe 6 times and it has been a winner every time!

Painting:

Sadly, I have no skill at painting, coloring, drawing, watercolors. *Sob* However, my wife has some talent in the area, and has created a number of wonderful paintings for family members.

Photography:

There are a lot of photo projects you can do, and I have it on good authority that grandparents in particular enjoy photos! You can do anything from a photo calendar to framed photos to a scrapbook! Most of the stuff hanging on the walls in our apartment are gifts for example. J

Writing:

Don’t discount writing projects. Anything from a short story to an epic! Even if you have already written it up, sending a copy of your book, or better yet, bound and printed from kinkos can be a wonderful idea! I haven’t written anything worth binding, but it’s still a good idea. J

Wood Projects:

You kind of need access to a workshop or tools for this one, but there are quite a few simple wood projects that one can do without having to build a birdhouse. ;) I’ve created a small jewelry box before, which required a few cuts and some clamps and a couple of hinges. I’ve also done walking sticks which are very easy. Find a good branch, cut it, strip it, carve it, and add some olive oil or stain to bring out the color of the wood. If you’re feeling really crafty, wrap a leather hand-hold near the top with leather scraps and some glue. Some slightly more advanced ideas can include coasters, candlestick holders, or a sword! For the right person, you can make scrimshaw sticks for martial arts. These are pretty simple: buy a long thick dowel (oak if you can find it) cut it into 2 pieces each about 1-2 feet long. Then carve a design for each handle and you’re done! A simple sword can be made the same way.

Odds and Ends Projects:

Take a walk around Home Depot and pick up ideas. Do you want to make a lightsaber? Cross? Wine bottle holder? Marble track? Marshmellow gun? Potato gun? Find the right employee and they will give you dozens of ideas!

Hmm, just writing this gives me all kinds of ideas! I have a few games we created, I have some baking ideas in mind, and I may trawl around the craft store. Anyway, hope you leave today feeling inspired!

Woof!

-Sheepdog-