REALLY SORRY - A Chrismas thread

[StripyPixieSocks]

I am lucky in that most of the people around me (thinking about it) all appreciate hand-made gifts and I know I do... it somehow feels more special to me that someone took the time to sit down and make something rather than buy it in the last five minutes without much thought!

Disclaimer - Not that there's anything wrong with buying gifts (before you all bury me in the garden)

I can never understand the attitude of snooty people who would not appreciate something you had spend hours crafting over something someone else has bought that is probably of lesser quality and value!

Having said that, none of our family are huge gift givers anyway a card and a phonecall is all they are happy with, giving a gift is just an added thought :)

We're currently going along the lines of: one bottle of white and one bottle of red wine, something along the lines of a scarf and some home made cookies or confectionery and/or some condiments... I might add something else is as I go along for each individual person but as it's not likely we will have any income returned to us properly before Yule it's going to be a toughie!

[invisiblepiper]

I can never understand the attitude of snooty people who would not appreciate something you had spend hours crafting over something someone else has bought that is probably of lesser quality and value!

You made me laugh! I remember slaving over a hand made character bear for my sister in law many years ago. It took me hours! (Really hours)
She pitched up on Christmas Day with a very expensive Hamleys version under her arm, and sadly, a very smug expression.
I was mortified.

[Thomzo]

Anyone got any make-them-yourself ideas for a 60 year old man (my Dad )

He's Diabetic and doesn't like sweet things anyway
He doesn't drink much (very odd glass of wine)
He's not into gardening 'products' like hand cleaner or smellies in general etc
... and if he wants something he will go out and buy it!

He likes gardening and bird watching but has binoculars an RSPB membership and if you ask him what he wants he says "Oh don't bother with me spend the money on yourself"

Is he into family? Maybe a lovely photo in a nice frame.
Does he have a pay as you go mobile? Top up cards
A subscription to a magazine about gardening or birds or even to his local newspaper.
Hampers have already been mentioned but if he's diabetic, special food can be expensive so a hamper could be a real treat
A nice diary, especially if you can find one linked to one of his hobbies.
If he's on his own then a nice box of different greetings cards that he can send out during the year. Make it up into a pack with a diary (with everybody's birthdays written in) and some stamps. That way he can't forget.
What about a plant? Or a nice box (home made perhaps) with loads of different packets of seeds. Or a wormery.
Does he drink tea or coffee? Maybe a selection of nice teas or coffees.

Just some thoughts.

Cheers
Zoe

[clare]

We are only buying for the children this year,but I would dearly love to make everyone a homemade gift,chutney,jam,fudge,rum truffles,lavender bags,bathbags,memoboards,soap etc but as mentioned ,the time you spend making it just would not be appreciated in fact the whole handmade idea would, I fear ,be lost on my family members..........
Clare

[Helsbells]

Never mind the presents! What about the wrapping paper? In this country we throw away 83km sq of wrapping paper at Christmas (thats enough to wrap Gurnsey)*
I will be wrappy my presents in newspaper this year.

[shell]

last year we got an end of roll from the local news paper for 3.50 euro`s,loads of paper just they cant use it after it gets to a certain point ,just got another for my grandson,still 3.50 should last 3 years,seriously! and got the tots to put hand prints on the paper and used it,
try your local newspaper for ends of rolls,
shell

[LBR]

About that wrapping paper. I went from the on-sale-after-Christmas to thrift shops and garage sales. I, now, either use what I have leftover from presents I've been given, or I use brown paper bags that I cut up, or the comics out of the newspaper. For my father, I tie them together with pretty yarn and no tape. I sometimes wrap my mother's presents in pretty fabric she can use for the children's quilts she makes and donates. I used to tie pretty fabric ribbon around them. It's too expensive, so I use acrylic yarn now.

[invisiblepiper]

Our Factory shop/Pound shop has ten sheets of gold and silver tissue for £1 - great for home made sweeties etc, and very festive fore Yule , Solstice or Christmas!