Holiday gifts part 2

Today can we talk about things we can make?

I knit and sew and cook, so the handmade gifts I give are all of the knitted, sewed, or baked variety. I know what I'm going to knit for my friends from college this year (some of whom read this every once in awhile, so I won't say it here). I'm going to sew a long furry snake (don't ask) for my younger son.

A really nice gift is teaching someone else how to do something you can do. Not only do you get to show someone how to do something they want to know how to do, but you also get to spend time together during the lessons.

Alice jumped the gun yesterday in her comment about making their Christmas tree each year, but I think that's an amazing idea. If I wasn't so addicted to the smell of pine I'd steal it and pretend it was my own idea.

What else are the rest of you going to make?

Comments

[paola]

Moxie, where on earth do you find the time? You work, have your blogs, 2 kids and you still manage to knit, cook, etc. Aren't there only 24 hours in the day??

The only thing that I can own up to making at Xmas time, that I actually have time to make,are Christmas cards for my niece and nephew back home in Australia. This year I will get Noah to give me a hand. Nothing terribly sophisticated I might add. A bit of recycled A4 paper folded into quarters with maybe a photo of the kids and some coloured markers.

Then perhaps some edible decorations for the tree: biscuits in the shape of santas, reindeers etc, that everyone can eat afterwards. I will enlist the help of my 3 year old. Again, if I manage to find some
time to do it.

[betterbox/ng]

I had great plans for making things this year, honestly i am not sure it will happen but the list goes like this:
wall calendars with family pictures from the year for the grandparents, homemade aprons [based on funky pattern dish towels] and home made play dough + cookie cutters for the toddlers, star-shaped little flat pillows/softies make out of interesting fabrics for the babies, fabric string bags with glass beads for the little girls, simple tote bags for the ladies....
failing all of that i will buy the nearest match at etsy.com!

[Kate]

As a Christmas tradition, my mom and I get together during the Christmas season and make candy trays for our friends. Fudges, chocolate covered cherries, truffles, seafoam, etc. This year we have 14 different items to make, in large quantities. It gets us together, a lot. Its tons of fun, my son gets involved, and everyone gets lots of goodies.

[Michelle]

We are making adult sizes for the adults and kids sizes for the kids. (link not my blog, just some inspiration!)
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KeepingtheHome/
Also, for the kids. Santa will be doing the following and that is it.
Something you want, something you need, something to play with, something to read.

Michelle (new reader, found you from jumping monkeys!)

[Sky]

I'm not sure if this qualifies as making, it's more like 'pulling together'. For my brothers and parents, I am creating a pictoral family tree. I have gathered loads of family photos, many of our relatives as children (going back to the Victorian age) and I will get them professionally framed in one big frame. I'll write out who is in which photo and put that on the back. I hope they will enjoy receiving a little of our family history.

[Jill]

It isn't the gifts themselves that my family makes, but the gift bags. My mother, Sis and SIL get holiday remnants and make drawstring (or just ribbon tied) bags. There are some jewelry sized, some as big as pillowcases (one year I used a snowflake pillowcase in a pinch!). We exchange the bags with each other so the patterns are well distributed. Before we go home we each try to take a variety of sizes to use again the next year. The more glittery the fabric, the prettier they are under the tree. But no waste!

[Nutmeg]

My grandmother was a genius crocheter. So all the grandkids and aunts and uncles had crocheted stockings that all matched. Then all the grandkids got married and some of us had kids and so our families all had different stockings. I'm not a genius but I can hold my own on something simple, so I"m S-L-O-W-L-Y making all the new additions stockings that will match ours. (I just about finished my son's).

I'm making zucchini bread for loads of people that would otherwise get small giftcards to places.

My son is just getting some money into his bank account, but I am also making him a fuzzy/satiny blanket for his 1st birthday (10 days before christmas).

A couple of years ago I made small (5 x 5) mosaics and gave them to several people and they were greatly enjoyed. It's not that hard a project and doesn't take up a lot of space (but that space needs to be kid free)

I'm making hats for all the babies I know this winter, since a baby hat is easy and fun to crochet! And I'm also working on some little stuffed crocheted animals, but I've been behind with stuff for my work/school so that has taken a backseat.

[Jane]

For the grandparents this year, we're going to a paint-your-own pottery shop. My son is painting cereal/ice cream bowls for the grandparents, my daughter is painting matching plates, and I'm painting a serving bowl for each set. We will talk about who is getting the gifts, what their favorite colors are, how much we love them, etc. I think it's important to make a connection between gift/giver/recipient.

[sue]

Usually I make edible stuff - cookies, jam or the like. I often can enough jam to give as gifts, but I have a baby in the house this year, so that didn't happen. :-) instead, I made soap (grapefruit honey and rosemary mint) and I'll be making homemade shea butter lotion and lip balm. Then it'll all go together in a gift bag for everyone around town that needs a gift.

One thing i though of - I make most of my gifts (nonChristmas gifts are usually quilted or knitted) so I got free business cards from vistaprint. They have a nice graphic and say "Handmade in Ithaca by XXXXX" along with a place for a description and care instructions. Makes labelling things a lot easier!

[Shandra]

These are great. :) I usually bake cookies and squares, although this year that will not do for sharing at my workplace so I'll have to come up with something else.

Before Babe, and maybe again this year, my husband and I used to make mini-ornaments for people out of polymer clay (Fimo or Sculpey) and tie them to the outside of gifts. We were working on making our own creche too but got side tracked.

One gift that we get that's handmade and perhaps not completely ethical (you be the judge) is my SIL puts together a "Christmas mix" of music and then makes a beautiful cover for the CD with pictures of her family.

[janel]

Last year I made some Stupid Sock Creatures from John Murphy's book by the same name. They are hilarious, and were really appreciated by the lucky recipients. Since then I've made a few more for various friends, and will make a couple more this season. I also took some baby socks to make a baby sized one for my son - I sewed a little pill box inside with some dried lentils to turn it into a rattle.

[pnuts mama]

ooh! homemade gifts! we love handmade gifts.

this year i'm hoping my husband finds the time to make our pnut a table and chair set for arts and crafts use- a few years ago he made me an end table which is gorgeous. of course, finishing the renovations will seriously be homemade gift enough for me. i've often used tons of stuff i made/printed in art school as gifts, one year we sewed up a whole set of drapes for my in-laws to match the new living room furniture they got that year. this was back before we had a kid, though. we've had to scale that sort of thing back a bit.

last year my brother in laws girlfriend baked us all AWESOME goodies as gifts- they broke up, and man am i going to miss her. she used to knit, too. mugs or calendars or t-shirts or ornaments featuring kids artwork is always popular among the grandparent set. one of our cousins quilts, and she takes important pictures (like our wedding photo) and makes a quilt out of matching fabrics. so awesome.

this year i've been inspired by etsy.com to sew together some felt foods, etc. and an apron to go with a little baking set i picked up for the pnut. we try to encourage our families to make (if they can) or purchase handmade things for pnut, as that is the stuff that means the most to me, will last the longest, will be passed down.

my mom used to make *everything*- toys, clothes, gifts, ornaments, decorations, you name it. she spent the whole year doing it- knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, sewing, etc. she had a stock pile of stuff by this time of year, it was awesome. of course, as a kid, i didn't really appreciate how cool it was to have so much handmade stuff (like a barbie pool- thinking back, WOW, but at the time, i was just so disappointed that it wasn't the "real thing" i wanted from the store! i can't believe how my reaction must have made her feel- ugh) but i sure do now.

sigh. we love handmade. moxie- (or those in the ny metro area) do you have any links to local places to get handmade goods here? b/c it's just not like how it is in other parts of the country- even the church sales don't have it anymore, just tschotkes and imported crap instead of the handmade goods made from the ladies of the church. i miss that stuff.

[heather]

I'm going to MAKE a trip to the mall. That's really the best I can do.

[Cathy]

This year, I'm making pajama pants for 2 sets of sib pairs and also giving them a story book. Also, for my hard to buy for dad, aunt, uncle, etc., who live in the great white north, I'm making fleece hats. Also making an extra for each so they can put it in a collection basket. I found a free pattern online that suggests if you use it, to make one for donation too.

In past years, when we've given donations in their honor, we also painted Christmas tree ornaments so they would have a physical present too. We got the "blanks" and acrylic paints at a big box craft store.

[Cathy]

Oh! I thought of another "make" gift - we took some of my daughter's "early works" (finger painting) and scanned it in to the computer. I used photoshop to add her name and date, but that could be easily done with a pen pre-scan. I used one of those photo places online to make stationery with it for my mom and grandma.

[Alice]

If you are a crafter, check out
http://www.sewmamasew.com/blog2/

It's 'Handmade Holidays' every day in November the crew at sewmamasew are featuring how to make handmade gifts. Some great and easy ideas. Mind you, if you are crafty at all you probably know about this site anyway.

I made aprons this year for a few people until I got sick of making them (reversible with big pockets - so good for cleaning, cooking and crafting).

Kids love aprons and capes I've discovered, and sewmamasew shows you how to make them.

(I have to say I'm very excited to be mentioned on moxie, I feel like a 'star'.)

[veggiewarrior]

This year I'm knitting stockings for a few people. I'm REALLY slow with needles so I chose a pattern using the circular loom (mine is the knifty knitter brand) and they knit up super quick and look really cute. I only have 2 done so far and would like to finish a few more in the coming weeks. They can be personalized with names and I think they will be well recieved.

One year I found large ceremic popcorn bowls on sale for $4 each. I bought one for each family we give gifts to and made some yummy homemade caramel corn. When I figured out how much I spent on each completed gift the total was less than $7. That price included lots of ribbon, clear plastic gift basket wrap, the ceramic bowl and all my ingredients for the caramel corn. So far, that has been the most successful gift. Relatives still ask me when I'm going to make more caramel corn and the large bowls always show up at superbowl parties and get togethers.

Here's the the website with the christmas stocking pattern for the loom that I mentioned earlier http://loomlady.blogspot.com/. The link is on the right hand side under "large christmas stocking". I like to make mine with contrasting color in the toe and heal. She has other fun patterns, too!

[Corinne]

We're making calendars for family with gratuitous (sp?) pictures of the kids. You can order them online at lulu.com and they make a personalized gift that you can't buy anywhere. One year we made a "movie night" for folks. We bought a $5 giftcard to blockbuster, a $10 gift card to Papa Johns/Pizza Hut/whatever their favorite pizza place was, added a bag of popcorn, two drinks, and a fuzzy blanket we found on sale for $5 at a day after thanksgiving sale. We put all of it in a nice basket (we had tons of baskets.. you could use a box), wrapped it up in celaphane, and voila, GIFT! The result was a unique gift that the recipient could actually use (as opposed to a piece of junk they'd just toss aside). Everyone who got one LOVED it and have been asking for another one since.

[hedra]

My sister painted teeshirts for all the kids a couple years ago. I've painted tees, dried herbs from my garden and jarred them (including making blends), and made scarves from fleece (half buy, half make).

We've also received baked goods, home-made chocolates (mmmm), and handpainted ornaments for the tree.

Another sister combines the 'charity' with the 'making' and sews Xmas stockings for troops in Iraq and Afganistan, and this year each of the kids and several adults in the family wrote notes to tuck inside with the goodies. Those were sent out already, though, so that's past for this year.

[caramama]

I love all these ideas!

Every year, my niece (who is going to be 13 this year) and I get together for holiday baking. It's special aunt/niece time, and the baking goes to our extended family (my aunts, uncles and cousins) from the both of us. I have a few really great recipes from the magazine Real Simple, including truffles, sugar cookies, and mini lemon pound cakes.

I love the idea of calendars with pictures of the Pumpkin for every month. I was thinking of doing that myself, but maybe I'll check out an online place that will do it for me (thanks Corinne for the lulu.com site-I'm going to look into that).

[pnuts mama]

i thought of something else- someone at another brother in laws job made something called "moose mix" as a gift and oh my god it was so delicious- kind of like a cookieish granola with all sorts of chocolate and candies dribbled over...can you tell i am fixated on food right now?

speaking of food, i don't know if this is really a gift per see, but we know tons of folks back home upstate who do a cookie swap- they meet one afternoon in december and each bring a set # of cookies (like 4 batches) and another container, then go around and take like 6 of each cookie (depending on #) and then they have a nice assortment for the holidays. my mother in law does this all by herself (she literally makes 20 different kinds of cookies- insert angel alleluia chorus here) but i think it would be great for folks like me who don't have a big cookie repertoire. of course, folks like me would need to find like-minded individuals here and so far...not so much.

i've always thought that handmade IOU coupon booklets by kids are a cute idea from an older child- chores and "spend specific fun time with" things, you know?

[Noel]

I have a bread machine (a Zojirushi - the 4th one and the best, as it hasn't broken down). I make a lot of bread for coworkers. Although some friends have machines, nobody seems to use them. I feel rather sheepish that it's such an easy gift to make; yet everyone seems to be very pleased with the results.

[Jean]

My eyes were bigger than my crafting time this year, but I'm trying to finish a crocheted skirt, to go with the shrug I crocheted for M (only my 3rd crochet project, so I'm slow). Then I promised to crochet a shrug for her best friend who is moving across the country at Christmas. I'm also probably 3/4 of the way thru C's stocking (feltwork, did his first). I also have yarn to knit him some mittens and a hat.

Last year I did a coffee mug for my MIL at a paint-your-own place, and I knitted a reader's wrap for her, which she loved.

And every year we do Christmas goodie bags for the freshman group we mentor at a local university (our alma mater). M helps me bake and decorate cookies, and we put in other silly little things in the bags.

[Emily Weise]

My family doesn't really celebrate Christmas all that much, so I mostly knit for my in-laws. My fiance will be getting two pairs of socks, his siblings are getting mittens, his father is getting house socks and his mother is getting a lace scarf.

I also want to bake cookies for them, but I haven't yet figured out how to transport them on the plane. My stepmom makes a christmas wreath cookie that is basically rice krispie treats but made with green food coloring and corn flakes instead and arranged into wreath shapes. They've been my favorite Christmas treat for years now, so I am going to try to make them for my in-laws this year to introduce them.

[Cathy]

Shoot! I thought of more! For friends of the family (one with a set of sibs getting pajama pants and stories), I made the mom a set of coasters from Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing (lots of great gift ideas in there) and bought her a copy of the book.

For the oldest son and the dad of that same family, who are both active in our Boy Scout troop, I made them sleeping bag sheets (twin flat sheet, fold in half so you have a very long rectangle, sew across the bottom and about 3' up the side, I like to use a zig-zag stitch) and a fleece sleeping bag "insert" (which can be used on it's own in Florida for most of the year - same basic method as the sheet, but with 2 yards of fleece with the selvedges removed. My husband and step-son use theirs all the time.

[Rachel]

We got into making most of our gifts a few years ago. It is tons of fun!
Grandparents: I make them calendars with photos of our kids using iphoto. It's super easy and they LOVE them. You can even have them mailed straight from Apple to the recipient to make it easier (we've got long distance Grandparents). I've also made photo books using iphoto. I made a wedding album for my brother and his wife last Christmas. They turned out beautifully and were very much appreciated. ONe year we went to a paint your own pottery place and made trivets with the kids hand prints. Dead easy but they flipped over them and use them all the time!

Friends: I make edible gifts for our friends. This year I'm making little baskets with homemade ginger-peach jam, almond rocca and cranberry relish. I've made the almond rocca for years and now get requests!

Kids: I also love to knit so I usually make a bunch of the same gift for the little kids on our list. This year I'll be making finger puppets. It takes me less than an hour to knit each one and is a great way to use up left over wool. They are sooooo cute and well loved. You can get really creative with them. I got my inspiration here: http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer03/PATTpuppers.html

Siblings: I often knit for the siblings too. Not sure what I'm going to do this year but in the past I've made poncho's for the girls, scarves and a hat for the guys. I might try some arm warmers (like fingerless gloves) in some really cool self-striping wool I have.

We also had a lot of fun making wrapping paper last Christmas. I bought a roll of brown parcel (craft) paper and then lets the kids go nuts with finger paints. The ones with the kids hand prints went over very well with the grandparents! They all saved the paper.

[Kelly]

I also knit and cook, though any sewing is horribly bad and done by hand because my sewing machine hates me. I love giving cookies as gifts.

[Emily]

My family is Not At All crafty, but this is the second year that my siblings and I have done a joint photo calendar for our parents for chanukah using snapfish or some other such thing. Someone mentioned it yesterday but it has worked so well for us that I'm bringing it up again. First, my folks don't need or want more stuff. Second, many of the grandkids are far from them. Third, they love to see their three grown children in three states collaborate. Fourth, it's really fun to put little pictures of each person on their birthday page, and customize events for the coming year, show pictures of three families doing similar activities, etc. The task of making the calendar falls to one of us each year, and the other two split the cost.

I am also knitting a baby hat for whichever baby is born next after I finish it.

Slightly off topic, but perhaps b/c I'm Jewish and work in higher ed and not in an office culture, I simply don't feel pressure to buy for everyone I know. My husband gets a chanukah present, and so do my nieces and nephews and son. Last year, having moved to a part of the country that is very homemakey, I made cakes for the neighbors I knew after they distributed their (more elaborate) stuff. That's about it. Nothing for or from colleagues or friends. The department pitches in for the staff. I worry that perhaps I'm offending people for not doing more.

[Simone]

This is *sort of* homemade. I take a favorite recipe, preferably one that has some sort of a personal stamp, and buy a key ingredient for everyone with the recipe attached. One year, I used my version of Maple Glazed Carrots, and printed the recipe on beautiful cards. Then I attached them to these beautiful glass bottles of pure maple syrup made in MN. These went to relatives in WI, so it was nice to do a little "from our state to yours," plus a personal recipe. I didn't have to rely on any prowess in the kitchen (which is good, since I'm fairly limited in that department).

pnuts mama, I can't recall where you are, but here in MN we have lots of local artisan shops that make beautiful hand-crafted things. One right here in my neighborhood is called Artistic Treasures, and while they do sell some mass-produced things, most are local, one-of-a-kind orginals. Some of my favorites are the bracelets and pendants made my Mara Olden, a glass fusion and bead artist. She will even make custom-ordered stuff. There are hand-made, painted soaps, things for the home, candles, etc. So for someone like me who is minimally crafty but appreciates the work someone else has put into things, that's my go-to place.

[Christiana]

I typically only have time for baking/cooking things, so I've gotten very slack on the making stuff theme. My BFF and my sister have both taken to making calendars for the following year to give as gifts, and I love them. My BFF uses only pictures of her children (she even purposefully takes pictures in a monthly theme throughout the year like her 4 year old decorating the Christmas tree for December, etc.) and my sister who, along with her family are missionaries in another country, uses various family pictures throughout hers.

One holiday tradition I'd like to get started is a copy of something I used to watch on Days of Our Lives - the family tree ornaments. The main family on that show goes to the matriarch's house and hangs their ornaments. There is one (with a name on it) for each member of the family, living or dead and couples get hung together. It goes back for about 4 generations and even if the person cannot be there, their ornament gets hung in rememberance of them. Any time there is a birth or marriage, etc. a new ornament is made and added that year. I think it's beautiful and I really want to get to do it myself.

[Susie]

This year for my coworkers I am making a dinner: homemade spaghetti sauce, homemade meatballs, a pound of dry noodles, a bag of salad with homemade vinaigrette; maybe some biscotti. Everything gets packaged up to refrigerate and/or freeze (sauce and meatballs). It seems that everyone gets overdosed on sweets and everyone is so busy that dinner often falls by the wayside. This way people can have a quick, healthy, homemade dinner. (Credit to my SIL for the idea.)

I am also making jam for my inlaws with berries I picked and froze over the summer.

[Meg]

I am so very un-crafty that even the "this is so easy to make!" stuff is way over my head. I am good in the kitchen, so last year I made granola in big Mason jars - haha, granola for the beltway folks, with love from your crunchy relatives up north. ;) Prowess in the kitchen is difficult to harness when every. single. gift. has to be shipped halfway across the country. Any tips on that would be welcome!

I also gave paperwhites "kits" to a few grandmotherly relatives last year. I had my little artist decorate cheap terracotta pots (and herself, and the table, and...) with paints, then filled them with a little sack of gravel, three bulbs each, and a card with instructions. One of the pots broke in transit, though (damn shipping problem!).

Every year, it's ideas like all of these that make me think maybe I should break down and learn to sew/crochet/knit/applique etc. Sigh.

[Jan]

A big fat smooch to you, Heather, for your honesty!

I'm not making much this year, other than the scrapbook for my parents. I used to make a ton of stuff, but since I had a couple of kids, I just can't seem to pull it together to find time. Even though I enjoy it.

I am going to make a fleecey bathrobe for the Little Dude's 2nd birthday (in December). And I'm knitting hats for the kids that may take me so long they'll wind up being Christmas gifts

[AmyinMotown]

Thanks for the photo calendar idea--I am totally doing that for my parents this year with pics of their grandkids. They'll love it, and each get one (so they can each bring them to their offices if they want).

I am so, SO not good at crafts, but I did do Maggie's footprint on a paint-your-own pottery mug for my husband and on a frame for my dad for the first Fathers Day after she was born, and they loved it. Stolen idea from my SIL--she also did the Movie Night box as listed above for a baby gift for us, which we LOVED and I have done for other people.

As someone who doesn't do a lot of handmade stuff, I really appreciate getting it as gifts. My ILs made a lot of blankets and quilts and stuff for Maggie when she was born and they are treasured--and my husband still has three cool stuffed animals his aunt made for him when he was little and Maggie now plays with. His aunt passed away a few years ago so they are even more precious.

I am a good cook, and always mean to make things for friends and never get around to it. How DO you guys find the time?

[pnuts mama]

@emily- just wanted to let you know that we live in nyc and have many jewish family members, friends and neighbors, and never ever would feel slighted by not being remembered by them during the holidays.

FWIW we have cut back significantly as to who is on our list- limited to immediate family now and our closest friends children (now that we are all mamas and papas). it was a mutual decision, and as far as i know, everyone is happier for it. my husband brings in a food item (a cake or pie i make) for his co-workers the week of the holiday, and that's it. too many people go overboard with who they give to, IMO, like it's a competition. gifts should be saved for those whom we are very close with, i use "who do i buy a birthday present for" as my vetting procedure, personally.

we receive christmas cards from our jewish friends and neighbors, which i think is lovely, and we return the favor at hannukah, but that is the extent of it. i wouldn't stress it.

[Andrea]

Probably just a mess, but I am going to try to finally get the Kitchen Angels done (folded/rolled towels and dishrags) and maybe sew a couple of quick rag quilts. IF I can actually manage to find the time to sew.

[Jill]

We make a photo calendar for the grandparents, homemade candy or food gifts for teachers, and the kids always make gifts for the extended family. This year I bought wooden ornaments for them to paint, one per family from each child.

[shannon]

I'm hoping to start a yearly tradition this year by making cut paper silhouettes (in profile) of our 4mo old son; I'll frame them for the grandparents and great-grandparents, but probably just mat for other relatives. I think it'll be neat to see the progression over the years (I know I saw this idea somewhere recently but don't remember where). Having a kid has made gifts for our parents so easy!

Meg, how about peanut brittle (or chocolate covered toffee if there are nut allergies)? It's pretty shelf stable, so you wouldn't have to worry about express shipping, and it would actually be a good thing if it gets kind of broken up in transit!

[Jen in Redwood City, CA]

I'm with Heather - maybe going to the mall. Probably going to am*zon instead. All of you with small kids, but can find the time to do crafts: I'm in awe.

[florabora]

The first xmas we moved away from everyone (and were really, really broke) we put together a mini cookbook of our favorite recipies - it was really basic - maybe 8-10 pages - with a few notes and sent it out to our relatives. They loved it. I think we did the design work at home, printed it, and then took it to kinkos. Wasn't too hard or expensive. I might revisit this now we have an opinionated one year old. Something like "A's favorite foods that he won't eat."

[Maria]

I make note cards. Throughout the year I take pictures of pretty things, and I buy plain white cardstock cards & envelopes from a craftstore. I use double sided adhesive squares for scrapbooking to attach the pictures to the cards. Super easy, and so much cheaper than spending $3 or 4 for a single card.

[Maria]

Oh, I also make "gifts in a jar." I put the dry ingredients for brownies, cookies, bean soup etc into a mason jar and cover the top with pretty fabric. There are a ton of recipes for this online, and I've got a couple of books as well. These are really popular with my sister and sister-in-law who don't like to cook.

[Maria]

I make gifts in a jar too. Dry ingredients for soups, brownies etc in a mason jar with a little card for directions. Very easy and cheap, and also popular.

[Lucky]

I usually knit a few items - last year I did scarves for my mom and mother-in-law. I use giant needles and beautiful confetti yarn doubled with a compementary color and they are quick and easy and stunning. I do squash or tomato hats for new babies or simple hats on round needles using this chart http://www.earthguild.com/products/knitcroc/marypat/hatcalc.htm with lovely yarn for sisters-in-law. Also, every year I go a little nuts on Shutterfly. We do a sitting with a great photographer each fall so I always have some flattering, classy, quality photos and I turn them into all kinds of stuff - calendars, mouse pads, paperweights, notecards, etc. etc. I've been trying to get inspired to burn CDs for some folks (brother, husband, etc. ) but so far its not happening. Good idea though I think.

[Shelley]

One handmade item that's been a hit all year round -- I buy those plain white notecards at Staples that are made to be run through a laser printer. Then I let my 4-y-o go to town on one side of them with finger paint. Voila -- all-purpose notecards! The recipients generally love them. Using appropriate colors of fingerpaint, this could easily be adapted for holiday cards.

Another thing -- cement paving stones with hand- and footprints of grandchildren. Kits available at Michael's and similar stores. Similarly, you can get plaster-of-paris kits to make handprint Christmas ornaments. Charming and inexpensive to boot.

[Salexuel]

Since my twins were born in September 2006, the grandparents and most in-laws who get gifts are going to get a "The first year" DVD that I'm making on iMovie. I'm having fun figuring out how to get all my little video clips and photos to transition from one to the next, and soon I'll add music, etc. I'm also planning on getting some cotton grocery-bag-sized tote bags from Dharma Trading, and some transfer paper onto which we'll print some fun quotes about shopping, then iron the quotes onto the totes, and voila - gifts for everyone else. Who can't use another bag? Dharma Trading also has dye crayons and markers I'm thinking of getting to let the kids "draw" (ie scribble) and then transfer that onto some of the totes. The totes cost about $5 each, so it should be pretty economical, easy and fun. But we'll see...I haven't done it yet!

[Natalie]

This year, if I can get my act together, I'm going to knit a hat or some wrist warmers for my mother, a mesh shopping bag for my sister, and a felted lunch bag for the only friend I exchange gifts with. I would knit for my little nephew, but he's getting a wool sleep sack from me as soon as I can finish it - I didn't realize it would be about as big as an adult sweater!

I have fabric to make pretend food for my son. I might get a bit of plywood and paint it to look like a stove top, so he will have a place to "cook" with the little pans we got him a while back. While I'm feeling so industrious I might as well sew him an apron!

I am going to try to talk my husband into baking for his older sibs. They all have plenty of disposable income and probably don't need more stuff anyway. And I don't think they bake, so this would be a treat for them. Our budget is so tight this year maybe he'll take me up on this.

I'm going to have to check out those cotton grocery bags from Dharma Trading, since all that knitting might take more time than I have.

[Briana]

Last year I made a photo book on Flickr for the grandparents, which they loved. My SIL gave out mason jars with the dry mix for some fantastic cookies, which was awesome. This year I have a new baby, so although I wanted to get crafty I just don't have time this Christmas. I am planning on a set of 'family tree' ornaments for my MIL the genealogist. We found a bunch of tiny painted wood frames at a local shop for $1 each, and I'm going to print out a photo of each family member in B&W to go inside.

[Emily]

Hey Pnuts Mama - thanks for listening and writing back. We recently moved from NYC to a part of the country filled with ranch houses and beautiful lawns and people who have never encountered a non-church religion .... so we are still very much feeling our way and trying to build lots of bridges.

So many great ideas here - you craft-y women have no idea how impressive it is!

[Kristin]

Last year my daughter was 2 1/2, we bought the cheap wooden picture frames from IKEA and painted them up and added sparkles. Everyone got a current picture of her in a personally decorated frame.
This year I am hoping to sew up reuseable gift bags. We always reuse gift bags but the paper ones eventually wear out.
I have knit many a xmas scarf, there are some really fun yarns that make a great scarf that is an easy knit for a beginner.