Homemade Holiday....

Homemade Christmas gifts. Okay, some of you just pictured that sweater your aunt gave you when you were nine that had some kind of goat or horse on it with a bow (Yeah, I got one too). Or maybe you pictured that crocheted oven mitt you got when you were 11 and could have cared less about baking. Well, homemade gifts are not what they used to be. Thanks to craft stores, online outlets, YouTube videos, blogs and endless Google searches, it has never been easier to make amazing homemade gifts you know friends and family will love.

Okay, again I know what you’re saying, “Unless I can knit an ipad for my teenage son, I doubt he would want a homemade gift.” Or maybe you’re thinking that you lack the time to make a homemade gift since Christmas is now (as of Dec. 7) just 18 days away. Well stop with the nay-saying! Just try a few homemade gifts this year; maybe with coworkers or loved ones easily impressed with meager crafting skills. Make a list, check it twice, etc. Consider your skills, how much time you have and the interests of those receiving your creations. And be realistic; if you’ve never knitted before don’t plan to make all your coworkers scarves. That story never turns out well.

So, here are some easy homemade gift ideas some of which you’ve probably already thought of. Number one is food. From fudge to cookies, fancy cupcakes to homemade soup mixes who doesn’t love food gifts?! Just attempt to Google food gifts (Martha Stewart’s website alone is a goldmine). Now, what if you can’t boil water? Well then maybe visit some place like Hometown Emporium in Exeter and pickup a few dozen cookies or handmade candies. It’s not cheating; you don’t have to say you made them, but they will taste way better than the wax filled corn syrup stuff that has been sitting on store shelves since last Valentine’s Day. Or maybe give a basket of those lovely Valencia oranges from a tree in your backyard, infused Vodka, or a cute little bottle of homemade vanilla extract. Get creative.

Number two is non-food items (I know, this category is quite vast). Homemade aprons or stockings, a great holiday CD mix of tunes or combine pictures you’ve taken into a calendar for the year. Homemade gifts are simply those gifts that include a little extra thought and time than gift cards or something with a ‘Made in China’ sticker. A few years back I collected drawings my sister (who is quite the artist) completed when she was very young. I compiled them all in a scrapbook labeled Jen’s Masterpieces. Not only was it a one of a kind gift, it meant something to both the receiver and the giver. That is the power of a homemade gift.

So maybe travel to Hobby Lobby, pick up a few ingredients at Save Mart or Google some ideas. There’s at least one person on your list who would love and appreciate a homemade gift this year.