Bake cookies for Friday's Boundless staff party, start browsing websites for gifts, make paper crafts, there's so much I love doing to get ready for Christmas that sometimes it's hard to choose! Since today is the deadline for Shutterfly's sale offerings, I think I'll focus on finishing up some photo gifts I started.
Here's a screen capture of the September page of the calendar I'm making for Steve's Grandma.
In addition to making Christmas cards, calendars and photo books, I sometimes make homemade hot fudge and bake bread as gifts.
What are you busy with in these early December days? Do you have any suggestions for homemade gifts?
So many of my female family members are readers --> beaded bookmarks. Or bead jewelry for the ones who don't read as much. My grandmother will likely receive a beaded suncatcher, as well as beaded ornaments for her mini Christmas tree.
I'm also crocheting bags... um... that were supposed to be given in 2008. Eeks!
Hmm... for the gents... That's tough. The men in my family are hard to shop for. Gift cards, maybe.
Crafty stuff is great. Pretty easy to make useful, practical yet lovely items to give.
Another idea is food -- I like the cake-in-a-mug/cup idea. Better than cookies in a jar. =)
Posted by: Andrea H. | December 02, 2009 at 12:25 PM
For my co-workers this year I've put together a gift bag with home-made hot chocolate mix, a sweet snack mix, and a hand-beaded necklace. The whole gift bag cost less than $5, but has come together to make an elegant gift.
My parents and I agreed to only give homemade things this year, so I'm putting together a little cookbook for my mom using recipes I got from some of her cousins in Germany last summer.
For my dad... I don't have a clue what to do for him. What kind of home-made things (other than food) can you make for men?
Posted by: Alyene | December 02, 2009 at 07:06 PM
I make homemade turtles (caramel candies with pecans and chocolate) and give them to colleagues and friends. Really yummy. Easy to make, just a little time consuming, not too expensive especially if you are careful about where you buy the pecans. I usually get them at Costco.
Posted by: Novagirl in DC | December 04, 2009 at 05:37 PM
I invented a recipe tonight which I shall call Christmas Crumble Slice and plan to share for lunch with my friends after church tomorrow.
Posted by: Blue Sarah | December 05, 2009 at 03:11 AM
Candice, your shutterfly sale tip got me going. I gathered some photos together of my dad's favorite vacation and arranged them in a photo book. Thanks for passing that on!
Posted by: Alyene | December 09, 2009 at 05:07 AM
Yay, Alyene! I could spend hours and hours on those photo books! :)
Posted by: Candice Watters | December 09, 2009 at 05:57 AM