Handmade gifts for Christmas presents have long been my bête noir!
Ironic really giving what I do here at The Stamp Collective. I love the idea of making something unique for my Secret Santa recipient but then somehow in the whirlwind that is December that idea morphs into a shop bought gift. Thoughtful yes but still shop bought.
You see the thing is that I am a deadline girl. I am so not wired to get my task or project completed in advance of the deadline. Yes I meet the deadline absolutely but having my presents made by the end of November? Laugh out loud is all I can say!
The last time I handmade Christmas gifts was way back in 1992 when Google was still just a number. Twenty two years ago to be exact. The year I got married. I decided to try and impress my newly minted sisters-in-law (I have four) and hand make bottles of chili and herb olive oil.
I think I am still battle scarred by the experience. Memories wiping eyes with chili stained hands, dozens of bottles with too small openings and it all just taking so long. I was never game to ask if they ever actually used the oil.
So as you do I was hopping from one website to another using the embedded links that looked interesting and found myself at The Frugal Girl blog reading about handmade Christmas Gifts and I think I found the perfect handmade gift for me.
Bread.
Gorgeous handmade bread. You give your Secret Santa a handmade loaf of bread on Christmas Day with a note that you will deliver a loaf of handmade bread to them once a month until the following Christmas. (You can add a linen tea towel to wrap it in or a fancy breadboard or knife if you want to.)
How totally cool is that?
Its not only the fact that they will receive a loaf of bread once a month but that they will know that each month you will be stopping to do something just for them. And you get to reflect on your relationship with that person and think about them. There’s a whole lot of love just right there. Multiply that by 12. Your relationship with that person will be different by the time the following Christmas rolls around.
Check out these mugs. Who would have thought – a sharpie pen, a white coffee mug and a hot oven and you too could make one of these! Click on the image to find out how from Heather at Whipperberry.com
Handmade gifts for Christmas still need to tick the following boxes
- They need to be thoughtful
- Something that they want not you
- Something that says I noticed what’s important to you.
Sharpie pens aside this is a perfect example of the goodness of the Internet. Amazing, truly generous souls sharing lots of creative love out there.
I have highlighted two here to get you inspired. Jamie Lyn from I Heart Naptime’s 101 + handmade Christmas gifts and Infarrantly Creative’s Pennywise Gifts
No matter your level of craftiness you will find something out there that you can make by hand and heart this Christmas. And the best news is you still have plenty of time!
Go and have some fun.
