Monday 12 December 2016

Homemade Christmas Gifts




Are you saying 'woo hoo, I love Christmas' or are you just trying to keep calm and not think about how much needs to be organised before then?




I have been thinking handmade Christmas gifts. And then, guess what?! I left it too late, as usual. I know there are so many wonderful people who have been posting a handmade gift a week on their blogs and have it all under control. That is not me! I keep hoping that one year it will be me, but so far, no go! I'll give 2017 a try.


Luckily, we don't do millions of gifts, just a small something for adults, mainly it is for the children. But I am trying to make it my tradition to gift handmade or recycled/secondhand (which as we all know, doesn't have to mean a rubbishy gift!) and to do this, I think you need a plan in place. Otherwise, you get stuck doing the last minute rush to the shops to just buy anything.











I am making this elephant for quilt for my granddaughter. Her room is decorated with elephants and owls, so I was happy to find this cute fabric.


And not much else! I am just terrible!



I would love to hear what you are planning (or already made) for Christmas gifts.







10 comments:

  1. Well, here's someone a lot like you! After it's too late, I come up with all these neat cute gifts I could have made. I get so mad at myself especially when I read posts from those smart ladies who have made dozens of beautiful Christmas cookies and have them packaged and ready for giving. You sound pretty smart to me...making a special quilt for your granddaughter. It is very pretty! Love, Henny

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    1. Thanks! I have decided to focus on a few things rather than stressing about making homemade everything for everyone. I can never believe the posts of people that have knitted elaborate shawls for teacher gifts! I'm a bit mean, I think it's a bit of waste! I'd rather knit that for myself. Selfish, huh!?

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  2. I normally plan and then struggle to get all the hand made gifts done in time, this year (after I dramatically walked out of work - a story for another day ...) I have been able to get a fair bit done, still frantically knitting at the moment - but suspect this is a gift tooooo far! I may never learn :)

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    1. I never get all the knitting done that I would like to. Hope you get it finished! My hubby is ready to walk out of work at the moment - too stressful. I hope you are feeling great and that it is a wonderful decision to have made. Life is too short to spend every day doing something that doesn't make your heart sing!

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  3. I make my gifts all year around for the gift cupboard so that I don't put myself under pressure nearer Christmas. I also make preserves, jams and pickles in the Autumn again no pressure near Christmas. Cards/tags I generally start around Oct/Nov. It is a whole lot easier when you don't have young children to look after and I have also took early retirement.

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    1. Wow! One day I will be as organised as that! Probably when the kids have left home! That is fantastic planning.

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  4. Oh dear, then is someone else just like me, though at least you have stitched your grandaughter's beautiful quilt. It is gorgeous. Love the elephant fabric. Alas with just over a week to go, I am still unprepared.

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    1. Me too! This will be it in the homemade department this year, I think!

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  5. The quilt is gorgeous. Your grand daughter will love it. You are doing way better than me. We just got our Christmas decorations up and we have not bought presents or even organised our travels up to Sydney. To tell you the truth we are so sick of Christmas and the commercialisation of it. We can't seem to make our families understand that we want few gifts. I have a list of handmade things I wanted to make this year but because of my health issues have not done any. Archie's birthday is a few days so I hope the material I bought arrives in the mail so I can make him a library bag. I just can't wait for it to all be over this year.

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    1. I have to agree with you! But I cannot say it out loud at home for fear of being branded a Grinch or a Scrooge! Christmas just seems like another thing on the to-do list. Not sure if it is just me or whether it really has lost the magic, but it just seems like a waste of resources to me. Luckily we only buy for our own kids, so that cuts it right back. We stopped buying for adults a few years ago, when it just seemed like we were exchanging money with each other for people to choose their own gift! I would like to go back to the times of Little House on the Prairie. When you read about their Christmases and the excitement that was in the lead up, with the making of gifts for each other and trying to keep them secret. Sounds so much better than our mad rushes around the shopping centres!
      I hope your fabric arrives soon - look forward to seeing a picture of the end product!

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