I'm looking for some Christmas gift ideas that I can MAKE, and don't cost much. Any suggestions?

Question

This year, my husband and I have decided to cut back a great deal on how much we spend during the holidays. I would like to MAKE gifts this year. I can sew and quilt, but keep in mind that often sewing gifts cost more in supplies than buying them from Walmart! And, I have an EXTENSIVE list of people to shop for:

8 adult women
10 adult men
2 babies
3 little girls
6 little boys

I'd love to hear ideas!!! I'm looking for things that can be made for not too much money, and not TERRIBLY a lot of time, either.

Answer 1

I have about the same number of people for my immediate family. If you are like me, the first thing is probably to establish your exact budget. Every year I think I will scale back, and it never quite happens. If you have a number that you are working with its will be easier to stick to .
My basic gift and now family tradition is that everyone gets a pair of fleece pants. I got a little carried away last year and made TWO for everyone, plus my nieces and nephew and bil saw me making them and thought they were great so that meant a few more- I think I made 43 prs last year!

An adult pair takes about 1.2 metres if it is 54-60 wide . I usually find that if I buy 1.5 metres, I can get the little ones' out of the excess ( anyone up to about 4-5 yrs. It is surprising how much the Dad's enjoy having their little buddy match them, same with uncles and nephews. And of course the little girls and Mom's are tickled as well).
If you buy fleece with a budget limit of no more than $10 a metre, and figure on an adult and a child per pair, that will average out to $7.50 ( or less) each. I also usually find that there is a narrow long strip somewhere that will equal a nice fleece scarf- you just cut it straight and then snip a fringe. We used these leftovers last year to let our little girls church group have a service project- they made scarves for the homeless which were donated.
I have a great time with fabric choice and give my stodgiest sil the wildest zany stuff I can find- ironically, he LOVES them! Guess it goes to his 'wild ' side.
For little girls, if you have any scraps in your stash , these will make up into darling little girls doll clothes, or baby blankets. Your cost will be a pattern and trims.
Lap quilts from your scrap stash are also welcome gifts. Or wall hangings that can be pieced and stitches from scraps.
For the little ones, I have made Memory games- you can use magazine pictures, or even crayon drawings, but my FAVORITE is to make a family memory game. See this link to understand how it works http://www.funbrain.com/match We have a huge family, and it is a way of familiarizing the little ones with their extended family. So make duplicate pics - 2 each of each person, and cut out to be made into a 2x2 square game piece. One side is a colourful paper- and all the same . The other side is a family photo. I usually laminate them for durability. The object of the game is to remember where the matches are . Cost will be under $5 per game. This is also a great familly gift covering several people at once!
On the same theme- I love stuff that builds or strengthens family ties! Michael's regularly has a little section of stuff in bins that is on sale for $1.50 (in canada- probably less in the USA). I buy their little mini photo albums- they are about 3"x4" . I then fill the pages with family pics or a little story. These are ideal as a quiet little activity book for the children to look at at church, and easily fit into the diaper bag for a distraction when Mom needs one.
If any of your list is a GRandma or G'pa, the ever popular family portrait is always appreciated. Don't pay for an expensive studio shot if you cannot afford it- we have had fabulous luck using beginning photo students, a friend, and even once a stroller to hold the camera while it timed down!
Another really inexpensive gift is RICE or WHEAT BAGS. Using a nice cotton, flannel or microfibre sueded type fabric- pretty much anything will do, so long as it can be heated. You make little bags and fill them with wheat kernels or with rice. (I have always used wheat but have heard of people using rice) The idea is to make a little note to go witht hem that explains that you pop these in the microwave for a minute or 2 ( more for bigger sizes obviously) and the result is a little heated bag that will mold to whatever hurts. They are Wonderful! I have been thanked many times (long after giving them) for the big help these have been. These can be made in any size you can imagine. I have made them small enough to be heated and sent off in the pockets of the children's coats as they go to school on winter days. They are marvelous to heat and pop onto the car seat when you start the car in the winter- the seat will not be so chilly to sit on when you get in. Their moldability is fabulous to get to that exact spot that is aching. They can be used to warm up the bed before you get in, and a milion other things! My neice once made me one filled with flaz seed, not for heating, but for headaches- I don't know why it works, but lay down with one of these on your eyes and it sure helps!
Hope some of these ideas are useful !

Answer 2

Maybe you can find some fleece on sale and make blankets for everyone. You buy a couple yards then cut 2 inch cuts every couple inches and tie the ends together. I live in NY and there are always coupons in the paper foor 40-50% off. If you used those and started now it could be cheaper. The blankets don't take much to make. You could always bake batches of cookies or make beef jerky for the guys. People enjoy food.

Answer 3

I'm sure you can google a recipe for this, but one year I got a nicely decorated mason jar full of mixes beans and spices and a soup recipe. All I had to add was onion, water, and the ham bone left from Christmas dinner. So easy to do after cooking that big Christmas meal.

Answer 4

Go somewhere like Michaels or Joannes for ideas.
They also run workshops teaching different crafts.
If you buy supplies in bulk & 'mass' produce, you'll save.

Swedish weaving - make sets of placemats for the women.
Try etching some wine glasses or beer mugs for the men.
Make table centre-piece or front-door decorations for couples
especially in a winter/Christmas theme for the holidays.
A Christmas/Winter bib, hat, sleepers, blanket, for babies.
A home-made doll & matching doll-clothes for little girls.
Home-made wooden toys (car, train, etc.) for the little boys.

Answer 5

You have 18 adults, 11 children. With that in mind, I have come up with some ideas for you that will work for kids/adults. What can you create if you are not a crafty person? Create a cozy comfort basket. This gift is not entirely homemade, but simple. You assemble everything, and there is a homemade element. Purchase an inexpensive basket, and a fleece blanket (can be solid or print, whatever is on sale). (You can also buy fleece and make your own blankets for each person, but as you said, will add to the cost). Add a pair of cozy thick socks or slippers, and a pair of pajamas. I shop at Good Will a lot and find some wonderful new or like new jammies and socks for adults and kids. A good book, if you know what the recipient likes to read, again I find great ones at Good Will. A coffee mug (or two) bought at a dollar store, and homemade hot chocolate (pour a hot chocolate packet, a handful of mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, all in a clear pastry bag, tie a festive ribbon around the top, and tuck in the mug). Arrange everything attractively in the basket. Of course you may add anything else you wish to add to the baskets, which personalizes them. I know I would be thrilled to find a new blanky and the other items, and who can't use a basket? Have fun creating!

Answer 6

Last year I knitted or crocheted scarves and hats for almost all of our family...only I cheated a little! There are looms at Michaels, I can't recall the name, but they are plastic and come in circles (set of 4 i think) and rectangles. The circles are great for hats, the rectangle for scarves. Michaels (if you have one there) has yarn on sale pretty much every week and that's how I got the yarn. For the some of the men I crocheted hats with a thicker wool blend, for the women I made matching scarves and hats. For the babies, I knitted hats on the looms and then crocheted little ears and attached. I'm a way beginning knitter and crocheter, but it wasn't too hard and was actually really fun. I just had a project going every evening or whenever watching tv.

For the children, a little art pack is a good idea. You put together an art pack in a large ziplock bag, then the kiddos can take it with them whereever they go, which in our family means a lot of places during the holidays. You can get crayons, stickers, different papers, ribbon, beads, whatever you think the kids would like...get big boxes of each item and divide between the baggies. then write the kids names on labels with a sweet message and voila, traveling art pack!

The other thing I do most years is make homemade cards, then put together packets of them as gifts...you could do thank you cards even, people can use those for sure during the holiday.

Have fun! I agree with the other sentiments that homemade gifts are the best, whether or not money is an issue.

blessings.

Answer 7

I remember last year a gave some people beaded snowflake ornaments I had made from a kit. Didn't take too long and they really enjoyed them.

Answer 8

I have decorated ornaments and have given them for gifts.
There are all kinds of things you can make that cost next to nothing. Here are some web sites:
www.duncancrafts.com
www.hgtv.com
www.michaels.com
www.hobbylobby.com

Answer 9

i don't remember the exact recipe...luckily you can google it. i used to make awesome ornaments out of ginger dough minus the sugar, they smell incredibly good, last for a few years and you can make them and decorate them however you want. you can make dozens for a few dollars.

Answer 10

there is free website that has lots of ideas for making gifts try it..www.freepatterns.com

Answer 11

That is a lot of people to prepare for. First, let me ask if it is possible to "trim" that list....perhaps by putting all of the names of the adults into a hat and then have each adult draw a name. Furthermore, put a "cap" on the amount of money each person spends.

(My siblings and spouses draw every year and we have a $25 limit).