50 Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas
The Los Angeles Times ran a roundup of homemade food-based gift ideas on Wednesday that might be just the ticket for saving money while coming up with a thoughtful present:
1. Make a batch of grissini grissini (homemade breadsticks), flavored with rosemary or black pepper, wrapped in parchment paper and tied with a bow.
2. Cut out cinnamon marshmallow stars with cookie cutters, then pack them, dusted with powdered sugar, into a tin.
50. Use a new apron to wrap a loaf of cranberry-orange bread, a sachet of loose-leaf black tea laced with dried orange peel, a cinnamon stick, whole allspice and some star anise. Suggest a time to drop over for a spot of holiday tea.
Are you making—instead of buying—gifts this year?
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15 Comments:
I am indeed! Oreo truffles, vanilla extract, coffee liquor, and possibly punition sandwiches (if this trial batch works out well). It's so much more fun and personal. =)
kfarrel3 at 8:16PM on 12/14/08
I was going to make gifts until I found food themed christmas cards!!
ag3208 at 9:25PM on 12/14/08
On Friday, I decided to make gift boxes for my friends across the country: 4 types of cookies, Alton Brown's hot cocoa mix, homemade marshmallows, rosemary salt, and bath salts. I think I may be nuts, trying to do this at the last minute!
jcwest47 at 10:05PM on 12/14/08
Chocolate chip cookies, gingersnaps, fudge, swet and spicy almonds, rum and raisin cookies, hot chocolate mix - all packed into cheap and cheerful (dollar store) stockings
PeanutButter at 10:35PM on 12/14/08
Yep. Peppermint bark, and some cherry-almond bark I tried on a whim. It's pretty good. I'm also knitting scarves, but you can't eat those. Or you shouldn't, anyway.
francie at 10:48PM on 12/14/08
Yup. But this year isn't different, it's become pretty standard. There are some non-food gifts, too, though. But not many.
I find that I can give a lot more if I'm giving cookies or cakes. A lot of people that we give food gifts to, we wouldn't be buying them things otherwise.
Funny thing is that the biggest non-food gift I'm giving is a gift certificate to a kitchen-cooking related store that opened in town.
dbcurrie at 1:33AM on 12/15/08
My husband canned 27 quarts of enchilada sauce, 27 pints of onion "jam," and 27 jars of jalapeno jelly. About half will be handed out as gifts, and I'm hoarding the rest.
maered at 3:53AM on 12/15/08
I make all the recipe variations of Dorie Greenspan's sables, wrap them in clear bags and tie with a big bow. They look so pretty all stacked up.
london_janice at 5:22AM on 12/15/08
making. in fact, i think i'm done. i made 15 candy apples yesterday. having said that, it's still pretty early in the month and i'm sure i'll have to crank out a few more before the month is over.
also made non-food related items. i get bored watching tv so i knit a lot, usually small items like hats and fingerless gloves. got those out of the way by thanksgiving.
french tart at 8:17AM on 12/15/08
i am infusing vodkas and tequilas for people.. i have several flavors going, everyone will get a set of small mason jars full with homemade labels. the flavors: (vodkas) watermelon, hazelnut, jalapeno, tomato & garlic (tequilas) habanero lime, cucumber...
goodbyeohio at 8:27AM on 12/15/08
I am making caramels (regular, cayenne and licorice), peanut brittle (regular and cayenne) and chocolate fudge (regular and cayenne).
I am also making some grainy mustards for some family members.
Some cookies too, if I don't run out of time.
dawnie2u at 9:53AM on 12/15/08
I am making Satsumaicello. That's Limoncello but with Satsuma zest in place of lemon.
NO_Pam at 1:08PM on 12/15/08
I'm making limoncello, but mostly for non-immediate family members.
bylinemjf at 3:46PM on 12/15/08
I'm candy-ing orange peel as I type! Hubby is making a second batch of marshmallows tonight, and later this week is chocolate night: we'll do 2 kinds of bark, dipped pretzel sticks, and he's making a truffle of some sort...and maybe caramels. Earlier this month I made some spiced chai and put it in individual tea bags, and mulling spice bags too (thank goodness for Penzey's!)
My family complains if we don't make them goody boxes.
AliceBlue at 4:03PM on 12/15/08
I made apple butter
yumSoup at 12:26PM on 12/16/08