Any ideas??

[shais_mom]

Does anyone have any ideas that I could make for our family for Christmas??
I was thinking about getting something small for my mom's side of the family - for each family. There would be 6 in all.

My mom usually bakes bread. I was thinking a plate of brownies or cookies. One year I got the fixing's for spaghetti for dinner. I bought jars of sauce, noodles, and decorated them in bags. I did it b/c my uncle's wife had left him and thought he needed something easy to fix. Less then $5 would be good - my mom keeps saying don't put a lot in it....
I am just stumped....
candles aren't appropiate for everyone mom suggested baking something - maybe even a cake for everyone - we aren't getting together until the 19th - I think I could bake 6 cakes by then!!!


Thanks in advance!!! :D

[Tonya]

I don't know if your family is religious at all, but my ex-mother-in-law had a neat tradition...She would make a birthday cake for Jesus. It was a red velvet cake. For some it might be to cheesey, but we'd sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and then dig in. The kids enjoyed it and I always thought it was a cool tradition.

I just reread your post...Are you looking for gifts that the family can bring home, or something to serve at the gathering?

[Karen]

Making fudge is fun, and you could make a couple different kinds and give everyone a mix of pieces. There are other candies that are fairly simple and fun to make.

A platter of various cookies for each family - make one batch a week between now and then, stick 'em in the freezer - even sugar cookies look festive with colored sugar sprinkled on top - and then thaw, frost if necessary, and pile onto paper plates, wrap with colored plastic-wrap and tie with a ribbon bow.

Or buy 6 cheap frames, take the glass out and spray-paint 'em nice colors or gold or silver, and do a montage of family photos on a pretty background for each group.

[Randi]

Can you sew? How about making nice tea cosy's for everyone - or cosmetic bags for some? You could also make the chocolade truffles I posted on the recipee thread. :D They usually go down well! ;)

Or you could knit hats, socks or gloves - but you wouldn't be able to type any posts on PT at the same time. :(

[Kfamr]

I was going to suggest cookies as well.

My mom always makes a large assortment of fudge, chocolate truffles, sugar cookies, no-bake cookies..etc.. and put them in trays and gives them to each family.

She gets her trays from work, which are pie trays that come with lids and all, and normally puts some sort of decorative napkin in the bottom.

[Tonya]

My stepmom has a tradition of buying ornaments for everyone. Every person has a special theme and every year they get an ornament from that theme. I'm hearts cause I have a big heart, my son gets snowmen because he's grandma's little snowman, Mike always gets motorcycle ornaments, my sister always gets Elvis ornaments because she loves Elvis, my brother always gets soccer ornaments and my other brother always gets musical instrument ornaments...etc...

[Cincy'sMom]

How do you feel about a shopping trip in Toledo?

At the Libbey glass outlet, they sell Holiday (glass) platters you could put the cookies/brownies on and they are very inexpensive. ( I think $5 or less, but I can get you Ralph's discount and it is even cheaper!) we have done that for family gifts in the past. Another option they have is candy jars, candle holders, etc. If you want to come up and do some shopping, let me know!!

[Nomilynn]

One year I got a really neat gift from a friend; in a mason jar, she had put all the ingredients to a cookie, with an instruction sheet on the side about adding water, etc. It was great because I was able to save it until I wanted more sweets (it was too close to Christmas to have even MORE cookies, etc.). I will see if I can find the recipe online for you.

I also think your spaghetti bags are a GREAT idea! I may use that in the future :D

[carole]

I was going to suggest making your own chocolates, if you have the moulds, and putting them in cellophane and tieing them with ribbon, do you have such a thing as scratchies over there,? you can buy them for one dollar here, scratchy cards that have prizes of up to ten thousand dollars and more, I always buy one for all our family, its exciting scratching them to see if anyone wins anything.

I also enjoy making shortbread cookies cut into xmas shapes, if you package them nice they look so good, and very inviting to eat. hmm must make some this year.

Hope you find something neat to give them Staci.:)

[cookieluver7]

Sugar cookies. Sugar cookies are a yummy Christmas treat. :D

[shais_mom]

Originally posted by Tonya
I don't know if your family is religious at all, but my ex-mother-in-law had a neat tradition...She would make a birthday cake for Jesus. It was a red velvet cake. For some it might be to cheesey, but we'd sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and then dig in. The kids enjoyed it and I always thought it was a cool tradition.

I just reread your post...Are you looking for gifts that the family can bring home, or something to serve at the gathering?
gifts to take home but that is a very sweet idea..... I like it..:)


I got a good chuckle over knitting Randy. :) I can't knit so I won't be missing any PT posts! But crocheting and knitting is becoming popular again here - several of the girls from work (younger then me) are making afghans.... :)
Keep the ideas coming they are all very good!

I would love a shopping trip Amy, I just don't have anymore weekends that aren't full to come up. :(
I really like the Mason jar idea, Nom....
THANKS EVERYONE!

[shais_mom]

I found this site
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/giftsinajar/a/122099a.htm

am c/p the idea so I can have a list to get...
Look how easy the snickerdoodle recipe is!!
http://southernfood.about.com/od/spicecookies/r/bl31116c.htm

:eek:

[Nomilynn]

Thanks for posting that cookie jar site :) I've bookmarked it and might use it myself this year! :)

[cloverfdx]

You have been given some great ideas Staci, i hope you come up with something. This thread has reminded me that i have to bake 100 + dog biscuits before this Saturday :eek: i totally forgot.

[shais_mom]

glad I could be of some help!!
he he!

[NoahsMommy]

These are some very good ideas!!

I love the ideas on making cookies or candies, just for the holidays. I always love recieving homebaked gifts, especially if they are someone's special holiday recipes.

The jar thing is a really great idea! You can make all types of mixes.

Stac, do you paint? I used to always go to a local craft store to get clay ornaments to paint. After you paint them, you spray them with acrylic gloss, add a ribbon for a hanger and its still really, really affordable.

[shais_mom]

that sounds like fun Kelly but No I don't paint but I think I could....
:)

[mina'smomma]

I also paint ornaments every year. Only thing is mine are plaster. You can get them at a good price at Wal-Mart.

[NoahsMommy]

Stac, look!! A ton of stuff you could make:

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/static?page=craftpainting

:)

[shais_mom]

I just wanted everyone to know that I made the chocolate chip cookies in a jar and gave them out to the families and they were a big hit!!!
For the ones that I didn't think could bake cookies I baked loaves of quick bread in various flavors and gave them out. Must have been good my cousin Allison ate her's after she opened her gifts! :)
And for my other cousin who I drew his name in our exchange I made him one of those no sew fleece blankets with a golf theme and he loved it! The new sew blankets and pillows were quite popular this year, my sister and my other cousin and I all did them without planning it!

Thanks for the suggestions! :)

[Tonya]

I'm glad to hear that it all worked out. Those sounds like great gifts!

[carole]

Ah Staci you have hidden talents, I wish I could sew, you can make such awesome gifts, glad everyone liked them, way to go Staci.:)

[shais_mom]

Originally posted by carole
Ah Staci you have hidden talents, I wish I could sew, you can make such awesome gifts, glad everyone liked them, way to go Staci.:)

Not really a hidden talent Carole - b/c it was a NO SEW blanket!(and pillows)

I have a couple pics from then I will attach them and see what I can find on the net to explain them better then I can.

[shais_mom]

My cousin made this one.

[NoahsMommy]

Wonderful, Stac! I was wondering what you ended up making. I'd love to see pictures of those blankets. Sounds like fun.

:)

[shais_mom]

And this is the golf one I made

[shais_mom]

http://www.exploringwomanhood.com/homelife/ideas/pom-jan03.htm

[NoahsMommy]

Stac,

That looks amazing!! I want to make some when things slow down a bit, thanks for posting the instuctions. :)