Family gatherings may or may not happen, products may be in short supply, money may be less, things are just going to be different.
I am a 'different' kind of gift giver any way. I am not big on traditional stuff. Very seldom do I buy things for other people. Young folks are picky - so if I pick out something, odds are it won't be cool enough. Many people are just plain hard to buy for - I mean they have everything. So my gifts tend to be something that everyone needs and likes - FOOD!
Now that gardens are coming on and people have started canning - it is time to think of some fun things to put up that would work as gifts. Get those recipe files dusted off - and go through them and come up with some fun ideas.
Yesterday I posted the recipe to can sweet and sour sauce - that would make a fun and different item for your gifts 'baskets'. I will be posting other recipes over the next few weeks.
Think about some of the following:
Jellies and jams
Salsa or pasta/pizza sauces
Dry jar soup recipes (recipes will come later)
Seasoning mixes
Homemade cookies, candy, sweet breads, scones, muffins, brownies, etc.
Homemade bread - wrap in a pretty kitchen towel
There are just so many options.
My brother gives my sister and I a gift bag of all kinds of home canned goodies each year. We get green beans, tomato juice, salsa, pickles, relish, beets, sweet potatoes .......you name it. Such a wonderful gift! So healthy and fresh tasting - no additives.
I try to gift things that I have made or canned and then add some store bought things that the recipient may not always buy for themselves (yet like). Just this week I got tinned pink salmon for brother and sisters baskets this year. They both love salmon patties - but don't buy it often, as it costs TOO much in their opinion! I got Goya ham seasoning - which they love. Got some parchment paper cupcake liners for a niece who loves to bake. I have purchased specialty olives before. Favorite candy bars or special snack food.
I add different rice's and pastas as well.
I like to add all kinds of different things as well as homemade.
Just pay ATTENTION to the likes of various people and surprise them with their favorites.
*I have a teenage nephew who LOVES Cheese-its - he always gets several boxes in different flavors. His sister loves dill pickles of every type - she gets them all for herself!
Sometimes you just need to get creative!!
First rule is there aren't any rules. Do what you want. Have FUN!
You can get gift cards for folks who are staying home and shopping online for groceries. This will help them get some extras. Grocery gift cards are great for anyone! I love getting them
THIS year is different - buy or make some things that are always in need.
Make hand sanitizer and gift in cute bottles or in a mason jar
Make face masks
Liquid soap in pretty bottles
Not so crazy - TP and Kleenex
Antiseptic wipes
Think about family games. Puzzles. Books.
A CD of a movie classic and make up a movie basket - candy, popcorn, snacks
If you know someone who cans or gardens - look for lids, jars, pectin, seasoning packets, garden seeds, flower seed, gloves, fertilizer, etc.
Make some holiday decorations and craft items. They will become keepsakes.
Get those brains in gear!!!! Make a very 'different' Christmas/holiday season. Don't worry about what restrictions that there may be (no need to borrow worry) - use this time to think about gifting fun and different things.
I enjoy making gifts and putting together baskets. My family always enjoy them. We all have to eat - so it is fun getting groceries that are something we may not buy!
Have fun and start dreaming of and working towards a very different Christmas!
It's just 4 months away!!!!!!
Darn this spammer! I've got several comments and reported them each time, but blogger doesn't seem to be doing anything about it.
ReplyDeleteI tend to start purchasing Christmas gifts in January and sometimes even during Boxing week sales. This year I'm making more of my gifts, since I have the time and the inclination. I have a couple completed and will work on the rest over the next 4 months.
Over the years the number of people I give to has decreased, for various reasons, and my budget has decreased as well. By starting early in the year I can spread out the costs throughout the year and I can't remember a time where I went into debt for the holiday.
Have fun putting together the gifts. Take care and stay well!
Starting early is a wonderful idea. I used to buy a lot and always started right after Christmas myself. It saves time, money and frustration.
DeleteMy list gets shorter every year!
I hope I sent that spammer far, far away. Ticks me off. People could sure utilize their time better doing something useful.
Take care
Christmas! Yea! I love all your ideas. I just wish I had recipients to give them too. I do love giving homemade items best. I have a gift box with crocheted items and plenty of jams and jelly's. I have already been collecting puzzle's and if I see really good conditioned things at an estate sale. Amazing the Christmas items I find at estate sales, nobody buys them, lol. Just me.
ReplyDeleteOnly 4 months!! Bite your tongue. Have a great day!
Thanks! I get fewer recipients every year as well. Love the idea of crocheted items! Estate sales can sure be bountiful - when no one else bids!!!!
DeleteYou got it - 4 months. Be here before you know it!
Have a good one
These are already priced items. We don't bid for stuff maybe dicker though.
Deletegotcha!
DeleteGreat ideas Cheryl and LaurieS... especially this year with possible shortage on things that come from China that may not be available at the stores.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna. I didn't tend to buy much of that stuff any way - so I will keep doing my thing. Everybody seems to like food and homemade goodies and that is fine with me. I can stay home in my cozy house - work on things - and spend little $$!
DeleteIt is getting to be that time of the year to start thinking on these things. I think some homemade granola, packed into jars, would make a nice gift.
ReplyDeleteLove that idea - as a matter of fact I wrote that on my MAYBE list the other day. Good for breakfast, over ice cream over yogurt, on pancakes, etc.
DeleteThanks!!
Thanks for the ideas! Hard to believe that Christmas is only 4 months away. What a year this has been...
ReplyDeleteYes indeed - not what we were imagining 8 months ago I am sure.
DeleteWelcome
I love it, if someone comments on your weight eat them.
ReplyDeleteThat is 100% correct!!!!! LOL
DeleteLove the "rules"!
ReplyDeleteI have started thinking about Christmas as I do have a feeling that we may be severely restricted this year when it comes to visiting. Stores have not received a lot of the Fall/Winter shipments as yet so our choices may also be limited. I don't have that many that I exchange with but this year I think I will add some gift cards to my stash so that I have the option of tucking one into a Christmas card. Food is always popular, along with books & puzzles for my friends and I have a few in my gift stash already. One item I gave to friends a few years ago which proved to be very popular was a hot water bottle with a knitted cover. I had to buy the set but if you can knit then you can buy the "bottles" quite reasonably at the drugstore. People laughed at first but later told me how much they loved having them when curled up on the couch on a cold winter's night!
I have plenty of wrapping paper, gift bags and Christmas cards already purchased so the only things on my list are some nice tissue paper and some ribbon. I also intend hitting the Post Office next week and stocking up on more stamps now.
Just wanted to say thank you for your post the other day about saving all those storage containers. I didn't go into the office this morning and the friend that I had plans with for the afternoon has had to postpone until next week so I have spent the day moving some furniture and books and using many of the containers that I had put aside to give away or take into the office. My living room now looks a lot neater, my baking cupboard is set up in a much more convenient spot and I have made the list of all the baking supplies still to purchase that I wanted to have in my purse. I am so pleased that I kept all those baskets and boxes for just a bit longer!
Same here - I have paper, ribbons, cards and I keep and reuse bows and tissue and pretty boxes from year to year.
DeleteI need to get more stamps too - I usually get a couple books at a time - but I mail everything (no online).
You are welcome. Glad it came in handy for you. Sounds like you really got motivated and organized. Way to go!!!!
Margie, I made heated rice bags as gifts this year. (They were going to be for Christmas but all went as birthday and hospitality gifts and have been wildly popular). The ones I made were 8x22 inches long plus seam allowances. I made outer bags (like pillowcases) from flannel and inner bags from muslin, and filled the inner bags with 4 lbs. of brown rice bought in bulk (I got 25 lbs. for about $15 and it made 6 bags). Heat them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
DeleteWhat a neat and useful idea. Thanks
DeleteCookies, sauces, and such always seem to taste better when made by someone else!! Great gift to receive.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed!!! I agree whole heartedly!!
DeleteI'm sewing masks. I might make some bowl cozies if I have time. My food traditions are fudge and caramel corn. I've made them for nearly 40 yrs. now.
DeleteWe got one of my best gifts ever last year. My friend's husband makes chicken pot pies for a local deli. Well, they gave us 2 for Christmas last year and we had them for our Christmas dinner. They were swoonable tasty!! I'm trying to figure out how to get more this year lol.
Oh bowl cozies are a neat idea too.
DeleteWhat a wonderfully yummy gift you received. Just a little hint, hint!!! LOL
Hi, Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteSorry I have not been commenting my tablet has been naughty.
I give magazine subjects I started about 5 years ago and it was a big hit. I don't have to wrap them or .mail them. I just write what I got in there Christmas card. If they are local I add chocolate or jam or something sweet
Blessings,
Patti
Another great idea. I did that for many years as well. It is always fun to have a free magazine show up in the mailbox!
DeleteStarting early is great...and this is really early in my book. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteLOL - got to start thinking about early this year. Who knows how things will be. Actually I usually start in January!
DeleteCheryl, I'm not very imaginative, but I do give a lot of homemade jam! One year, my daughter (who is developmentally disabled) gave her dad a gallon jar of imported green olives from Costco...then proceeded to eat most of them herself! She also gives him gift cards to restaurants she likes.
ReplyDelete--Maxine
Jam is always great. I would love that big jar of olives!!!! YUM. Too cute that she liked them too!!!!
DeleteGift cards are like free money!
Excellent post! I'm making bread and butter pickles right now. The jars are in the pot. This is an excellent post that really puts a positive can-do spin on things. ~smile~ I'm planning to include a link to it in my Weekend Reading post this weekend. Please let me know if this is not okay. Blessings, Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
ReplyDeleteI love bread & butter pickles. One of my favorites. Hey, we can do anything and we just need to watch out for one another.
DeleteYes mam, that is just fine!!
Have a good one.
I have a plan in place. Hubby always says not to get him anything, but I always make him something, either knitted or sewn. The sons get cash and whatever I can think up to make. This year it is going to be oven mitts, BBQ aprons, and beeswax wraps.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Those sound like nice items for anyone. Years ago hubs and I quit getting each other gifts. We would get something we both wanted later in the year and it served as birthday, Christmas and anniversary gift! I miss that.
DeleteNice of you to make your hubby something special.
Blessings
Yes! I think we do need to start thinking of Christmas. I've been buying gifts every pay day for the last month or so. I'm almost done! I've made marmalade, beeswax wraps, soy candles and have a couple of sewing gifts I still need to make. A Netflix voucher would also make a good gift, I'm giving one to friends who cant justify this expense. Also, when my kids were small we used to make caramel popcorn and bag it up to give to our friends and their teachers. They still remember doing this!
ReplyDeleteYou could make me caramel popcorn any day! Yum, that sounds good.
DeleteGood for you on almost being done. I have more canning items to do for mine and then some gift cards.
I popped over via a link from Laura, a great post. Like you I love to give food gifts and enjoy the process thinking of each person as I make various items to pass on.
ReplyDeleteIt is so personal to me to make and give the goodies that people like. We do it with love. I hope you come again and chime in. We love new ideas!
DeleteOne of my favorite gifts was once when the kids were small, and money was so very tight, a neighbor got us a real nice beef roast. That was one of the most thoughtful gifts we have ever received.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. I bet that was wonderful and enjoyed by all.
DeleteI had to come back and mention the 3rd Christmas rule...if someone comments on weight, just eat them. It cracks me up every time I think of it. I just loved that.
ReplyDelete