Today is round 2 of heart and homemade gifts - mainly non-food. It feels fitting this morning to type this. It is COLD, dusting of snow and cloudy out. Brrrrr
There are so many fun things one can do - that cost little if no money. I know (again) that not everyone appreciates these kind of gifts - yet, that is a concept I just do not understand. Many very special items can be gotten from local artists and crafters. Watch the craft shows or go to area shops. These people greatly appreciate your business and they also provide some wonderful gifts.
MAKING THINGS
Reuse things to make new things. Do you have an old tattered and worn quilt? Turn that into stuffed ornaments, a table runner, a tree skirt, a teddy bear, drink coasters, throw pillows, a lap quilt, etc.
Old vintage tablecloths can become aprons, table runners, napkins, dish towels, etc.
Old t-shirts? It is a thing to make guilts or bed coverings from old t-shirts. They may be sports themed, groups, or even computer game themed. They are easy to make. Cut the main section of shirt in large squares - sew together, and back. I have had several of these requested by family. **Make sure it is OK to cut those shirts first!!!!!
OLD CLOTHES - make anything. Hand pieced quilts, pillows, stuffed animals, lap throws, anything you can imagine. It is a great way to pass on some clothing pieces from loved ones gone - a little keepsake.
RECIPES - pass on those family recipes. Make a lovely handwritten recipe book for younger family members. All of grandma, mom, and aunties favorite recipes! Those little 4x6 or 5x7 picture albums you can get at the dollar stores are great for this. Plastic sheets to protect those recipes. Don't let the family recipes die when you do!!!!!!!!
Do you have a special HANDWRITTEN recipe from grandma or mom - make color copies of it and frame it for the recipient!!!! What a fun kitchen gift.
HEIRLOOMS
Pass on family heirlooms to those who may appreciate them in the future. It can be anything. Salt & pepper shakers, a piece of silver, dishes, a pretty vase, a piece of artwork, a knife, a fishing pole, etc.
Frame a love letter or vintage card from the past.
Maybe you have an old wedding dress or christening gown that is way beyond being useful. Cut some lace and frame. Make an angel for their tree or any type of ornament.
Homemade scarves, gloves, hats, socks, afghans, lap throws, booties, etc. are sure wonderful to receive. Mom made sure each of her kids and grandkids all got at least one handmade afghan over the years. She crocheted them all. They are cherished by all.
OLD pictures or family pictures. You can get one of those digital picture frames and download pictures from the past or even recent pictures. They are really neat and it is easy if you have your pictures saved digitally. We one year scanned old, old pictures and made CD's for everyone of all the pictures.
GAMES - never underestimate the fun of a board or card game for the family. It can sure provide a lot of fun on a cold and snowy day.
FOR KIDS - A snowman kit! Find the perfect sticks for arms, a hat and scarf, big old buttons, and whatever may be needed to make a snowman they make "all dressed" and ready for viewing!!!!!!
Dress-up box. How fun? Can be things you have around the house or hit up the nearest thrift store.
Kits to make a birdhouse or a terrarium.........
EXPERIENCES
Take someone out for coffee or sweets. A simple trip to a bookstore or craft store. Museums, miniature golf, an adventure at the orchard, a play or concert, a cooking lesson (per yesterday's comments), a spa day or a mani or pedi. There is no end to what you can do. An elderly or handicapped neighbor or relative - a gift of shoveling, house cleaning, errand running, a homemade meal a week/month, etc. OR just a VISIT and listening and being together!!!!!!!
Don't forget local ARTISANS! Look for unique items specific to the recipient. There are just so many neat things that can be had from local folks. Maybe even a gift certificate from a local farm market, or dairy or beekeeper or orchard or garden shop. THINK - there are so many options out there.
Take a little time to really think about the recipient. What might they enjoy that doesn't come from a big box store.
We can all throw money at the stores and just get 'something'. It takes a lot of caring and love to find a special gift for someone.
Have fun with this. Give the gift of love!
What are your ideas?
Good morning, Cheryl. GREAT ideas! Love your pics, too. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite gifts over the years were things passed down by grandparents trying to declutter. We have a cut crystal plate + matching, divided oval olive/pickle server with tiny fork from one grandmother and it goes out on the table every holiday. Hubs was gifted a bolo tie from his grandfather one year; it was a bolo tie grandpa wore with a Bisbee turquoise stone in the center, because he'd worked at the Bisbee mine when my MIL was a child. For those who are decluttering, some of your nearest and dearest might like an heirloom.
I know everything is digital now, but old family pictures that are framed can be cherished gifts, too. A few months ago I came across a closeout on a set of 5 picture frames with white mats, knowing I can use those frames as gifts with or without pictures in them. Consider, too, framing letters or notes from loved ones passed. LOVE your idea of framed recipe cards. You can also embellish either the frames or cut mats with baubles or whatnot. Easier for any readers not confident in their crafting skills. And I'll share more ideas today as I think of them. I've given many homemade gifts over the years. --Elise
Thanks. I love gifts that are heirlooms. Mom gave Glen a pocket watch from my uncle one year. Brothers got dad and grandpas. I still cherish that watch.
DeleteI gave the girls all recipe books one year with recipes from all the family - here and gone. Love the bolo tie gift! That would be special to maybe wear around the holidays!!!
Mom collected s & p shakers and I inherited them ALL! I have given lots of them to nieces and nephews - gifts from their parents to mom years ago.
So many neat ideas.
Late to the party and need to know how big a can of orange juice concentrate to use for the cranberry orange sauce.
ReplyDeleteTwo bags of cranberries are languishing in the freezer and need to be made into this delicious sauce. Yum!
I have some OLD vintage linens and lace. Excellent ideas. Now sewing, that's my thing. I can put together that apron no problem. And it would be appreciated. Mom's old lace in frames. Thanks for the ideas.
Ellie
Central Az
The small can of froz. concentrated OJ, Ellie. Sorry. Should have mentioned that! --Elise
DeleteGlad Elise gave you your answer.
DeleteYou are more than welcome on the ideas. It is fun to have options!!!!!
Husband was a Navy brat and lived in San Diego and Coronado during WWII. He has fond memories of the ferry, the Hotel Del Coronado and other area landmarks. So a few years ago I bought some vintage San Diego post cards on Ebay and arranged them in a frame for him. He loved it! It still hangs on our wall.
ReplyDeleteOh what a neat idea. That was such a thoughtful gift and obviously a cherished one as well!!!!!
DeleteMy mother had spoken of a series of children's picture books she enjoyed as a child in the 1940s. I found a copy of one on Ebay and surprised her with it. It happened to be one of her favorites in the series! She used it in her holiday display for many years.
ReplyDeleteGirl aren't you the thoughtful one??!!!!!! That is just so neat. Listening always pays off. To bring a smile to someone with a 'lost' memory or item is just wonderful
DeleteThese are all outstanding ideas for gifts, any time of the year. These are personalized and not a generic gift from the mall or WallyWorld.
ReplyDeleteAnyone would appreciate a gift from the heart.
I know I would.! It just takes a little listening, a little thought and a little 'I can do that' to make someone smile.
DeleteAll great ideas.
ReplyDeleteI so wish I had someone to leave things to, but I don't know where anyone is. All these heirlooms will be sold at an estate sale when I'm gone.
The best received gift I gave was to my mom. She was in Cali and I was here. I knew she wasn't decorating or anything so I tried to give her a month of Christmas. Instead of getting a few gifts on one day, I did an Advent calendar of gifts. I wrapped 25 gifts and numbered them. I kept a list because I was*torturing* my mom into only opening one per day lol. I told her that if she didn't open it on the phone with me and tell me what it was, she wouldn't get her big box of gifts next year! She called that torture!! I had so much fun finding gifts all year. Some days were her big gifts like slippers or pajamas, some were food, and some just little things. I'll try and remember some. A small set of Christmas cards to send to her remaining family, complete with envelope stickers and stamps. Fudge. 5-6 skeins of embroidery floss. Yarn. A book of stamps. An eyeglass repair kit. A flashlight and battery kit. Soup mix. Candy. A flavored coffee. Lotion. Chapstick. A GC so she could order a pizza delivery.
A can of cherries, her favorite!, Summer sausage, socks, treats or toys for her cat, a book of puzzles, another fave, a handheld game, etc.
She absolutely loved it and said she wanted one every month lol!!!
When she moved here, she asked me if that meant she wouldn't get her big box of presents. She clapped on the December 1st morning that I went into her room with a laundry basket full of numbered presents.
It doesn't have to be expensive and it's especially easy to gather things over the year on regular shopping trips. I'm sure it was as much fun for me as for her.
LOVE THIS! What a wonderful gift that keeps on giving!
DeleteI bet she had a ball with it. You probably had even more fun.
You are so right - it has nothing to do with money.
One of the best received gifts I ever gave cost me not a penny and many years later I still have the thank you note. It was as a beautiful old book of poetry ( gilt edged, leather bound and printed on delicate paper), that was given to me and although I liked it I knew someone who would love it. I embroidered a bookmark to go with it, using scraps and wrapped it in brown paper with string and sealing wax. It was a 'secret' Santa gift and it was the talk of my place of work!
ReplyDeleteHow thoughtful! That is pretty darn cool.
DeleteI bet everyone wished they had such a cool Secret Santa!!!!!
Re-Gifting with CARE...
ReplyDeleteIt hasn't been mentioned yet, but we all get gifts from time to time that don't match our style, homes, are the wrong size, etc. As long as you keep notes about what gifts came from who, re-gifting is not just thrifty, it's kind of like sharing the love.
For example: when our son was visiting over LD weekend, he brought a housewarming gift from friends on the coast where he still lives. They're beautiful art glass drinking glasses, but in blue (not the colors of my kitchen) and aren't dishwasher safe. The 2 glasses were purchased at an art gallery on the waterfront that I know charges premium prices. What to do with them? I won't donate them to a thrift store, because they'd sell for no more than $1 each and likely cost $40-50 each. My sister lives in Arkansas. Knows nothing about the glasses. Her dinnerware is the Blue Italian Spode that she's collected for years. BINGO!
Again, with care, re-gifting isn't tacky. --Elise
Great idea! Yep, for sure remember who gave what when regifting.
DeleteI have even taken apart gift packs of toiletries - to add bits to younger girls gift bags. I am allergic to so much - but they all felt so grown up getting the pretty smelling things.
Exactly, Cheryl. Years ago my mom gave me an Estee Lauder 'Beautiful' perfume gift set, forgetting that I'd developed allergies to scented products. I stashed it away. Awhile later, a dear friend said she loved the 'Beautiful' gift sets that her (deceased) husband always bought her for Christmas and her b'day, so I wrapped up the set for her and she was tickled. --Elise
DeleteI love the idea of using old linens to make an apron but then I destroy my aprons.
ReplyDeleteAprons are to be used! You could also make pillows or even clothes. I have a vest made from all vintage linens (like a patchwork) I got years ago. It gets worn on special occasions.
DeleteAnother re-gifting reminder: As Elise notes above, know the value of what you're gifted, but also check the quality and condition. One of my husband's relatives gifted us a beautiful silver bowl for our wedding. Absolutely beautiful and not something I would have even registered for. This exceptional gift was definitely a re-gift. It had tarnished badly and the box bore the store's name -- it had closed some 5 years prior to our wedding.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind getting or giving regifts, but I won't do that for weddings!
Delete~margaret
Oh my goodness. Like Margaret - I wouldn't have minded that at all for a birthday or even Christmas, but not a wedding gift.
DeleteAs any other gift even the 'vintage' box would have been acceptable - but kind of cheesy for a wedding gift. IMO
I have so many things gifted to me by all the people I loved. Most of it from the husbands family. I had a small family, but his was huge. I not only loved the boy, I loved the whole big loud, funny, kind, loving family. They were the greatest gift I ever received.
ReplyDeleteThey taught me about what true love is, not just about my husband but the safety and acceptance of a family. About family that had different religions, different levels of education, different levels of wealth but they were those same 8 eight little kids, born and raised on the farm, they were there in the good times and there in the bad.
The girls traveled to each other when babies were born, when someone was sick or had surgery. The boys all came when there was a big project at each other's home. A true gift can not be held in your hands, a true gift is held in your heart for your whole life!!
Texas, that's lovely!
Delete~margaret
How wonderful to have inherited the entire fantastic family. My own family was large and was much as you have described. G wasn't sure what to think of us, when he came in the family. But he sure ended loving my Momma and all the rest. They thought he was the greatest since sliced bread.
DeleteI am so thrilled you got that kind of family with your husband. That is a true gift of God.!!!!!!
In the 70s my mom was a member of a couple different cooking groups. She loved her cooking groups. Some of the things she had in those groups became family favorites. Somehow, I ended up with the original copies of the recipes that some poor woman typed up every month for the members. Several years ago I made copies and gifted them to my siblings. They appreciated it for sure!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of "shopping" my house for gift ideas. I certainly can make up spice mixes or baking mixes from my pantry. My daughter wants to embroider so I'm thinking I can make up a kit from all my supplies.
One year my daughter (who is a museum curator) had a collage printed up in black & white of 3 pictures of my dad's father's family, my dad's family and me as a baby with my mom and dad. I loved it! She often gives me framed photos. She waits for a sale at Walgreens and sometimes they have free offers.
When my children were young I would make them a "book". I decorated a binder and filled it with pages of interesting stuff --mostly stuff I printed off the internet. But I also included hand written/ drawn pages too or stuff I cut out. As an example, I found a website where you could insert the child's name in a story and print it out. I also drew and hand wrote a book for both my husband and mother-in-law years ago. I added poems, sweet thoughts, glued in some cartoons, etc. I should make some of those again. All it takes is a blank book and some time. If I do it again I'll probably add photos.
I'm so inspired by the comments! This has got me thinking! I'm working on this over the weekend!
~margaret
These are all just the neatest ideas!!!!! I love each of them.
DeleteMaking kits of some sort from home is a cool idea. It could be anything that you have an interest in or enjoy.
I love the book idea and personalizing it is fun!
I love older pictures of family long gone. I have gifted many over the years - otherwise some family would never have known where their looks and heritage came from.
I have gotten a lot of new ideas too.
Have fun this weekend.
That apron is beautiful! I so love that! For me? I have made my four grandbabies, age 4 months to 3 1/2 little flannel blankets. I just buy one yard for each one, and hem the edges with a double narrow hem and make a machine wavy looking stitch on the edge. I made four of them and they turned out really cute, all cotton flannel and little vintage Rudolph reindeer all over, very sweet looking. I also got a little piece of white flannel and pinked that and wrote their name in a silver sharpy with the year and a heart and stitched around the edge on the edge underside. I told one of my daughters if our little grandboy gets too tall for it I'll be glad to add a border to the ends but I have a feeling it's going to last a while.
ReplyDeleteYou have some nice ideas Cheryl! Thanks!
Love the blanket idea. They are so easy and fun to make. There are many ways to make nice blankets too. I have done a ton of those tied off ones (no sew). I have made small quilts. T-shirt blankets. Just so many that can be done.
DeleteWho doesn't love a blanket???
Oh my, it's me...Not Anonymous! lol The flannel is not that expensive either so that makes it super nice! I even made myself one with the little Rudolphs! We can all watch our Christmas shows with our blankies! : )
DeleteNothing like watching Christmas shows all cuddled under a warm and soft blankie!
DeleteSuch wonderful, creative ideas from you and your commenters! I've been gathering up t-shirts of Eli's but haven't gotten around to making a quilt. Maybe for his 6th birthday.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of photo reprints framed is one that I might just work on for some of my family. I think they'll appreciate that more than my hand made gifts.
That will be a special birthday present!!!
DeleteI love the old pictures. It is nice to see who came before us and where we came from.
Those are some really great ideas. For years we have exchanged adult family names and the gift has to be either hand/homemade or repurposed/used. It has been fun to see what everyone comes up with. We do buy for the kids but all the adults do this change. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteThat is a fun idea. I like that. How creative - it would be a hoot to see what everyone comes up with. I bet you have gotten some neat things.
DeleteWhile we give the boys cash at Christmas, I always make them something. Never tried to go the second hand route, but that is something I am going to look into.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Cash is always a welcome gift. They can get what they really want/need. I hope you give it a try - it can be fun!
Delete