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Homemade Christmas

December 9th, 2010 at 08:30 pm

So in light of our lack of money we have been doing some smart things.

One is to look for more homemade presents for Christmas. We always did something simple for the various teachers and scout helpers. But this year we are also trying to make homemade items for the kids and for the extended family when possible.

It isn't really easy. I am terrible at gift giving, so having to not only think of something, but think of something simple enough for the kids to make is really really hard.

So far we are looking into making a flannel play set for EL, and a leather case for a scrapbook and pencils for JC.

Many folk will be getting beaded 'charms' (hanging things for backpacks or whatnot. Some will get ornaments, others simple embroidery.

Sometimes that is a perfect fit, like the music teacher who will get an embroidered ornament with a xylophone on it. For others it will be a generic Christmas thing. Not sure if they will like it, but it will be a token of our gratitude. I figure most of the folk working with kids will like it.

Most local folk will also get fudge. (I have been told it is the highlight of Christmas for some folk, though two don't like it and wont get any. I have been tweaking the basic recipe for years, and folk never seem to complain.

Extended family is hard. Grandparents usually like homemade kid stuff, but... nothing particularly perfect comes to mind, and cousins certainly wont appreciate it. Which is why we wont be going %100 homemade.

With only a few short weeks till Christmas we have no ideas for the boys. I would like to have something homemade for them like the older girls will be getting.

I keep debating with myself about if the baby really needs anything. She wont notice not getting anything, and she certainly doesn't need anything. But the older kids will notice.

We will still do stockings with basis for all, some playdough, toothbrush, animal crackers, and I might do fruit or nuts, maybe a small toy.

3 Responses to “Homemade Christmas”

  1. ThriftoRama Says:
    1291943935

    I did homemade painted ceramic mugs for grandpa (ceramic paint is only $2.99 a pack at Hobby Lobby and is dishwasher safe. ) and the obligatory hand print concrete garden stone for grandma. We did handprint reindeer and I had the kids do paintings for relatives too. All were well-received, but you've probably done all those things already!

  2. nanamom Says:
    1291996702

    How about felted notebooks for the boys? Or a case to keep by the bed to put magazines in. Cover a box with fabric and you'll have a case. One can keep music stuff in. Take cards and cover them and make a game with Latin words or dinosaur pictures you print off the net, put facts on the back. And yes little one needs something cause the others are watching. You could make her heavy cards covered in fabric with different textures. Easy ideas for teachers and such are ornaments printed off of the web and colored www.homewardnow.com has some I think. Make little one a mobile, or have the kids make it. You don't have to hang it over the crib (good thing huh) just hang it somewhere. Dollar store has poster board and cards you could cover too.

  3. Joan.of.the.Arch Says:
    1292026334

    This boy (girls, too) idea just popped into my head. I've never seen it done, but I think it would not be too hard. Knee pads and maybe elbow pads for skating/boarding, scooters, etc. I think you could sew them from old sweat pants. Fit together layers and quilt them together. A line of velcro or some closures sewn on with elastic to hold them snug.

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