Holiday Gift Ideas

Hi guys! I am looking for ideas for holiday gifts. Yes, it is not even Halloween, however, in order to find the best deals / have time to make things I like to start early. Hopefully this can be a thread for any kind of gifts.
I have to fill 17 stockings. (Extended family plus a friend). Ages 3 yo to 80. Male and female. My goal has been $3-$4, but this year I am going wild, and planning on $5 a piece. Woot woot! As always, ideas for men are especially helpful.

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I just bought 4 of these.

I hope they will be cute. I’ll put photos in each of them before I put them in the stockings.

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If you get cheap fabric, can you do pyjama shorts?

We’re planning to buy a device to convert family videos from vhs to digital. The one we’re looking at is $80, but my family and my husband’s family both have a lot of vhs’s so we should get a lot of value out of it. Once we’ve gotten through our immediate family videos we might offer it to our extended families, not as a Christmas thing but just to work on throughout the year.


This is the one we’re looking at using but if anyone has recommendations I’d love to hear them!
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I made tiny crocheted Christmas ornaments a couple of years ago.

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When bf’s mom does stockings, I love when she includes nice personal care items (Burt’s bees, nice soap, travel/sample size toiletries…you could do manicure/nail polish/nail art stuff: TJ Maxx/Ross have sets of brand name mini-bottles cheap around holidays, eg OPI). Wool socks were popular, but then everyone got too many… Cold weather accessories in fun colors? Scarves, dollar gloves, off-brand Buff (www.buffusa.com).

Art/craft supplies or kits were always a hit for us kids. Especially something unusual…tie dye pencils, oven bake clay (eraser sculpey?), calligraphy pens, that kind of thing. You could split sets, and/or include your own instructions.

For grandparents, photo gifts are awesome. A small album or a framed photo. Most will appreciate something handmade more than a kid would, I think.

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Can’t go wrong with consumables: tea/coffee samplers, fancy candy or chocolate, lotions/soaps, candles.

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What a cool idea!

Great ideas, guys! Must get back on Pinterest!

Our library has machines that do that. You might want to check yours, libraries are all so different. But $80 might be worth it to you to be able to do it in the convenience of your home.

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Thanks for the suggestion! I just checked and our library doesn’t offer it, but I learned about a bunch of services they do offer. I don’t mind spending the money since my dad is impossible to shop for and he’ll appreciate this, plus then we can pass it around to family and friends later.

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We’re doing Salt dough ornaments this year, I’ve decided. This will be great or terrible.

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I’m trying to figure out my gifting for this year.

Mom: home-knit sweater
Dad: home-knit socks and/or slippers
Wizard: ???
Wizard’s mom: ???
Wizard’s dad: ??? some sort of group of edible treats is likely
Bestie: ??? probably a charitable donation

I usually do homemade candies for the little “obligation” presents to co-workers and the like – I’ll make a mix of honey cream caramels, some truffles, some candied citrus peel and put them in cute little bags.

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Soliciting suggestions for handmade, upcycled, regifted options for a retired gent in his 60s. Avid cyclist. I have ok sewing and basic knitting skills. Lots of salvaged denim.

Backstory: bf’s dad has requested no gifts for himself with increasing intensity for a couple years now, to the point where I want to honor the intent of this. But gift giving is still my 2nd love(/affection) language so gosh darn it I want to still gift something! But I think I can at least not buy something. Crafting details probably ok (zipper, fiberfill) for a good idea.

Ideas so far: hat/scarf, or travel pouches, or travel pillow. Don’t want to do treats because of transport challenges and also health-consciousness…

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This is not the idea you asked for…but what about a gift unwrapped - either from the global campaign of big companies doing it, or we now have some of our local charities doing versions like Christmas dinner for four, or blankets and socks for 3 men from a local group last year.

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After sending the link above I checked this year’s range. And there is a pile of poo option. Toilet humour father and niece both possibly shopped for!!! Eco warrior visco niece will get from another charity, as will mother. Brother and SIL may also get a charity gift… Then Netflix for parents, book each for nieces… Kombucha/chocolate/coffee or whatever for BIL and SIL and I win!

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A few years ago I made ear flappy things for my uncles. I can’t remember what they were called. But the idea is that they worked with bike helmets, and they covered the ears to keep them warm when you can’t wear a hat. They were knit so I’m sure you could find the pattern on Ravelry (presumably that’s how I found it).

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That sounds awesome, thanks!

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Charity is an option, but last we discussed it, bf made clear his dad prefers certain charities supported, and I’m not sure I agree with their missions (religious)…

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I like the ear flappy project idea!!!

I think that most people process gifts like goats and poo differently from how they process gifts like “a donation has been made in your name”. But maybe not fil. Maybe get new fil who accepts gifts with glee?

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