So I have parent, parent’s spouse (technically stepparent, I guess, but since I was over 30 when they got married, it just seems weird), possibly a name draw for stockings with relatives I’m visiting (always a toss up whether anyone organizes anything, and I’m fine if they don’t), sibling, sibling’s spouse, and two nephlings.
Parent: Travel gear or some kind of requested clothing in preparation for a trip next year, but I haven’t asked if there’s anything specific they’d like
Parent’s spouse: Also some kind of travel gear, plus a bottle of homemade vanilla since last year’s batch is finishing
Sibling: New robe and slippers, will also add a bottle of vanilla
Sibling’s spouse: Gift card to local sports store unless sibling suggests something else
Nephling 1 (toddler): Baby-Highlights subscription, a Magnatiles addition (technically for the whole family), and 529 donation
Nephling 2 (baby): A couple cloth books I picked up in October and a 529 donation. Some other random piece of baby gear is possible if there’s something sibling thinks would be useful, but at 6mo with an older sibling there isn’t a lot they need/want.
Argh! Thank-you for reminding me. We might be going to DSis#3’s for Christmas. If we do I am going to need stocking stuffers! Her adult DD is special needs, so they still do stockings. And hers is huge! I’m going to need something large and cheap, but good quality. Hmmm…what can I make? Hmm…maybe it’s time for a pj bottom sewing spree. DSis#3 would thank me for filling up her stocking! i need a bright tie dye flannel fabric, with lots of yellow in it. Hmmm…
We still need to sort out a bunch of presents. DH is way better at presents than I am. So far we have a few things!
Eldest child: magnatiles we got a good deal on, probably a new tablet since the free one we got has died. Something for stockings
Youngest child: a bunch of animal figurines, probably a tablet so we can have peace on longer car rides, something for her stocking.
My parents and brother I have zero clue.
Husbands family for adults we all bring a present and play a dice game. We usually limit to $50. So we need to get those 2 presents still. The game is both hilarious and fun. Also everyone brings something they like but doesn’t have to be specific! There’s a new tea shop opening here soon so I might go there for my present.
Nieces and nephews draw names so we will have to get 2 presents for that.
Husband and myself are getting new furniture today so we will count that for our Christmas present and probably get something small from the girls to each of us.
We’re doing a homemade/second hand thing with family (made easier by the fact that we’re only having a small nuclear family Christmas this year so I don’t need to find things for my 10000 cousins, uncles, etc.).
Sister: Second hand painting that I found at an antique store and is just her style. Plus possibly misc other small house things if I happen across them as she’s just moved into a new flat.
Mum: Handmade kaftan out of some gorgeous block print cotton
Dad: 2 charity shop books + a hand embroidered bookmark.
Gran: Hand woven scarf that I bought on vinted
Then for friends:
K, F: embroidered needle books
E,L,B: keyring
A? maybe some choir-coloured cufflinks I can make something acceptable from polymer clay?
Then will probably attempt some easy food-based thing (maybe little homemade chocolate buttons with fruits and nuts) for friends I’m a little less close with. .
so in 24 hours my gift list has been turned upside down. I calculated the costs of my previous list, and then looked at my budget.
I have a maximum of $200 CAD to spend on 13-14 people. Definitely making gifts from items on hand . Dropped the idea of buying gift cards for favourite book stores.
Okay I also remembered my SIL’s mom is coming (Latte and Luna’s bonus grandma). So I used Shutterfly to make her a puzzle of a pic of her and her girls I got off FB. Make bonus SIL a deck of cards with her adored dog on it. Made Brother2s luggage tag with his dog. Made ornaments for both grandmas. Got it all ordered, with S&H and sales tax, and a coupon code from a piece of mail they sent, it was $107 for those 5 gifts.
Things have really changed here the last 18 days. Seems I reorganize the gift list every morning and evening!
I’m making a lot of gifts, like I said. My food dehydrator is being put to good use.
I have a long list of baking. My goal is variety, not quantity. I have to connect with DD#2 to see what she’s baking, so we don’t duplicate effort.
I am in the midst of serious crafting. My serger quit working today. . So I’m limited to the sewing machine. I have six items to press and prepare to sew on lining. And another 8 items all pressed and ready for lining.
Hubby and I discovered hot chocolate bombs at a craft fair last weekend. Hubby has requested some for himself…from me!
For my part, I told him a book I wanted for Christmas. I know the author. She says next time she’s in town she’ll sign it.
I checked out the Christmas bag situation. We use bags instead of wrapping paper. I buy fabric 75% or more off after Christmas and make bags for the next year. But I haven’t done it in years. We’re down to 13 bags. We have 15 people each to give to. Rather than buy Christmas fabric now, at inflated prices, I took some very large ones from before and cut them up to make smaller bags. I don’t know how many I have, but it’s lots.
That’s my update. Wish I could say more, but some gift recipients might be reading here, so I’m largely keeping quiet on specific gifts.
Check for the BIL who just moved and doesn’t make much.
I bought a pen for the Aunt who’s basically bedridden.
Aside from that, I need to get into gear: permaculture cards for one friend, Christmas bread (6 loaves this year) ties are all made and hanging on the fridge. I intende to do a baking marathon Christmas Eve and maybe the day before? Making up pans of my 1 hour dinner rolls for our 3 neighbors who are close friends. One person asked me for a jar of rhubarb sauce, so that’s what she’ll get. Otherwise, gift cards, dinner rolls, and if I have something I know they’ll like, that will be in there too. I really need to find 3 larger baskets for the 3 large neighbor’s gifts. DH and I talked about the others: cranberry mustard and royal pears, probably. I don’t have a budget yet. But this may be the last ever Christmas we can afford to give anyone anything extra. Our friends and family have almost all been really understanding that our finances really dictate what we do, and that it’s never been consistent. Last year, we did very little, we’d just found out DH was possibly retiring…
I finally used up all the last Christmas cards we had. Either I need to make about 12 or buy something. I looked at a note card with a deer on it this morning and thought if I could figure some way to add a bow or something to the deer it would work for the holiday… but I didn’t buy the card.
Well! Things have really changed! We now have potentially 16 people for Christmas, if the last one can get a flight this late in the game!
All my Christmas presents have changed. I can’t explain further because someone in the family is on this forum.
I have a lot of crafting to do before the big day. As well as baking for sale. No big crunch yet. It will get done. Just a matter of doing it. I’m thinking of what I can do to help fill a few stockings. I’m feeling sorry for DSis#3, who does the bulk of it.
Mr. Meer asked for kitchen stuff so he’s getting a small food processor, new knives, and new mixing/serving spoons along with a pretty Lord of the Rings lore book, pop rocks candy as a stocking stuffer and maybe other neat snacks or treats if I see anything good.
We’re getting King of Tokyo as a family gift.
My dad and his wife are getting tea towels if birds and seashells along with wood coasters that have maps of the local area etched in, found on Etsy. They live on the coast of Florida and decorated their house coastal but not kitchy or New England-y so those will for in well with their aesthetic.
My mom said at one point she wanted to have alcohol in hand to offer guests but she doesn’t drink much herself so she didn’t know what to get. I went to a bigger liquor store in my area and got small or tiny sizes of a few different things, a couple mixers, and a dollar store basket that was sufficiently cute to serve as a bar cart.
Now that I’m back at a computer to help me remember what all we’re getting for Kiddo -
Black Panther Lego set (one of the smaller ones)
An electric toothbrush with Star Wars and Spider Man heads.
Several super hero hoodie shirts Playing card holders since he’s into card games now but has trouble holding all the cards
A large print sudoku puzzle book with the answers in the back
Stocking stuffers - bath bombs, bath crayons, etc. and candy
I’m going to attempt to make single serve cookie dough mix, so the dry ingredients and add an egg/ milk to make & bake in small jam jars. Test run tomorrow to be sure i get the balance right, and then i have to work out how many I’m making. I have ~15 clean jars already.
i need a bright tie dye flannel fabric, with lots of yellow in it. Hmmm…
. Dropped the idea of buying gift cards for favourite book stores.
. So I’m limited to the sewing machine. I have six items to press and prepare to sew on lining. And another 8 items all pressed and ready for lining.