Ugh, I've been sick for
weeks!! You know what that means? A lot less time to prepare gifts for friends and family! Also, lots less blogging. Luckily, the doc gave me some great drugs and I'm starting to feel better, whew.
Over the past several years especially, I've been leaning toward homemade Christmas gifts rather than purchased items. In my family, we always called it 'Make It or Bake It'. Some of the best gifts I've ever received have been handmade. They really come from the heart, and it shows.
I love giving out gifts to everyone, my neighbors and friends and family. Here are a couple suggestions if you're struggling with homemade gift ideas this year, and if you're as behind as me!
1. Homemade Taco Seasoning - This is one of my newest passions, mixing my own seasonings. Those packets in the grocery store? They can contain all kinds of weird stuff that I don't want in my body. Make a batch for your neighbors, and attach a set of directions, they'll love it!
2. We Whisk You A Merry Christmas - This is fantastic for teachers and neighbors. And I admit I totally got this idea from Pinterest. Fill a kitchen whisk with goodies, seal with plastic wrap and a bow, then attach a cute little card. Done!
3. Brown Sugar Scrub - Boy, do I love a homemade sugar scrub! This one smells like cookies, totally irresistible.
4. Naughty to Nice Chocolate Chip Cookies - Speaking of cookies, these are
fab-u-
lous! Despite being ill the past few weeks, I still made a double batch of these cookies, sick or not. They are that good peeps. In fact, this is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. Make a batch, wrap up those cookies, and start distributing to your neighbors and friends! I gave a bag out just this morning.
5. The Happy Jar! - This is, by far, the most popular post I've ever written. It might not be so good as a last minute gift, but it's still worth mentioning. You could always make mani version of this if you're short on time. Who doesn't love happy thoughts and inspiration right at their fingertips??
6. Homemade Caramel Sauce - You probably have all the ingredients for this easy sauce right in your fridge already! This takes no time to come together, and makes a great gift. And yes, I totally gave out a bunch of these this year too! Include a gift tag with my
Quickie Apple Pie recipe, and you've got a hit.
That's it for now folks! I'm planning to create more fun gifts throughout the year, so we'll add to this list next next Christmas. One last idea for you....
Attach a simple ornament to your gift bag for a little extra fun! You can find small packages of basic ornaments at the Dollar Tree that are perfect for this. Or, if you're in Europe and visiting the Christmas markets, seek out the small wooden ornaments that are so popular here.
Until next time, my friends.... Merry Christmas!
Thanks for reading, everyone!
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