Austerity Christmas..........

[pigletwillie]

My sis had a home made hamper which I dropped off today. Its nice to see a re-defining of want over need, any "I want a" comments were blatantly ignored.

[di]

A few years ago a few of us realised the idiocy in none of us minding charity shop stuff for ourselves yet felt the need to spend extra buying 'new' as presents....there's now absolutely no shame between us exchanging secon hand gifts between us.
I usually give hampers of goodies as gifts but alas this year I've been a little slack...biscuits,mincepies and fudge are in the process of being made

[northepaul]

Pretty much everything I have given this year is either second hand or homemade. (excepting my littlest daughter and my son needing a new duvet)
Including some hand knitted scarves

[Snadger]

Anyone ofound a cheap alternative for a hamper container? Small cardboard box lined with bonny paper and straw any good?

[Shadylane]

Those flimsy fruit boxes that they use these days would look good I reckon. I use them to cart stuff to and fro allotment and for storing stuff in. If you look around the back or side of green grocers they tend to throw them out. No where near as sturdy as the old ones from the 50s but they would be ideal for a hamper I reckon. You could pack them with straw or shredded paper.

[SarzWix]

I've been doing the home-made thing for a few years now, and the OH's family are always really happy with anything you've put time into. Had a bit of a 'kick in the teeth' last year though when one of my family described my home-made pressies as 'Sarah's jam mountain' I treied very hard to keep my tongue between my teeth, but eventually had a rant about 'people who prefer expensive plastic sh*te to hand-made, time-rich gifts' They've all got the same this year, and if they don't like it, tough!

[Alison]

I got hold of a load of expensive looking flower baskets which had had Interflora type arrangements into them from freecycle and my family return them to me after Christmas for a refill

[Snadger]

One thing I have loads of, are second hand books. If I can match a book to the recipients interests so much the better.
It's a start anyway, and gives me a chance to probe everyones interests!
So next year I reckon, a book,jam,something chilli related, fudge (sounds quite easy to make),eggs, quiche, Parsnip or other wine, nettle beer,elderflower cordial,seeds for the kids to grow,broad bean pate', and some fresh fruit or preserve.

Keep the ideas coming though, I'm loving it!

PS Particularily interested in stuff for kids?

[susieq100]

Dry some of your own herbs, buy some cheap olive oil (fromm the 99p shop - it's not first pressing but it's still fine and cheap cos it's in a plastic bottle) and then make flavoured oils - I've done Italian herbs for my boys. Also used some dried chilli to make chilli oil. Vanilla sugar - big coffee jars (Douwe Egberts are good as the jars are 'pretty') - I bought some vanilla pods off EBay and I've made vanilla sugar for the cooks in the family. It smells wonderful! Dundee-ish cake ... not totally authentic but still jolly good - in a hamper with some jams, chutneys and pickles.

[susieq100]

PS Particularily interested in stuff for kids

Depends how old they are. I made a 'shop' for my sons one year by opening all packets of stuff (cornflakes and the like) really carefully and saving all the packs. Plastic bottles, containers that cocoa, drinking chocolate etc come in are great.

Made a 'toy' farm with shoe boxes painted and flaps cut out of the sides for doors to drive their tractors etc in and out of, put the animals in etc. Home made musical instruments - to drive parents mad! Shakers - filled with rice, pulses, etc and painted. Used to make my own play-doh for playgroup - it is made with flour, salt, corn oil and food colouring so if child eats it they won't come to harm, but it's not very nice. Also, it if gets dropped and trodden into carpet, it dries and then just brushes/hoovers out. I may still have the recipe somewhere. Stuff for a doll's house? It gets more difficult as they get older!

[Two_Sheds]

I made Mr TS's presents this year (well, yesterday while he was at pub)

[bubblewrap]

What shorts in this weather?

[Two_Sheds]

He always wears shorts/pants in the house, while I'm wrapped up in fleecy dressing gowns & blankets

[bubblewrap]

He always wears shorts/pants in the house, while I'm wrapped up in fleecy dressing gowns & blankets

A brave man.
I have lost the "macho" image I have many layers on even in the house.

[northepaul]

Anyone ofound a cheap alternative for a hamper container? Small cardboard box lined with bonny paper and straw any good?

Wooden fruit crates from a greengrocer?? Our local farm shop chucks them out.