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Location: East Sussex
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,314
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Originally Posted by
wilbar
When my sister & I were children my mother excelled herself with home-made Xmas presents
. We weren't well off & obviously as kids we wanted all things our friends had & things we saw advertised.
One Xmas we wanted a Cindy doll (that ages me!!!) each with all the outfits. My mother made some fabulous clothes for the dolls, even down to underwear from lace trimmings, rain coats from bits of PVC, ball gowns from scraps of velvet & fur trim, Chanel-type suits like Jackie Onassis used to wear with pill-box hats. We had the best dressed dolls in the neighbourhood
& all for a few pence!
I think this came from my grandfather as my mum came from a family of 10 & times were hard, so he couldn't afford to buy them much for Xmas. Instead he used to make each child a "shop" out of old wooden boxes, & stock them them with hand-crafted goods. One child would have a sweet shop, another a bakers, another a butchers etc etc.
I think it's a shame in some ways that Xmas has become so commercialised that presents are judged by how much they cost, rather than the thought & time that goes into making & choosing presents.
I agree!! My mum used to make outfits for my dolls & for all the neighbours too! I thought I was very lucky, being the only girl as my 3 brothers had to share a toy fort & garage my dad built for them, but we never felt that we went without - that's just how it was. Bit dofferent now eh!
It would mean so much more to me to recieve a homemade jar of pickle than a 3 for the price of 2 dove gift set from Boots
Originally Posted by
IsoChick
I've been making jam and chutney since June, ready for Christmas! I've still got a freezer full of fruit to process!
So far I've made:
Plum Chutney
Apple Chutney
Rhubarb & Vanilla Jam
Summer Berry & Juniper Jam
Damson Jam
Chilli Jelly
Red Plum & Cardomom Jelly
Rhubarb Vodka
Elderflower Cordial
I've still got rhubarb, blackberries and blackcurrants to do something with before Christmas, and can probably do another load of apple chutney or similar...
We'll also do fudge and honeycomb as well.
We buy some nice recycled gift-bags and then just package everything up as little hampers.
Simples!
Wow you are organised
sounds lush!!
Originally Posted by
Minihaha
Sweet and spicy pickled cabbage (great with curry, hot pot, cold meat left over from christmas day.)
Mincemeat made with organic fruit which is steeped in cognac,
Christmas puddings
(as above)
I used to make truffles, peppermints and other sweets to hang on the tree but don't do those now.
Sweets for the tree is a great one - think I might try that for my charity shop bargain tree thing
Originally Posted by
wufflehoond
I've been making all my own Christmas cards, will be making homemade Baileys Irish Cream and will be baking cupcakes and muffins.
It seems a lot of people are doing homemade things this year. I think it's a lovely idea.
Homemade Baileys - yum yum I love the sou
nd of that
Originally Posted by
ClaireandDaisy
I did the Pickled Onions a few weeks ago and they`re maturing happily.
The Christmas Cakes were done yesterday and have been fed with Brandy and left to hiccup gently till time to ice them. (I`m giving two as presents).
The photos of a friends` cat are on theor way so I can paint her pet for her present...
that`s all so far.
That's all!! your'e all so organised!! I've only stuck my Xmas head on this week & I thought I was early
I would like to make a homemade Xmas cake, but none of us like fruit cake. We all like Cherry Maderia cake so I'm going to do that a few days before