Homemade Christmas 2016

26 comments

I have a dream every year. To make a homemade Christmas. Every part of it handmade. Admittedly, there is also part of me that would quite happily go away for Christmas and leave it for someone else to do, but that’s unlikely.

It does appeal.

I had a feeling this year, that it had been less of a homemade triumph. Then sifted through my photos last night, I realised that there were lots of little bits of homemade goodies. I had made socks as gifts, handprinted wrapping paper and, not forgetting, the home baked food.

First up, I seriously loved seeing all the presents wrapped up in the hand printed paper. A couple of sheets weren’t quite dry when I was wrapping the presents. I left them in front of the Aga to dry over night, which confused the children, when they came downstairs in the morning. They thought I was hiding something behind the wall of wrapping paper.

I did try to persuade everyone that they should leave everything wrapped. Pine trees and snowflakes held together with ribbon. What is not to love? Alas, they missed the vibe and preferred to see the contents. Ah well. Can’t win them all.

(As an added bonus, the paper is easy to re-use and recycle. Some I have already re-used to wrap presents, some I’ve stored for next year and the rest has joined my firelighter supplies. Very little left to go out in the recycling bin.)

Second success, apart from the Christmas lunch, was the Christmas pudding. I like to make our Christmas pudding round, and use a sphere as the mould. No photos unfortunately.

The resulting pudding, with its holly on top, would not look out of place on a Christmas card. We remembered to remove the holly, this year, before setting the pudding on fire. Nothing like seeing the blue flames lick around the outside of the pudding before settling in the bottom of the bowl, as if the pudding is sitting in a sea of flames.

Third success. No, not homemade pyjamas, (maybe next year), but my homemade fire lighters were a success. Each one is different. Depends on the recycling materials available. I’ve discovered one well known high street shop’s paper bags burn with a delightful green flame. I’ve found myself experimenting a bit more.

I made fudge and peppermint creams to give as presents. Some may have been kept back too. Yum. I also made three pairs of socks as gifts. I made them one after another. Felt odd when I had no more to knit. Twiddles thumbs. The yarn was mostly from my stash too. Great feeling when making homemade as there is very little packaging. Just the wool band and a paper bag.

I’m sure there is more that I have already forgotten. I guess I should include all the knitted mistletoe before Christmas. I’ve lost count of how many bunches I made.

And next year? I’ll start earlier. There will be more handmade gifts. And handcrafted food treats.

Either that, or we’re going away.

Word of the week is most definitely “homemade”.

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26 comments

  1. What a lovely cosy Christmas!!! And those jammies are gorgeous… even if they aren’t handmade!!! We managed a handmade Christmas too. the specialness of a gift made with a lot of love makes it all well worth all the effort!!!

    1. Aren’t they fabulous? They have been worn (and washed) so much since Christmas Eve. I totally agree that there is a specialness about a handmade gift. I know as a maker, that I love giving something I have made.

    1. I love that you ironed it. I suspect most modern wrapping paper would melt even on a low setting. It is a waste to throw. Most paper is ripped off before anyone could notice the paper was on a second life or not.

    1. Not sad at all. I think planning ahead with homemade gifts is the only way. I already have a few ideas. You can’t knit a pair of socks in a short time, or grow enough tomatoes over night. It’s all in the planning. ( I need to fit in a pair of socks for me too!)

  5. This all looks so lovely and cosy. I do like the idea of homemade wrapping paper and it looks brilliant. I think you created a great homemade Christmas x Thanks for sharing with #WotW

  6. Those presents looks so pretty wrapped in that paper! Hubby and I left most of ours “wrapped” in the shipping boxes they came in! As we make more gifts that will be less feasable though.

  8. I love the idea of home made Christmas paper, especially as I know most commercial stuff isn’t recyclable.
    The knitted items are lovely. I particularly like the mistletoe!

  10. I do hamper bags for my in-laws each year and I’m already planning to put more homemade stuff in them next Christmas. We have an allotment so I need to get planning on what I can grow and then preserve. I’m post box mad by the way and love those pyjamas!

    1. The pyjamas are rather cute, aren’t they? Love the idea of planning ahead for your hamper bags. Hope your allotment produces the goods.

    1. Thank you Louise. It is amazing how much turned out to be homemade in the end. Not till I stepped back, did I realise. The socks are super cosy. Will be knitting myself some.

  13. I think home-made is brilliant. I am a hopeless crafter but I can cook so my friends and family often get edible goodies and I love cooking things like Christmas cake and pudding (especially as bought puds invariably contains palm oil in the suet). I think I will copy your idea of home-made wrapping paper next year and must try and wean my sister in law off the crackers she insists on buying every year! Oh and I gave 2 good friends tickets for entry into a local garden/museum/castle of their choice so we all get a day out together but they don’t have to pay to get in !

    Thank you so much for linking up with the #GoingGreenLinky – you have certainly inspired me for next Christmas!

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