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[Mominohio]

If you are going to make a gift for Christmas, I don't think it is too early to begin thinking/planning/making such things.

I thought it might be fun to share gifts you have given or received that weren't the standard store (or online) bought things.

This year, money is a little tight, and I'm really out of good ideas for my 19 year old son. So I came up with a couple of things to sort of 'make' for him (although not in the crafter/knitter/seamstress line).

The first is a recipe book, filled with handwritten recipes (by me) of all his favorite foods. Some of the recipes go back in  our family several generations, and I have listed on each just how they came down the line. I have noted when we enjoyed the food (like it was special for Santa's cookie plate, or it was brought to every reunion by aunt so and so), or in what passed down dish it was always served. I found a great recipe book that is rather masculine, has lots of room for him (or a wife) to add things later, and I have written a note about how much we cooked together when he was little. I even put in a couple of pics of him as a small child helping in the kitchen.

I also made a photo album of his high school days and senior year.

I did his senior pictures myself, and we had such a fun day going to several locations and shooting. I started the album on graduation day, and worked back through his high school career. I also included pics of all his various cars and vehicles from those years, extra curricular activities, birthdays, proms, sports, marching band, pets etc.

The next thing I'm working on is a very small photo album containing pictures of the things in our home that we consider 'heirloom' handed down from previous generations. There isn't a ton of this stuff, but each picture will contain info about who it came from, who used it, for what, where, when or whatever is applicable.

I think something like this comes in handy when your parents are gone, and you are standing in their home, trying to decide what to keep, and trying to remember exactly who's special tea set that was, or how far back that beautiful trunk goes, and on which side of the family.

Care to share any ideas you have had for a different type of gift, or any that you may have received over the years, that made an impression?

[Q4u]

Your recipe idea is a wonderful one~!  My dear mother did that for me when I got married!!  All the favorites and I've cherished her hand written cards... thank you for sharing your ideas.  

[Perkup]

All your ideas are really quite wonderful.  I have been working on a couple of similar ideas myself, since I'm old enough to think seriously about what to leave to whom.  Not so much in the idea of a holiday gift, but the gift of memories to all my children and grands (and great grands).  Also leaving a better family tree, since there are things I remember, and I'm the oldest one left in the family - in fact the only one who remembers more than one generation back.  Sadly, so many memories gone already since my parents and grandparents are all gone.

[Mz iMac]

My daughter's 16th year I was saving up for a brand new car-1989 Ford Escort.  Since I was on a strict budget, xmas that year was going to be tight for everyone including the cat!

So what I did for my daughter was this......

I went to the bank & got a brand new crispy $100 bill.

Went to the drug store & purchased the largest Xmas card I could find.  I scotch tapped the $100 bill inside the card.  Placed card inside its envelope & hung the card on our fake Xmas tree.

Xmas morning my sad faced daughter walked over to the tree mumbling how this was her worst Xmas ever.  When she opened the card she looked liked this....

Then she

You see, my daughter had never seen a $100 bill in person.  Value today: $194.86.

To this day, she tells any one who will listen, that it was the best Xmas ever!!!!

[Kati]

I had a photo calendar made up at Walgreens for my mother one Christmas.  Each month had a different theme:  brother's wedding photos in a collage format for Oct; mom & dad's wedding photos for June; mine for July; photos of me as a child in my birthday month of Sept....you get the idea.  Some months were generic family photos.  Dec had past Christmas photos; Nov had past Thanksgiving photos, Aug had family reunion photos from past years, etc.  Every family member's birthday was marked on the date as well.  She loved it and proudly displayed it (and used it) the next year.

PS  The calendar cost $19.99 but of course the photos were priceless!

[vicalynn]

Last year my kids took a photo taken of both families and had it put on a canvas... I SO LOVE seeing that picture on my wall.  And also the picture calendar with dates and events filled in for the coming year, GREAT gift.  I hope they do a calendar again this year. 

I do sew, I have made a quiet book, rag doll and a doll carrier for the youngest one. I sew a lot of summer skirts for her so next year I hope to have a quilt made for her first real bed using pieces of all the fabrics from the skirts.

I made a tic tac toe fabric board with round yo-yo's things so the older two can play in the car on the road trips.  Made a pouch to keep them all in. 

Wrapped fabric around cotton clothes line and coiled it, sewed and made fruit bowls for their kitchens.  Quilt eye glass cases, small cross body type purses, and snack bags (eco friendly).

Last year I made patchwork tree skirts and this year I did fabric advent calendars. 

I told my kids.....  it doesn't matter the cost of the gift, what matters is the thought behind the gift, and a gift that keeps giving (memories) is a priceless gift. 

[Mz iMac]

"I told my kids.....  it doesn't matter the cost of the gift, what matters is the thought behind the gift, and a gift that keeps giving (memories) is a priceless gift."

@vicalynn

Tell that to these iPhone generation kids now & they will just 

[vicalynn]

@Mz iMac  my kids do have iphones and when family is together this old momma rides their behinds to put them DOWN!  Had my grandkids this weekend, my phone went off and grandson said Mimi your phone (I have a dumb phone).  I said I heard it , but we are in the middle of a game and the phone can wait.  My son recently broke his iphone (3rd time) and this time it was down for like 3 days, when all was fixed, he said you know mom it was rather nice those 3 days!   I have nothing against the smart phones, there is just a time and a place for everthing.  Portion control !

[Nomore]

@Mominohio

First, I want to say I enjoy all the topics you write. It gets me thinking. I applaud your versatility in conversations.

Then, since my son lives away and alone in another state, I have to think of something he'd like to have meaningful, not break the bank, and something I can do. Your recipe book sounds wonderful; my daughter has a book she's been writing down recipes she likes from my stash. So, I'm going to do that for my son. Recipes I know he misses and has the means to make. He doesn't have much with him, so he does live a extremely simple life--his belongings are still here at home. He finally broke down and bought a mattress and frame last month after sleeping on a cot for a year. He has one camping chair, a microwave, then he has a small cookset and just the necessities. He wants only what he can pack in his car and be off to his next adventure (job, he is a chemist at a large pharmeceutical corp). So, I have to figure out which recipes he can actually get through. 

And I made him the oatmeal from David V's recipe, he loved it and said he hates to eat the instant oatmeal from the stores now. So I'll make more of that.

I want to think of something else, I need ideas!

This thinking keeps me from dwelling on the bad things in my life right now.    When it rains, it pours. 

[lolakimono]

@Mominohio

How about a T-shirt quilt?  If he isn't willing to part with any of his, you could acquire some interesting ones from the thrift store.