Holiday Gift Giving

I know it's early, but it's been a long year, and frankly, Christmas can't come soon enough for me this year. So I've decided to turn my thoughts to Christmas gift making early. We try and make all our Christmas gifts (with the exception of the kids, who are past wanting homemade costumes and are now hinting at the latest PS2 games). But for all extended family and friends, we try and make something, because I think that reflects more of what Christmas means to us - the giving of part of yourself.

When we were younger, we used to bake fruitcakes (122 x 4" square ones in one year was our record), but in recent times we've opted for easier options. Last year we made chocolate chip cookies and gave them with beeswax candles that the kids rolled, and a homemade crystal Christmas decoration. In previous years we've made fudge, lemonade cordial, homemade Irish cream in little milk bottles with pink lids (made with Chivas Regal, no less, don't flame me, people), brownies and butterscotch bars, lemon cakes, whisky and dark chocolate icecream, and squillions of chocolate truffles. Recently I've found a GREAT recipe for homemade hot chocolate mix (using couverture dark and milk chocolate, and real vanilla), and little bags of this might be the go for Christmas 2007.

There, see ? Just thinking about Christmas and holidays has cheered me up. So, does anyone else have plans for holiday gift giving ? I know most of you have Thanksgiving before Christmas or Hannukah - is Thanksgiving a gift giving occasion ?

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! And I am sure one of the reasons for that is that it is expressly not a gift-giving holiday.

Over the years for Christmas I've given many things similar to what you have made, Celia. I especially like to give things that can make the hectic holidays easier for people.... candies, cookies, pies, etc.

I tend to get depressed around the holidays (loads of reasons that we won't go into here), and the act of making things for others cheers me up in a way that purchasing something ready-made doesn't.

My wife lets me buy my own presents. I don't like surprises.

I still buy her a gift, but after fifteen years I've run out of ideas other than jewelry. New pots and pans are not very romantic.

The dog usually gets a squeeky toy, but that plays second fiddle to wadded up wrapping paper.

Cynth, there is also something about giving consumables - the older I get, the less I want to clutter other people's houses with "stuff". Actually, maybe I should make some of that cherry chilli jam we were talking about as well - usually if we make a jam for Christmas it's the chilli and capsicum one. :)