Homemade gifts: unique and thoughtful, or just a cheap cop-out?

Discuss: exactly what it says on the label :P

I am absolutely terrible at picking out gifts for friends.  No, really - too often, I just end up getting them a gift card at their favourite store, or tucking some cash inside their card. 

Ever since I really started experimenting with baking, I've found that a fresh batch of something tasty, tied up with ribbon in a cute box, is a nice gift to give.  But, when I was growing up the general attitude in my family was that homemade gifts were "cheap," so I usually throw in a Starbucks gift card or something along with it, just in case.

I LOVE homemade gifts.  I don't consider homemade stuff cheap at all.

I consider homemade gifts more valuable than store bought, not in terms of money, but time and effort invested.

I think homemade baking, canned goods, even collections of "themed" gifts (example: movie night - popcorn, popcorn bowls, movie gift cert/dvd, package of jr. mints etc) means you put more thought and care into it than a gift card.

I don't think including the gift card as well is a bad idea... but also not necessary. I would totally be more happy with something made with care and thought (like cookies!) than a gift card!

Besides have you ever added up the cost of ingredients for some home baking? It can add up!

Some people get too attached to the 'dollar amount' on a present - but really truly for me it is the THOUGHT that counts.

 

Homemade gifts should be considered better than just picking something up at a store or online.  That fact that they can be fiscally cheaper is just a bonus.

I'd take a plate of cookies anyday over any other trash you decide to wrap up.

Or donuts.

Or cake.

Or pie.

When I had to get a gift for the person that already had everything I would make up a gift basket.  Not exactly homemade, but full of little things that everyone could use.
Everyone would get a pair of crocheted slippers or whatever I was making that year in their baskets.

Now I give gift cards to the adults and a bag of goodies to the grandkids.

Honestly the home-made are really the ones that stand out most in my mind.  My family grew up doing one special hand made present for the holidays and it's stuck with me.  I'm awful at picking out clothing for friends and I feel like a well thought out present like a movie basket just says more... always feel like a giftcard just isn't 'enough'.

I've gone and done favorite cookies in a jar for co-workers and then baked a half-batch of that sort of cookie and taken a whole huge tray to the work holiday party.  Really went over well and they're always pretty to look at!

With my kids teachers we used to make a hand-knit (or crocheted) item but stopped after a really rude comment with my son and I in earshot from an aid. I'd like to start back in next year as we had a teacher for 4 years with 2 of my kids (1st-2nd they keep the same teacher here) and for 3 of them she got something handmade and really loved it.  Hat/scarf 1 year, afghan the 2nd and then a really fun assortment of household accessories last year.  Her aid blew it calling the hat/scarf set she was given "the fugliest hat set ever" with my son and I in earshot.  If I'd made it honestly I wouldn't have cared by my son knit the hat (minus color changes where I'd step in) himself with supervision (round loom) and it came out really nice!

We did a winter basket this year with a hot cocoa mug (just put the mix in a pretty bag for candy with marshmellows and chocolate chips and tucked it in the mug) & chocolate covered spoon and tin of cookies...tucked a gift cert to the bookstore in as well but it just didn't feel the same.   Teachers loved them though.

double-baked, triple-chocolate biscotti...mmmm.  that was my favourite christmas gift this year!

i'm not crafty and i don't bake, but i have "made" bath salts for friends for gifts.  it's so easy: just put epsom salts in a covered container, add essential oils for scent, food colouring, and a little olive oil (makes your skin so soft), shake it up, and put it in jars.  you can layer colours if you want.  dress up the jars a little, personalize, etc.

it's really amazing to see how a few drops of oil and colouring can saturate four or five cups of salt.  it would be fun to do with kids, too!

I know a lot of artists, so their homemade gifts are always really cool and interesting.

Though I'd prefer not to recive any baked goods, in case you haven't noticed I'm on a calorie counting site right now...

I know what you mean though, when I make art for someone, I feel like I'm "cheating" by not giving a store bought gift and because I like doing it. Yet I'll be the first person to get all huffy about those craigslist ads seeking free illustrators because of the "value" of the time, effort, and skill invested.

For the last two birthdays and one Christmas, I've made gifts for people, and bought something small and cute to go with it (a quirky tee I found on sale, a DVD I know they'd like, etc,.)...

I make hats, scarves, small capes, mittens, etc,. from crocheting and knitting, and I make jewelry as well.

People love home made gifts. I don't think they're cheap if they're well made, and obviously have the person in mind :)

I think homemade gifts are really nice... except with they become a regular thing.  I had a family member who would make christmas ornaments every year and give them out as gifts.  At that point, I think it's a bit of a cop-out because you're NOT putting any real thought into it - you're just rehashing the same old thing. 

This past year she switched it up and made hand painted picture frames.  I thought that it was awesome.  I loved it.

The homemade gifts I make usually cost more than just buying something.

I made my sister a scrapbook with scanned baby pictures of herself for her Baby Shower...it ended up costing me $50+ for supplies and took a week of my time...and I mean 3-4 hours after work every night!  I also bought her a regular gift. 

I hope that people don't think of my gifts that way.  That would really hurt my feelings.  Then again, I only invest my time in gifts for people that I know will appreciate them. 

Homemade gifts trump gift cards by about 1,000.

I have everything I NEED; I buy things when I want them.  When someone is giving me a gift, the only purpose is to show me that they care about me.

Spending 2 hours making something homemade, verses 5 seconds picking out a gift card is much more meaningful.  I also hate cash as gifts.  Tacky.

okay - but let's be honest: some homemade gifts are really tacky.  at least with baking, it goes away.  but if someone gives you an ugly crocheted somethingorother that totally doesn't match your stuff or your style, it's permanent.  and those things are way harder to throw out than junk that comes from a store, no matter how ugly.

Yeah, tis true.  My grandma used to crochet a LOT.  She's really good at it, but unfortunately has NO sense of color.  For example, the lime green, purple and white parka she made me.  Not so hot.

We also used to have this family friend that was really in to crafting, and would make us these really WEIRD items.  We would just pack them away with the Christmas stuff, and then bring them out each year to reminisce about the "mollie-gifts".

I haven't gotten anything in a while that I wanted to throw away.  The most recent thing wasn't even home made (a set of crystal palm tree candlesticks... wtf am I supposed to do with those?!)

I have kept every homemade gift my cousin has made from since I was about 6 or 7. Other peoples gifts, not so much. I love homemade gifts.

in the lasts 20 years i've moved 18 times.  a gift has to be pretty damn special to make the cut.

I love to give food-  either baked or ordered. Dislike the notion of someone having to decide if they like one of my paintings enough to keep it and actually hang it.

Rarely do I actually craft a gift and only if I know the person specifically likes the style - have given needlework pieces to a select few and paintings to a few others - but on the whole I bake or buy.

That's why I said you have to really think about the person you're gifting...My sister, it was a zebra striped knitted thick black and white scarf...for my friend Lindy, I made her a hat in colors she specified... My friend Meg, a hat in bright red (her fav color) in a style she already owned a hat in white in. Another friend loves anything wintery, so I made her a scarf in a bright white with snowflakes crocheted at each end...

Homemade gifts can be tacky, but they can also be very thoughtful and well done. It depends on who makes them.