So its two weeks until Christmas and i’m hoping that you’ve started thinking about your Christmas shopping. Have you made your list and checked it twice? Or do you still have names bouncing around in your brain like a gaggle of five year olds on a jumping castle? Either way, it’s time to get your skates on and fill up that space beneath the tree. In case you’re trapped inside by the unseasonable Sydney weather, or you just can’t be bothered to go to the shops, I thought I would bring you a few suggestions of home made gifts that you can whip up to give your loved ones.
All these gifts were made from recipes in the fabulous book Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion by Annie Rigg. I have made so many of these recipes for gifts throughout the year and recently gifted some of the ones below to co workers for Christmas. (There are a few more suggestions to come in the next few days so make sure that you check back!) But for now, lets recap on some of the ideas of 2010:
1. If you’re shopping for a high tea loving lady, can I suggest some sweet little novelty sugar cubes like these
2. Perhaps the more savoury, down to earth man would like some home made honey wholegrain mustard?
3. Anyone at all would LOVE some Strawberry and Vanilla Conserve (particularly with the delicious strawberries around at the moment)
4. And the sci fi fan in your life might appreciate some of the above jam with a twist. A GRAVITY DEFYING twist. Just make the recipe as above but reduce the jam a little more and allow the jam to cool completely while keeping the jar inverted. When you flip it back the right way up, the jam will remain at the top. Gravity defying I tell you!
See!
5. Finally, if you have a bit of a baker/cook/crafter in your collection of giftees, perhaps they would like a copy of Gifts from the Kitchen: 100 Irresistible Homemade Presents for Every Occasion by Annie Rigg? I have two of these fabulous books to give away just in time for Christmas! (Or you could keep it and cook yourself some lovely treats. Doesn’t everyone buy themselves a gift at Christmas?)
In order to enter the competition, all you need to do is leave a comment below telling me what home made gift you have received or would like to receive for Christmas. Entries will close at 5pm (Sydney time) Monday 19th December and the two winners will be chosen at random and contacted via email. The prizes will be mailed via express post already gift wrapped ready for giving! Please make sure that you include your email in your comment and if you are a lucky winner, please reply to my email for mailing directions asap so that these will arrive in time for Christmas. Due to time and shipping constraints, entries are limited to Australian residents.
Good luck!
For Christmas, I would love to receive homemade carrot cake cupcakes (with walnuts and cream cheese frosting!) They are my absolute favourite but the thought of peeling all those carrots horrifies me lol!
Oh Lindsay I so badly want to make some carrot cake cupcakes right now! Yum!
I would love to one day receive a gingerbread house! I love gingerbread, but I’d appreciate it even more by knowing how long it takes to make one!
I would love to receive a jar of the bake them yourself cookies – with all the ingreients layered and a swing tag with baking directions on it…they look so cool!
I love rocky road. Love love LOVE it… especially when made with delicous scorched almonds, pink and white marshmallows, and good quality chocolate. Possibly one of my most favourite things of all time!
Lina, I have to agree, I think that rocky road is possibly one of the greatest things of all time! Particularly with pink marshmallows!
Megan, that’s a great idea. I’ve seen them around but never made one before.
Frith, I love that you appreciate how much time and effort goes into making gingerbread houses. I agree that this makes them all the more special 🙂
I would love to recieve some chilli jam or chutney… Im a sucker for those types of things!
Last year I received a beautiful platter full of home made traditional Greek desserts – it contained baklava (honey and nut pastry), bougatsa (custard-filled filo pastry), melomakarona (honey and nut cookies) and loukoumades (Greek donuts). They were totally divine… and I didn’t really want to share them on Christmas Day!
I’m a simple gal. I really like home made cookies, last year I made some and wrapped them up in cellophane and ribbons and gave them out and people loved them (even though some hard burnt bottoms). I think its the idea that really counts as its made with a thought of love and giving. Those sugar cubes are so cute. For someone who likes a good cup of coffee a day, those will surely brighten mine.
Tiffany, I absolutely agree. The thought and love that goes into a gift is the most important ingredient
Effie, you’ve made me so hungry with that description of all those Greek desserts! Yum!
Alana, im a sucker for them too!
I would like homemade brownies! I make them a lot for others, but everything always tastes better when it’s made by someone else 🙂 I’m not entering the competition because I already have about 900 cookbooks, but think it sounds like a lovely and useful book.
I would be delighted with any home made gift! My Dad is a teacher and every year one on the boy’s mums makes a home made fruit cake with sweet little sugar decorations. It always means so much more to him as someone took the time to bake something with love 🙂