hi everyone!
id like to run a plan buy u all to see what u think about my Christmas gifts.
im planning on making everyone in my family chocolates (wilton molds, wilton chocolate) and putting them in little tins with tissue paper and then giving them a card.
me and my boyfriend are doing this , as we dont want to spend a WHOLE lot of money on christmas presents being as we wanna move out on our own soon..
do u think this is being cheap? will people like this? i have a feeling that 2 people in my family will think this is really cheap, and how do i get past this? i dont wanna feel really cheap but i also dont want to go broke for christmas!!
thank u for your help 
I love the idea. TOTALLY love the idea. And quite honestly - if they consider you cheap because you handmade them a treat than they are the ones who are wrong and not you for being creative & for doing something thoughtful that is within your budget.
As for whether or not this is going to be cheap... I don't know. How many chocolates per person? How much are the tins? Etc. You know what might be nice? They have those cardboard boxes that you can decorate at Michaels and Craft stores. They kind of look like hat boxes - some have more shape than others. Those might be cheaper...
Rachel
There is always one or two in the family that think homemade is cheap but they never return the gift and always ask for more! I've always hated the holidays because they were so commercial and focused on spending money (which I do not have) I launched my own mini protest by making all my christmas gifts. I thought the kids would be disappointed but they really liked getting crocheted hats and blankets. They even call me ahead of time now and request certain colors or styles. And as far as making chocolates, there is nothing cheap about them, have you seen what they retail for. The fact that you are taking the time and energy to do it will be appreciated. There are so many flavor variations you can make, yum. Good luck.
It is the thought that counts not the price of the gift. I promise you making the items and packaging them up is a whole lot more work than just buying something at the mall and taking it to the wrapping counter.
We do baskets for Christmas (we do canning and baking) and it takes so much time and effort. Everyone is appreciative and we try to make our baskets to fit each persons taste so it is personalized.
It is a great idea. No offense to any family or friend member but if they feel you are cheap for doing it they have the wrong idea of the holiday.
I think it's a lovely idea, and I wish someone would to this for me! But...be careful! About 5 years ago or so, I decided to do something different than the usual cookie exchange with my siblings, so I made candy instead of cookies. They absolutely loved it, and now expect it every year. I actually hate doing it-I struggle with candy and chocolate, and make a mess, but when I tried to let them down gently, and say that I wasn't going to make candy anymore, they were having none of it. So, your family may just like it so much that they demand it every year!
Do the chocolates; wrap them very prettily; Martha Stewart always has nice ideas about how to package things nicely.
It truely IS the thought that counts, and you sound like a very thoughtful person.
I think is really nice. I tend to make Christmas gifts. Slippers and coasters and such. We have ablanket that my sister-in-law made for us and my DH, DS, and myself fight over it. I think homemade gifts are very special because they come from the heart and are made with love and Sweat.
I'm from a family of 8 kids...(plus over 25 nieces/nephews and about 8 great nieces/nephews...BIG family!!)....instead of buying gifts for everyone, we have opted to make 'family gifts'...almost ALWAYS these are homemade !!! Matter of fact...I'm x-stitching everyone an xmas table runner PLUS they are each getting a containter of cake balls/candies/cookies/thin mints....I do this almost every year!!!
Personally I love the idea. I did that exact same thing for Christmas one year and everyone loved it. They said it was better than any gift you could buy anywhere.
If someone thinks you're being cheap, that's their issue, not yours. They'd probably complain if you bought an expensive gift as well. Some people you can't please no matter what. But the ones who matter won't see a problem with it.
thank you guys very much! you have made me realize that i shouldn't care if they don't like it.. it should be the thought!
ive priced it out and so it should be around 100-130 dollars for it to all happen.. but if u ask me, thats WAY better then having the stress of figuring out what ur going to buy, buying it, gas and everything.. plus buying all the gifts would cost me around 500 dollars!!
i have fun with chocolate, although i haven't done the whole mold thing, but I'm looking forward to it! im gonna make it all fancy, and i bet by the end of it, and Christmas morning, i wont want to give them away cuz the packages will look to darn good!
My experience:
When my dishwasher brother and his waitress girlfriend were first going together, my brother found these wonderful cork-topped jars (that the restaurant recieved something in) were going to be tossed. He saved them, sterilized them and gave them to me for Christmas filled with brown rice, dried beans, and herbs he gathered and dried himself. I thought, and still think that was the most thoughtful gift I have ever gotten from him...I still have 1 of those jars, and he gave them to me over 30 years ago...
I love home made gifts. They're better - much better. My sisters and I started the tradition of setting aside a Saturday before Christmas to bake sugar cookies with the nieces and nephews. It is the best time!!! Memorable too - I'll never forget my 6 year old nephew decorating a reindeer cookie with a red dot on his side simulating the bullet hole from hunting season. He's a boy through and through, but at least he'll take the time to bake cookies with his old Aunt.
They may not be the prettiest cookies but they sure do taste good.
That's what I do for my family every year. I give them homemade gifts. Between my darling man and me we have 5 kids so when it comes to the family, there just isnt enuff $$ to go around. Everyone LOVES the gifts and actually looks forward to opening the little tin to see what they got this year! I usually make like a bunch of different kind of cookies. Never seen one disappointed face and actually have some asking what im going to make this year!!!! so GO FOR IT!!!
A gift is supposed to be something you WANT to give to the other person. If you're making candy and treats as gifts and are giving them with love, you have make the perfect gift. The joy is in the giving, a heart felt "thank you" would be nice, but it's how you feel in the giving that is important. Let's see photos when you've completed the project.
I think it is a wonderful idea. Handmade gifts are so personal and make much better gifts than store bought. I wouldn't worry about those that feel that handmade gifts are cheap. Your thoughtfulness should mean more to them. Think about the time and care you are putting into making these gifts yourself. It is a wonderful idea! I say just do it.
Bradymom
I think its a great idea! I have made gift baskets for family members at christmas before and they loved it. I think that gifts mean alot more when they are made by you with love and it makes people feel special to get gifts personalized to them and there liking.
CHEAP??? no way! any gift that takes that much time and effort should be greatly appretiated. Anyone can pick up something at a store but to use your creative gifts is a wonderfull thing. If someone thinks that this is a "cheap" gift then they are greedy and materialistic. At christmas time you do not expect gifts you appretiate them no matter what they are.
Your idea is wonderfull. I look forward to my husbands aunt's homemade fudge and christmas trail mix each year. she even makes the cards. i keep every one.
I was thinking about this a little last night, and I thought, in addition to the molded chocolates, with just a couple more ingredients (that you may already have in your pantry), you could make truffles. They're easy, and they look very pretty and elegant. They could be tailored to suit each person's taste easily, too. The flavor combinations are endless.
It's just a thought-whatever you do will be wonderful.
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