I'd like to make as much as possible for holiday gifts this year, both to save money but also for a creative outlet. What are some things you've made families and friends as gifts that were a hit? Could be food or beverage, art, etc. (I don't know how to knit so no sweaters/hats please.)

Question

Brigid · Answer

Caitlin Pike’s Homemade Candle Recipe: I’ll be running back this old hobby this year

Brigid · Answer

Pot holders: Do you remember being a child? I do. This is mindless and quick compared to my usual choices for crafting but keeps my hands busy with Not Phone. I’ll be giving for Christmas with little bottles of vanilla. I got my loom kit and white loops from Purl Soho, and the texture is much nicer and more cottony than the kind I remember from childhood. They also have sweet colors.

Brigid · Answer

Vanilla: I used to make vanilla in one-off batches, especially for holiday gifts, but this video’s “vanilla system” has inspired me. I am now making perpetual vanilla. I need to finish my current yogurt so the bourbon vanilla can become a big guy as well. Hope everyone likes their vanilla and potholder hostess gifts.

JM · Answer

Easy 2-Ingredient Homemade Mustard: So easy and people LOVED getting it. I did a mix of dark and light mustard seeds and a smidge of honey.

Susan · Answer

Fudge and/or chocolate covered pretzels: I've used a recipe similar to this (nuke sweetened condensed* milk, stir in a bag or 2 of baking morsels) to make peanut butter fudge for years. Chocolate covered pretzels are also VERY well-received but take a bit more time, effort, and counter space.

*make sure it's CONDENSED and not evaporated!😬

Krista Anna Lewis · Answer

Jam!: A friend has made this for me with whatever seasonal fruit is around cheap. It is one of my favorite gifts I’ve gotten! She’s not doing the whole sanitizing thing, which makes it easier but it will eventually get moldy, so you’d have to do it closer to the holidays. She taught me how to do it and it’s just cooking down fruit with sugar. Less sugar is needed than you think and it really is a low and slow set it and let your house smell like fruit sort of thing.

Andrea · Answer

DATE CARAMEL: Sounds dreamy