I have done homemade gifts - everything from chocolate covered spoons to truffles to granola. Key for me is something that will keep. Cookies that are already a few days old when we get them are mostly going to be tossed because we can't eat them before they go stale and we invariably get them at a time when we've got tons of cakes and cookies anyway. If we got them in January it might be different.

My most successful homemade gift has been pralines, and as long as you have a candy thermometer they are pretty easy.

Anonymous wrote:If you are an adult & you are not in my top five (husband, mom, dad & sister, etc) then you are getting something homemade. Usually one or more of the following: 1) jams & jellys, 2) desserts, 3) breads and 4)homemade liquor.

Everyone seems to enjoy it. I don't give cash or gift cards. I'm not a scrooge, but I like to give something meaningful.

Homemade jam is a WONDERFUL gift - I have a friend who makes fabulous strawberry jam and I was sad the year she sent me a store bought gift instead of her jam.

Anonymous wrote:I don't like homemade food gifts unless I know you don't have cats crawling all over your kitchen

Anonymous wrote:I don't like homemade food gifts unless I know you don't have cats crawling all over your kitchen

this is me too...

One of my co-workers brought a picture of her cat sitting in a big bowl on her counter. She thought it was too cute. I thought was that the bowl you mixed these brownies in?

I don't like homemade food gifts unless I know you don't have cats crawling all over your kitchen

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of homemade treats (cookies, etc) from colleagues, though do appreciate the gesture.

Why not?

I'm not a fan of homemade treats (cookies, etc) from colleagues, though do appreciate the gesture.

If you are an adult & you are not in my top five (husband, mom, dad & sister, etc) then you are getting something homemade. Usually one or more of the following: 1) jams & jellys, 2) desserts, 3) breads and 4)homemade liquor.

Everyone seems to enjoy it. I don't give cash or gift cards. I'm not a scrooge, but I like to give something meaningful.

I think it's fine as long as you are really very good at making whatever the gift is. If you don't normally make handmade items or bake, the holidays are not the time to experiment.

Homemade gifts are lovely, assuming that you are good at making these things. Maybe don't use Christmas as a time to explore your new-found interest in landscape painting. But, that cake receipe that you have made your years and everyone raves about seems perfect.

I prefer homemade gifts to most of the stuff people give -- Starbucks gift cards (hate Starbucks), any type of lotion/soap gift pak (hate smelly soap/lotion), etc.

Shows you made an effort!

I do a food gift every year for my husband's side of the family. I've done caramel popcorn, rainbow cookies, and buckeyes. People seem to like it. But then again, this is just an "extra", none of the adults buy each other gifts. So it's not like they're expecting an iPad and I give them a cookie instead.

It's absolutely ok to give a gift you have made, and I have done so. But the same standard applies as other gifts, it has to be something that you really think the other person would like.

Is it ever ok to give a gift that you have made? Have you given out or do you give out homemade gifts?


I am not a DIY crafty type, but I have been pleasantly gifted a pound cake from someone who is an excellent baker.