Your suggestions for gifts which have worked well - arranged into arbitrary categories but worth checking through them all for inspiration for the individual you know ...and please keep the ideas coming!

If you'd like more detail on "how to" and there's no link, please mail us for further info.

Women

Men

Grandparents

Younger children

Teens

Wrapping Ideas for All

Postal and Overseas Gifts

Party & Wedding invites

Top Tips for Giving

 

(For help in finding gifts you don't already have to hand visit Gift Sources)  

 

Ideas for Women

 

Raspberry gins and redcurrant vodkas, rumtofts and blackberry rums…or variations there on: recommended “The Complete Homewine Making” by Gillian Pearks. Try www.abebooks.co.uk

Belgian Pears - recipe from Cottage Smallholder ("Stumbling self-suffiency in a small place")

Memory box

Make mixed seed packets from own garden

Clean the inside of Mummy's car!

Green woodworking at Cherry Wood

Vouchers for festivals

Pitch family tent at great site

Home made Bath Salts

Prepare welcome hamper or meal

Choose their own new nickname - then you use it!

Buy home produce from local Country Market

Books with personal reviews

Home made chocolates

Clear patch of weeds

Ask friendly gardener/plumber for gift voucher

Make up hamper with Farmer's Market goodies

Take out elderly relative out for tea

Triple chocolate brownies

Give her break; have the children to stay

Plant oak trees from acorns for a wedding

Buy or provide childcare (especially fab for a wedding!)

Write a poem

Adopt a bee ...or two

Make elderflower "bubbly"

Spiced pickled runner beans

Embroider a sampler to commemorate a special event

Cook food for family event

Put together veg box

Multi-generation family day out 

Vintage jewellery instead of new

Plant herb basket

Clothes made from old clothes

Place on fashion reuse course

Make pickles and jams

Give worms to gardeners!

Plant up chilli pots

Make chilli vodka to give back!

Decorate old furniture with photos and memorabilia

Set up website or online photo album or blog 

Write a song

Fill old pretty teacups with goodies

Make scrapbook of times shared

Cover photo frame with relevant newspaper/magasine or comic pics and varnish

Make up cookery kit: recipe, ingredients, utensils

Make sloe gin

Mark special birthday with item from their childhood

Doylies made from old lace mats trimmed with beads for use to cover open jugs and sugars etc

MP3 download/compilation CD 

Simple sachets - sew remnants and fill with herbs, lavender, spices

Pasta lovers gift basket: olive oil, herbs, recipe

Gift Basket with a Theme

Invitation to a traditional 'High Tea' at home with friends

Girls' night in - DVD, chocs and fizz with mates; partner can give this plus offer to babysit

Girls' day out - plan a walk, take Tea or hip-flask plus biscuits or nibbles to enjoy enroute (partner - as above)

Decorate box and fill with treats/chocolates

Babysitting offer - combine with cinema/theatre/festival tickets or for a special date/w/end away

Holistic treatments - massage, reike, yoga retreat + offer to babysit

Knit cosy bedsocks or oversize scarf

Bunch of cut flowers or foliage from the garden wrapped in newspaper and rafia bow

Offer a morning to help dig veg patch

Make set of luxury linen napkins from linen remnants

Windowsill herb garden - pot up herbs/seeds in terracotta pots or lined, recycled baskets

Write out a set of favourite recipes onto handmade paper and bind into booklet; could have theme eg.popular supper party dishes or kids' meals

Bake a cake and decorate with flowers and invite her friends for tea/coffee

 

Ideas for Men

 

Memory box

Old glass jars, cleaned thoroughly, filled with dry ingredients for soup/curry, with the recipe on the label made by you.

Hampers, full of your home made produce, locally sourced produce (including vouchers for the local butchers etc)

Sweetie Jars – yes, in the adult section! Fill a jar with goodies from “the best retro sweets ever”  ALERT: sherbet fountains are now only being made in resealable plastic packaging. For the old fashioned proper cardboard ones buy now before stocks run out!

A delivery of pre-paid logs for the winter months, sourced from a local person.

Journal of a Lifetime 

Fill a decorated box with little slips of paper giving memories of times shared 

Collect, scan and present slide show of old pictures for a special Birthday, with appropriate music and, of course, all the time in the world for the birthday person to comment on each one 

Forage with Fergus

Promise to wash Daddy's car

Choose own new nickname - then use it!

Wooden catapult for overgrown boys!

Books with personal reviews

Gift Basket with a Theme 

Vintage Rolls Royce instead of new Ferrari!

2nd hand collapsible army spade for beach works enthusiast

Clothes made from old clothes

Spiced pickled runner beans

Make recording of children singing, reading or simply chatting

Give worms to gardeners!

Plant up chilli pots

Make chilli vodka to give back!

Adopt a bee ...or two

Decorate old furniture with photos and memorabilia

Set up website or online photo album or blog 

Electric guitar lessons

Write a song

Cover photo frame with recycled paper and varnish

Make sloe gin

Record family event on video

Mark special birthday with item from their childhood

MP3 download/compilation CD 

Home made Dog Biscuits!

 

Ideas for Grandparents

 

Memory box

Computer / mobile / texting / video programming lesson

A large cheese shared between family members, so that the whole family will be eating the same cheese on a Christmas which can't be shared.

Walking dogs / respite for pets

Adopt a bee ...or two

Planting bulbs / something in the garden as a surprise

Journal of a Lifetime

Dictaphone to record family history

Favourite music made into a tape / CD

A cup of tea to share

IOU for regular visit / phone call / trip etc

Music lesson

Gift Basket with a Theme

Create a family photo montage in a large frame

Plant up springbulb windowboxes

Home made Bath Salts

Hamper filled with homemade treats: biscuits/chutney/jam/sloe gin/elderfower fizz/chocolate fudge etc

T-4-2-set - two charity shop mugs/t-cups packaged up with tea and homemade
biscuits

Home made Dog Biscuits

Gardener's Treat - home harvested seeds, herbal tea, chocolates, cookies placed in terracotta pot; wrap in newspaper gardening pages and twine

Cover photoframe with children's drawings - for latest photo of grandchildren

Home made chocolates

Give voucher promising to cut grass; trim bushes, trees, ect

Give voucher to friend/relative offering to relieve carer/spouse for an hour/day so they can have time out

Spiced pickled runner beans

Offer friends who don't drive 'chauffeur vouchers' for shopping trips, tea/coffee out, hospital visits etc

Provide trips to tip to help offload recyclable goods

 Triple chocolate brownies

Voucher for supper/pub meal out

Home made Bath Bombs

 

 

Ideas for Younger Children

Top tip - and sometimes the hardest thing: it's the child your gift should be aimed at, not the parents!  

Second hand toys:

Train sets

Lego

Jigsaw puzzles.

Action men, tanks and accessories

Photos of their friends, frames easily found in charity shop

Bratzs or Barbie and accessories

etc

Second hand dressing up, hats, scarves, bags etc - lots can be sourced from charity shops

Home made play-dough

Chocolate Fudge Kit

Tomato growing kit - to include pot of soil, seeds, little watering can and label for them to colour in.

A little photo album with pictures of them as a baby up to present date.

Go to the zoo or play park

Home made Bath Bombs

Decorate recycled box, fill with penny sweets

Rides on friend's pony

Muddy day in the woods

Climbing on a tractor and jumping over hay bales

More 2nd hand dolls and accessories bought from older girl

Decorate shoe box with camouflage motif and fill with toy soldiers

Parent & child day at the Cherry Wood

Give them child friendly worms!

Cardboard box made into Dalek, complete with real sink plunger

Second hand Knex

Second hand meccano

Make and decorate cardboard box castle

Voucher for session at climbing wall

Concert tickets

Play tickets

Make their own CD of favourites

Make up a kit of ingredients and utensils to make a favourite cake

CDs from charity shops

Jewellery from charity shops

Numerous other charity shop items are ideal for this age group

Choose their own nickname and you use it!

Sewing kit

Jewellery making kit

Book a date in your diary to have a special outing with them

Put together string, pegs, paperclips etc (decorated appropriately if you wish)to make own Christmas card/art work/party invitations holder

Cookie jar filled with measured & layered ingredients - just add an egg 

 

Ideas for Teens

Overheard at party "This present is so cool - we bought the bag from Cancer Research and the necklace in Oxfam so you've helped at least two people!" 

Fire building / camping skills

Knot a mobile phone cover - or convert a sock

Adopt a bee ...or two

Old swimming hat (you know, with flowers and things on!) converted into v funky pencil case with the addition of zip across the top.  

Pin board pre-filled with pics and personal things.  

Behind the scenes visit to sports venue / theatre

Use of an unoccupied house for sleepover / party / meal - or for younger ones agreement that you won't be home before midnight.

Accompanying to festival and camping at a safe distance to act as a point
of contact / check safety for kids who are old enough to want to go but not
old enough to go independently

Train travel tickets / bus passes / interrail

Home made Bath Salts 

Theatre tickets / festival tickets

Time with cool cousin

Cooking lessons

Ingredients & recipe for a favourite meal: eg curry kit

Home made chocolates

Book of favourite family recipes

Collage of family photos / memories

Gym membership

Voucher for paint balling / activities

Lifts to / home from nights out

Home made Bath Bombs

Bike / car maintenance sessions

Cycling proficiency course

Room decoration

Magazine subscription

Fuel allowance (for drivers) - with top tips on fuel efficiency

Recycle old jeans into cushions/book bags

Cover shoebox with sports/fashion/book-music reviews/comic/cooking/gardening
pages from newspaper: fill with appropriate goodies -
    cookery kit with favourite meal recipes
    CD storage
    secondhand books of fave author
    stationery kit
    tuck

Knit a huge chunky scarf from mixed wool/leftovers; add pompoms each end!

Advanced driver lessons

Refashioning old clothes course (Urban Threads)

Make up and eyebrow shaping lesson

Give them money to spend at car boot and teach them to haggle!

Create knitting/art/sewing/cooking kits

Allow them to chose own new nickname - then use it!

Green woodworking course at Cherry Wood

 

 

Wrapping Ideas for All

Avoid waste and always have exactly the right wrapping paper in stock by keeping a role of brown parcel paper or lining paper then decorating it yourself (or asking your kids to do it) appropriately as the need arises. Tip: sometimes it might help to wrap the gift first to make sure a focal part of the decoration gets to the right place

Kids thumb & finger prints in look very effective, either randomly or used to make figures.

Newspaper wrapping looks surprisingly effective, especially if you pick a picture or article which will appeal to the recipient.

A big floppy cabbage leaf tied with string look fabs wrapping a jar of pickles.

 

 

 

 

Postal and Overseas Gifts

Buy a large cheese (brie/stilton) and share it between the family, perhaps with an additional little present, so that the whole family will be eating the same cheese.

Agree with other friends/relatives what you are buying each other’s children then each buy the other’s presents – only cards and gift tags need be sent then. Especially useful for heavy presents and overseas ones.

For overseas gifts, another way is to buy on a website based in that country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parties  & Weddings - asking for sustainable gifts

Agree logos on children's party invitations with other mothers (eg £ for money, a Present Sense one – we will happily provide – for PS style presents).

Fancy dress: only in clothes bought from a charity shop - with a spending limit?

Don't want a present but know people will want to give? Decide a project with Wherever The Need and ask people to donate. Good for weddings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dog Biscuits

 

 

Makes 24

300g whole wheat flour

65g powdered milk

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp wheat germ

1tsp beef bouillon granules

80g bacon grease

1 egg

120ml iced water

 

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C.

In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, powdered milk, garlic powder, wheat germ, bouillon, bacon grease and the egg.

Add the water little by little to create a dough that is not too sticky.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to ½ inch thick, then create the biscuits with a cookie cutter.

Place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet, one inch apart, and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until firm. Allow to cool before serving,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gift baskets with a theme

'The only limit to this idea is your imagination. You get an affordable basket, then include items that fit the person's personality. For pasta lovers, you can put in a wooden slotted spoon, a small bottle of olive oil, some herbs, and maybe a recipe card or two. You can even use a colander as the `basket'. For a movie lover, give a film voucher, a package of special popcorn kernels and their favourite sweets - all in a movie popcorn bag or bucket.'

 

 

A cup of tea to 'share'

 

 

'I made these for friends and family, and they went down really well!
What you'll need:
1 tea cup and saucer
1 flavoured teabag
1 mini teaspoon
1 individual size cookie or shortbread snack
Clear cellophane
Ribbon
'I taped the teacup bottom to the saucer to secure it. I put the shortbread, teabag and spoon inside the cup and wrapped them with cellophane. I tied ribbons and attached this note:
'On Christmas Day at half past three
Pour yourself a cup of tea.
I'll think of you, you think of me,
Sitting 'round the Christmas tree.'

 

 

 

 

Hand-dipped chocolates

 

 

'You can make these fancy chocolates yourself.
Step 1: Decide on what you want to dip or what your special someone enjoys. For example, strawberries, pretzels, crisps, biscuits, crackers and so on. (If using strawberries or other fruit, rinse and dry thoroughly before dipping.)
Step 2: Choose a nice plain chocolate bar. I like Lindt chocolate bars - they are a little bit creamier than some other bars.
Step 3: Line baking tray with wax paper, and melt the chocolate in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, place a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Once the chocolate is thoroughly melted, remove the double boiler from the heat and start dipping, covering about 2/3 of your selected item in chocolate.
Step 4: Place the dipped item on the wax paper and let harden; sometimes a couple of minutes in the refrigerator helps. I prefer air-drying to prevent discoloration of the chocolate.
To add some additional pizzazz, melt a tiny bit of dark or white chocolate and drizzle it over your creations for a contrast!'

 

 

 

Bath salts

'The scent is sweet, but subtle. Simply mix together in a jar:
3 cups of Epsom salts
2 tablespoons of baking soda
4 drops of rose oil
6 drops of sandalwood
1 drop of ylang ylang
2 drops of red food coloring.
'Put the cork on or close the lid then shake vigorously. This makes a great gift when stored in an apothecary jar with a cork.'

 

 

 

 

 

Fizzy Bath Bombs

 

Recipe from Janey Lee Grace’s “Imperfectly Natural Woman”: Mix 3 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda with 1.5 tablespoons of citric acid and a few drops of essential oil. Drizzle a scant teaspoon of water over the ingredients and mix well. This can be used as it is or pressed into a mould and stored in a plastic bag”

 

 

 

 

 

Spiced pickled runner beans

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

2lb (900g) runner beans, weighed after trimming and slicing

1.5lb (700g) chopped onions

1.5 pints (850ml)malt vinegar

1.5 oz (40g) cornflour

1 heaped tablespoon mustard powder

1 rounded tablespoon turmeric

8oz (225g) soft brown sugar

1 lb (450g) Demerara sugar

salt

 You will also need six 0.5 litre jars, sterilised.

 Put all of the onions into a preserving pan or large casserole dish with 10 floz (275ml) of the vinegar. Bring up to simmering point and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the onions are soft.

Meanwhile cook the sliced beans in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then strain them and add to the onions.

Now in a small basin mix the cornflour, mustard and turmeric with a little of the remaining vinegar – enough to make a smooth paste – then add this paste to the onion mixture. Pour in the rest of the vinegar and simmer everything for 10 minutes. After that stir in both quantities of sugar until they dissolve and continue to simmer for a further 15 minutes. Then pot the pickle in warmed, sterilised jars, and seal and label when cold.

Keep for at least a month before eating.

 

 

The BEST Triple Chocolate Brownies you’ll ever taste!

 

 

 

Ingredients

6oz (185g) butter

6oz (185g) dark chocolate

3 eggs

8oz (220g) caster sugar

4oz (110g) plain flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

5oz (150g) milk chocolate, chopped up

5oz (150g) white chocolate, chopped up

Pre heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F

Grease and line a 23cm (9inch) tin.

Melt the butter and dark chocolate until smooth, and allow to cool a little.

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy, then sift in the flour and cocoa, mix well and then add the white and milk chocolate.

Pour into the tin and bake for 35 to 40 minutes till set.

Allow to cool and cut into squares.

 

 

Children's Chocolate Fudge Kit

 

 

 

 To use this as a present for a child: get together the ingredients below plus a foil tray, a wooden spoon and a copy of the recipe for a scrumptious fun and easy to make gift. Most easily presented in a gift bag. 

Alternatively this is a great recipe for children to use to make gifts for grandparents or teachers.

 Ingredients

350g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids,) chopped

1 x 397g tin condensed milk

30g butter

pinch salt

150g nuts and raisins (or anything else they like)

 Line a 23cm square foil tin.

Put the chocolate, condensed milk, butter and salt into a heavy based pan on a low heat and stir to melt.

Put the nuts into a freezer bag, and bash with a rolling pin, until broken up into both big and little pieces.

Add the nuts to the melted chocolate mixture and mix well.

Pour into your lined tin and smooth the top .

Let the fudge cool and refrigerate until set.

Then cut into small pieces, and bag up.

You can keep this fudge in the freezer, no need to thaw, just eat straight away!

(We also used this with crushed digestives and raisins, rolled bits into balls and sprinkled with icing sugar to make Reindeer Droppings!)

 

 

Memory Boxes - guaranteed tear jerker!

 

 

Children decorate a  box however they like - with flashy sequins or pictures of themselves, drawings - then add in anything they want  alongside some slips of paper on which they write memories they have of the recipient.

Can be given to anyone but especially lovely for grandparents.

Note of caution to supervising parents: avoid all temptation to interfere and impose your taste & ideas - the more personal this is the better, even if it does include rude comments about siblings and isn't as neat as you'd like!