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Holiday Planning (Part II) — The Crafts

by Patricia on November 16, 2008 · 0 comments

I’m still in holiday planning mode. Trying to think of what to give to my friends and families. Last year, I made a decision to have a less materialistic Christmas and it was probably the best Christmas I can remember from an emotional well-being point of view. I made “relax and indulge” packets for my friends. I enjoyed baking and sewing for the weeks leading up to Christmas and I enjoyed giving my friends something they could use (I mean, who can’t use cookies? Seriously. I could use a cookie now). And since it was successful last year, I am here trying to plan a similar success for this year…

Here are some of the Ideas for crafty presents I’ve been looking at for my friends and family:

For D. from the boys…
- Soaps? This could be a fun project to make with the kids

For the kids…
- What every little boy needs: a holster for their light sabers

For my girl friends…
- Quilted Pot Holders
- Wavy scarf
- Homemade bath salts or herbal bath tea or bath bombs
- A reusable grocery bag like this one from morsbags
- I had a thought about buying simple tea pots and making tea cozies (I really want a tea cozy for myself) and adding some tea bags and cookies to the package as a gift pack.
- A “green pack” — like some cloth napkins or knitted dish or face clothes, reusable bags, other green stuff
- Other cute gift ideas from Sew, Mama, Sew

And on a selfish note: I love these flasks from Moxie and Oliver on Etsy –

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Holiday Planning (Part 1) — Cookies

by Patricia on November 16, 2008 · 0 comments

It is November 16. Five and a half weeks until Christmas. So the holiday baking will need to commence soon (bake cookies and freeze them for later gifting — I would prefer to give only fresh-baked cookies but that would mean baking everything right before giving them and that just isn’t practical).

Last year, I made a lot of different cookies and gave people a nice variety. Not listed in that post, I also made gingerbread which I took to my sister’s house. And lemon bars which only a couple of people got to try. There are a few cookies that I know I will be making again, either because I really liked them or because they got good reviews last year.

Definite keepers from last year:

  • Rosemary cheese crackers (they are called cookies but they are so savory its hard for me to see them as a cookie… cracker suits it better. Yummy and well-liked by many)
  • “mock” Cranberry bliss bars (extremely good with a cup of coffee…. and I’m not much of a coffee drinker)
  • Gingerbread (I loved this with fresh whip cream! Not the cookies, but the cake/ bread… soooo good) – I used a recipe from Good Housekeeping Baking

Maybe keepers from last year:

Recipes I’d like to try this year:

I’m at a loss for what to get for D. this Christmas. I have a few ideas for what to make for the rest of friends though… I’ll elaborate on those ideas later.

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