Five homemade gift ideas

With advent calendars reminding Brits of the countdown to Christmas, many shoppers who are yet to buy gifts will be frantically racing around the shops, purchasing extortionately marked up items. 

One the other hand, new research shows that over a quarter of people are so cash-strapped that they are giving their loved ones an IOU as a gift! 

There is an alternative to concerning yourself with expensive presents though - make it yourself! 

If anybody watched The Ultimate Guide to Penny Pinching on Channel 4 the other week, they may have been inspired to join Britain’s bargain hunting boom. 

One of the stars of the show reduced her supermarket bill from £50 to just £5 with her voucher-based methods. However, by making your own you can save even more!

Here is a quick guide to five seasonal treats you can make from the comfort of your own home. 

Christmas jumper 

Depending on your knitting skills, why not go for the traditional Christmas jumper, or maybe a stocking to start with? It will definitely save you money on jumper costs!

Chocolate 

Homemade sweet treats make a great gift for any food lover. Not only can you improve your baking skills, but your friends and family will really appreciate the effort. Homemade truffles are the easiest chocolate treat to make and they can be served with liqueurs and coffees for afterwards. 

Decorations 

Decorations are easy and fun to make. They can save you cash and keep the children entertained for hours. Using good quality cards, and lots of glue/glitter, you can bring a bit of Christmas cheer to any household. You can also make hanging decorations for the tree by using old fabric or paper to create baubles. 

Cards 

This can be a fun activity and usually takes no time at all. Personal Christmas cards, which have been handmade, will sit proudly on any mantle piece! 

Mince Pies 

What could be more festive and fun than making mince pieces! You can easily pick up dried fruits from your local supermarket and put your own twist on the mince pies. By making your own pastry you can also put personalised stylings on the lid of the pie. 

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2011-12-08 16:42:15 © Moneyextra.com