Homemade for the Holidays

In my pursuit of the ever elusive "Hallmark Christmas", I'd like to go back to simpler times when gift giving was homemade, and from the heart. When neighbors would drop off fresh baked holiday breads in pretty loaf pans or plates of decorated cookies. My mom was always baking for our neighbors during the holidays. Even so many years later, an old neighborhood friend will talk about my mother's baking. Simple and happy times....

I love making and giving gifts from the heart.  Something you put time and care into. I found a couple of things this year that I thought were really cute, and very simple. 

Festively decorated sugar cookies in a quart size jar. How easy! Tie on a cute cookie cutter and decorate the lid with a circle of holiday paper. Include the recipe too if you want. Just type it out on paper (I like using brown kraft paper) and glue it on the front.  A lovely gift.

How special is this! And again just so simple! Use a pint size jar, or any jar with a lid. Print out a poem or a holiday quote or saying and glue to the jar. Add some ribbons and decorative papers to the lid, and you've got a simple gift of sweetness to give.


This one is my favorite to give and of course to receive! A thoughtful breakfast basket of coffee and holiday bread, pastry, scones or muffins. Can you make homemade jam? Add some of that for a special touch! Pick up a cute basket, a festive holiday cloth napkin or a square of seasonal fabric, for another wonderfully cozy gift!

For the pampered gal on your list, how about homemade bath salts? Pour into a jar, decorate with ribbons and a cute tag, and done!
Here's the recipe:


Candy Cane Bath Salts
3 cups Epsom Salts
4 tsps Sweet Almond Oil
10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
1 drop Red food coloring
Jars (your choice of size - I'd do pint size Mason jars)
Get 2 small mixing bowls. Put 1-1/2 cups of Salts into each bowl. Put 2 tsps of Almond oil into each bowl. Then 5 drops of Peppermint oil into each bowl. Into just ONE of the bowls, add the red food coloring. You want to end up with one bowl of white salts and one bowl of red. Mix each bowl well and then let sit for a couple of hours. When you're ready, layer the salts into each jar - white, red, white red, etc. for a "candy cane" effect. Seal with the top, then add ribbons, decorative paper on lid and a cute tag. You could tie a candy cane on as well. Include the list of ingredients if you want. Type up on festive paper and glue to the back of the jar.


Pretty and simple! What are you making this holiday season?