Homesteader's Gift Guide

 What kind of homesteader would I be if I didn’t have homesteading gift ideas for you?  I want to normalize giving gifts to lots of people but giving the kinds of gifts that don’t cause you to go into debt.  And I know that not everyone would agree, but these types of gifts, the ones that show thoughtfulness and creativity, are the best kind to get.  They far surpass any other gift that can be bought from a store.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I’m not past shopping.  Sometimes I enjoy it!  If I see something in a store that makes me think of you, and it’s within my budget to purchase, I’ll probably get it for you.  That shows thoughtfulness as well.  But there is something extra special about making a gift by hand and putting your own creativity into it.  These are the types of gifts I love to give and receive.  I think giving gifts at any time of year is something we should do for various reasons, but of course, with the Christmas season here,  I have it on my mind.  Here are a few ideas of some homesteading gifts you can give this year.  And if you don’t consider yourself a homesteader, perhaps you know one who can help you out!  (And of course, most of them are food, but everyone needs to eat, right?)


  • Bake some homemade cookies and/or candies.  These make great gifts for neighbors and who doesn’t love to get a basket of sweets?

  • Make homemade muffins, donuts, or bagels to give someone a delicious breakfast.  I’m not a morning person, so knowing that someone provided a great breakfast for my family would make my day!

  • Bake a fresh loaf of bread, sourdough, or yeast.  I’m sorry, but fresh bread is one of the most delicious things you put in your mouth.  Make it even better by adding some homemade butter and/or jam.  

  • Do you have some backyard chickens?  Give someone a dozen eggs!  Almost everyone eats eggs, whether it’s for breakfast or just baking.  Make it even better by adding some egg wash and an egg cleaner, or even a cute egg container that can all be found on Amazon.  

  • Do you make your own homemade cleaner, detergent, or soap?  Those all make incredible gifts as they are all something everyone needs.  I’d much rather have a gift that I can put to use and if what you make is natural and helps keep someone from using harmful chemicals, then you’re helping them out in multiple ways!

  • Are you the crafty kind who makes homemade candles?  I love candles and love to receive one as a gift no matter where it comes from, but one made my hand would put a huge smile on my face!

  • Look up some recipes for homemade hot chocolate or create your own.  Who doesn’t love hot chocolate in the winter?  I know I do!  Bag up the mix in a cute bag, (nothing fancy is needed) and attach the directions for mixing it.  You can kick it up a notch by putting it in a cute mug or cup, or by making your own marshmallows and adding those.  

  • If you are a canner, you have so many options.  I can my own relish, more than one kind, and love to eat it on a heaping bowl of beans.  Why not get a bag of dry beans and a jar of your homemade canned relish, and wrap it up as a gift?  

  • Can your own homemade salsa?  Add a jar of that and a bag of tortilla chips and you have the perfect gift.  

  • As far as that goes, why not give anything you can as a gift?  If you can your own tomatoes, put those in a gift bag with a chili recipe.  Or if you can your own soups, add a jar of that and some crackers to a gift bag.  The ideas are endless!

  • Do you grow your own flowers?  I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love to get a fresh bouquet and from my experience, giving those you’ve grown yourself means so much more than spending too much money in a store.  The Christmas season may not be the best time for giving flowers depending on where you live, but it’s a gift idea you can always put in your back pocket.  

  • If you have a skill such as knitting, crocheting, or sewing, you always have endless gifts at your fingertips.  No matter how many throws a person has, they probably don’t mind getting another.  The crossstiched pillows my grandma made me still have a place in my home many years later.  My late aunt crocheted beautiful afghans for us one Christmas that we still cuddle up with to this day.  And the baby blankets that have been made for each of my children will one day keep their children warm.  These are the types of gifts that keep giving over and over, and will one day hold some sentimental value. 

  • If you are an artist, create something to give.  I’ve received watercolor paintings that add a beautiful touch to the decor.  I recently received some handmade pottery that I will always cherish.  Art adds a special touch to a home and it makes for a great conversation piece as well when company visits. 

  • If you have some delicious recipes up your sleeve, why not type them up and print them out to give as gifts?  It’s inexpensive and gives people some new dinner (or breakfast or dessert, etc.) ideas.  If you want to make it extra special, you could purchase an inexpensive journal and write them out in your own handwriting.  This will definitely be special for someone to receive.  


I think I will begin to make it my tradition to come up with something creative to give each year at Christmas.  What other ideas do you have that would make fun gifts to give at Christmas or any other time?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Home Educating Journey

     Five years ago, things got strange for my oldest daughter as she attended school.  Suddenly, my child who had always loved learning and enjoyed school, was focused on things that had nothing to do with learning.  She was instead becoming increasingly uninterested in attending school, and building up anxieties.  It would be a while before I learned that she was being relentlessly bullied by another student.       I always knew it could happen.  After all, I had been teaching for many years at that point and had seen things like this over and over again.  But it's different when it happens to your own child.  That isn't to say that I never took it seriously before.  I did.  I always wanted what was best for my students and did what I could to help them.  This time, however, it became personal, in a more flesh-and-blood way.  I began to understand what some of those parents before had tried to get me ...
Read more

Catching Fireflies

 A couple of weeks ago, I was working in the garden and noticed a firefly (or lightning bug if you prefer).  It was the first one I had seen of the season, and I couldn't wait to go tell Ean.  He loves to catch them and put them in a jar, or whatever we can find.  We usually try to build an entire habitat to make sure the firefly has food and even water, and sometimes, we catch multiples so they don't get lonely.  Catching fireflies as a child is a good memory for me.  Not all of my childhood memories are good ones.  Is anyone's?  In fact, a lot of my childhood memories aren't great.  Or the ones I can actually remember anyway.  I have vague memories of some things that were unpleasant, but fortunately, the memory often works in my favor.  I just can't always remember the bad stuff. Fireflies though, I remember.  I remember being at Grandma and Grandpa's and catching them in the yard on warm summer nights.  Sometimes, we'd...
Read more

Just Do It

    I believe it was Nike that used the motto "Just Do It!"  I recently thought about it when I was listening to a podcast about getting things done.  The guest on the show stated that the longer you wait to do something, the more likely you are to talk yourself out of it, and that you'll never be more ready than you are today.  I think it's good advice, at least for someone like me.  I like to research and learn, but at some point, even if you don't feel ready, I think it's best to just get to work.       I waited for two years to approach leaving my job to be home full time, and once I made the decision, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.  Again, I felt a huge relief once I told everyone at work what my plans were, and no one threw stones at me, but instead congratulated me.  Wait, what?       It happened when I was planning to homeschool as well. I read and researched for two years, bu...
Read more